Steyn unlikely to join Lions for Super Rugby

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Another example of a player, like Kankowski and JP Pietersen, who doesn't need to move to get regular game-time and will not want to risk his place in the World Cup squad by moving to a lesser club

 

[Draggs]

Of the 3, yeah I would be least sad to see JdV go. Behind JdJ and Fourie there are still a couple of talented guys in the WP: Bosch and Whitehead come to mind and Welsch has the experience while Marcel Brache is a good prospect. If I remember correctly Morgan Newman has moved on? If so, best of luck; can't see him making a WP 22. At a real pinch Grant can cover 12 as well.. so we are set for centers.

Just leave our pack alone!!

Grant is off to Japan, isn't he?

I forgot that the Sharks signed Potgieter and Bosman, two good signings.
Lambie at 15 then?

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Grant is off to Japan, isn't he?

I forgot that the Sharks signed Potgieter and Bosman, two good signings.
Lambie at 15 then?

Lambie is best at 12. Would do good with Terblanche next to him or Bosman with Terblanche at fullback. I don't see a fullback in Lambie for the future

 

[Seaton]

Grant is off to Japan, isn't he?

He moved just for the Currie Cup, and should be back in time for the S15
He went to earn some dosh (surprise, surprise)

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Well, since SA is not the country to earn the big bucks, I understand he moves there but for only 6 months?

 

[Seaton]

Well, since SA is not the country to earn the big bucks, I understand he moves there but for only 6 months?

There is an awful lot of New Zealanders/ Aussies/ Pacific Islanders/ South Africans playing over there, I think it was Jaco van de Wezthuizen (sp.) who helped set up the move.
Also was apparently the 'mastermind' behind F. du Preez plans to go over there after the WC.

I think he (Grant) is earning something like 2 million rands ( 150 000 odd pounds) in that short stint, which if I am not mistaken is more than what he earns in 2 years at WP

Scary stuff

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Thing is that life in Japan is much more expensive too so he won't have that much left. Still, it's nice to save up a little but if I was Grant, I would go there for 3 or 4 years, save up and return after 4 seasons of Japanese rugby.

Especially if you are a player out of reach of an invitation for the national squad, like Grant.

You'll have enough money to live a nice life and still enough years to enjoy some Currie Cup and Super Rugby

 

[Draggs]

Lambie is best at 12. Would do good with Terblanche next to him or Bosman with Terblanche at fullback. I don't see a fullback in Lambie for the future

He seemed solid at 12 when I saw him in the CC. His kicking does not seem to be that of a fullback.
How is Ludik getting on?

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Ludik really surprised me in a positive way this Currie Cup season. After Montgomery retiring we used Francois Steyn and Stefan Terblanche as full backs but both are better centres, just like Lambie. Ludik is best at full-back and, together with Conrad Jantjes, a great option for the spot in the Green & Gold. Kirchner is not suited for World Class rugby, he has shown that this whole year.

Ludik was of course one of the players the Lions lost lately when he moved to the Sharks together with Alberts.

 

[Draggs]

Ludik really surprised me in a positive way this Currie Cup season. After Montgomery retiring we used Francois Steyn and Stefan Terblanche as full backs but both are better centres, just like Lambie. Ludik is best at full-back and, together with Conrad Jantjes, a great option for the spot in the Green & Gold. Kirchner is not suited for World Class rugby, he has shown that this whole year.

Ludik was of course one of the players the Lions lost lately when he moved to the Sharks together with Alberts.

09 McLeod
10 JLP
11 Pietersen
12 Lambie
13 Jacobs/Bosman (Can he play 13?)
14 Mvovo
15 Ludik

Terblanche as a backup, not a bad team at all.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Switch Pietersen and Mvovo and it's done!

That will be our backline. Ndungane will be the backup winger, Conrad Hoffmann is our new Pienaar who can play everywhere except the wing. We still have Swanepoel for the centre option and Lambie for fly-half if he gets his kicking up to a proper level. I prefer him as a fly-half because of his style. He is more a walking player, which suites the Sharks team more with their play of going through the phases. The Sharks are more a running team in stead of a kicking one. JLP is a good kicker, but doesn't run a lot with ball in hand.

 

[Seaton]

Bosman's distributive skills mean that he would be wasted at 13
Also I don't see how J-LP will start many games for the Sharks, with his passing game not as good as Lambie's.

