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It's a new dawn, it's a new day!
So we're back to the 15-team Conference system. The system where the SA team have been the most successful in getting to the playoffs, and actually win the tournament.
I know it's still a long way off, but for my own sanity it's time to talk because I'm starting to get withdrawal symptoms. This time around we only have 4 SA teams competing, so let's have a look at what they have to offer:
Bulls:
So a new head coach in John Mitchell, and a lot of changes in personnel. Along with some administerial issues with regard to retrenchments, the Bulls certainly have their hands full in trying to rebuild their brand. Their new kit was evidence of that they are looking to focus on the old values of Blue Bull Rugby, in that they want to get the community involved. Their away kit being similar to the Mamelodi Sundowns soccer team who play their home games at Loftus Versfeld.
The training squad they picked was a majority of the Currie Cup team who under Mitchell started to show just what the can do with ball in hand. A very youthful group that oozes talent. A return of some stars from injury and stints in Japan, and this team looks rather dangerous.
Possible 23:
1. Pierre Schoeman
2. Adriaan Strauss*
3. Trevor Nyakane*
4. Lood De Jager*
5. RG Snyman
6. Roelof Smit*
7. Jacques Potgieter*
8. Boom Prinsloo
9. Rudy Paige*
10. Marnitz Boshoff*
11. Jamba Ulengo*
12. Handre Pollard*
13. Jesse Kriel*
14. Travis Ishmaiel
15. Warrick Gelant*
16. Edgar Marutlule
17. Lizo Gqoboka
18. JR Jenkinson
19. Jason Jenkins
20. Jannes Kirsten/Hanro Liebenberg
21. Ivan van Zyl/Embrose Papier
22. Manie Libbok
23. Burger Odendaal
* = Springbok capped players
Lions:
The Lions are this year without Johann Ackermann, after going to the finals the last 2 seasons. And the question everyone is asking, will Swys De Bruin be able to continue in Ackermann's place. De Bruin has been Ackermann's right hand man the past few seasons, and we saw in the Currie Cup that not much have changed in their playing style under De Bruin, but will he be able to weld (pun intended) them into another machine come game time? Victor Matfield has joined the coaching team, and that makes me think that they will have a big focus on line-outs and attacking from set phases.
Possible 23:
1. Jacques van Rooyen
2. Malcolm Marx*
3. Ruan Dreyer*
4. Franco Mostert*
5. Andries Ferreira
6. Jaco Kriel*
7. Kwagga Smith
8. Warren Whiteley*
9. Ross Cronje*
10. Elton Jantjies*
11. Courtnall Skosan*
12. Rohan Janse van Rensburg
13. Lionel Mapoe*
14. Ruan Combrink*
15. Andries Coetzee*
16. Robbie Coetzee
17. Sti Sithole
18. Jacobie Adriaanse
19. Marvin Orie
20. Cyle Brink
21. Dillon Smit
22. Shaun Reynolds
23. Sylvian Mahuza/Anthony Volmink
The Sharks:
Or as I'd like to call them now, the Du Preez Family with Friends. So Dad Robert is the head coach, and the twins Jean-Luc and Dan have both been capped by the bokke, and now they've managed to lure big brother Robert from the Stormers, to join them in Natal to be one big happy family again. Let's hope they can get this reunion to preform on the field, because dad is a no-nonsense type of guy, and his focus on discipline has been instrumental in getting the Sharks as a powerhouse they are becoming. Their pack is one I fear for