3 months is a long time in rugby, I am confident that the Sharks management team can work out the major kinks in Lambie's kicking, and with Bosman playing, the goal kicking duties can be given to him should Lambie falter



Edit: Never saw Ezequiels last post

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Haha. Maybe we should disagree for a change

I am not that familiar with Bosman's kicking. Lambie is good enough for Currie Cup kicking since we get so many tries but Super Rugby it is more important for him to get a good percentage succesful kicking. In the long run I even see him pushing Morne Steyn to the bench in the Springbok squad. M. Steyn is a great kicker, the best together with Daniel Carter, but like I said earlier, Lambie's running game is something to keep an eye on for the future.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

grant will be back for S15 but remember that Terblanche is retired now.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Really? Ahh, that's a shame. He is still one of the top centres in the country despite his age.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Really? Ahh, that's a shame. He is still one of the top centres in the country despite his age.

Yes, the Sharks will certainly miss Turbo's. A decent enough center I thought he has been unlucky not to play for the Springboks in recent years as a fullback where he plays his best rugby and was the stand-out SA fullback for me even though he wouldn't get a look in due to his age.

Taht said, between Ludika nd Lambie the Sahrks have very able replacement and prospects for the future

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Ludik was the full-back in this Currie Cup season of course with Terblanche playing at centre. With Swanepoel, Lambie, Hoffmann, Bosman and Jacobs we have 5 options for the centre position. I think that is a good enough depth.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Beast To Join Lions?
15/12/2010 | Robert Lemmer

Come 2011, the Beast could be hunting with the Lions instead of swimming with the Sharks, writes Christo Buchner for Beeld.

Tendai (Beast) Mtawarira, the Sharks and Springbok prop, has apparently received an offer from the Lions which he may be unable to turn down.

In Sharks country it is already being said that he is heading for Johannesburg, but Brian van Zyl, the executive head of the Sharks, said on Tuesday that the Beast signed a contract for another three years with the Durban-based team in October, and that he will be forced to honour it.

“We won’t let him go just like that, although we are aware of him being contacted by the Lions,†says Van Zyl.

Informed sources say the Sharks have apparently also made it clear to Mtawarira that they were the union to have fetched him in Zimbabwe, and to have given him a chance to get a foothold in South African rugby.

This emotional appeal, which is now issued by team bosses in Durban, is meant to counter the massive amount that the Lions’ new owners are apparently willing to pay for Mtawarira.

It is no secret that the Sharks are deeply disappointed by the possibility that he may be lost to them and could be seeking greener pastures.

There are even some who say openly that he could definitely be lost to the team and that his marketing involvement with the team has already been curtailed.

The Sharks’ home will also from next year not be known as the Absa Stadium anymore. The contract for the naming rights of the stadium has not been renewed by the banking group and Van Zyl has confirmed that a new contract has been signed for the naming rights of the stadium.

An announcement regarding this matter will apparently be made early next year.

source: Beeld


Well, with Herbst, Smit, Jannie du Plessis and van Staden we have 4 props but I would rather want to see Smit move and Mtawarira stay

 

[Draggs]

grant will be back for S15 but remember that Terblanche is retired now.

A great player though. Legend at the Ospreys.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Ludik was the full-back in this Currie Cup season of course with Terblanche playing at centre. With Swanepoel, Lambie, Hoffmann, Bosman and Jacobs we have 5 options for the centre position. I think that is a good enough depth.

Yes, Terblanche played at 13 this CC and performed admirably but that was more due to a lack of options for the position than anything else and I would still call him a fullback.

As you say the Sharks have signed on more centre options and Bosman had a great year while Jacobs is back from injury. Don't forget JL Potgieter as an option. Hoffman I wouldn't play at centre but he is a great player to have on the bench to cover 9,10 and 15. I would suggest we will see a backline looking like this:

9 McLeod, 10 Lambie, 11 Mvovo, 12 Bosman, 13 Jacobs, 14 Ndungane, 15 Ludik
20, Hoffman, 21 JL Potgieter, 22 Swanepoel

Looking at that it looks like losing both JP Petersen and Mapoe might hurt if one of the wingers get injured early on.

Your pack should survive losing Beats if it should come to that. All in all I would be surprised if the Sharks aren't there or there abouts when it comes to the finals.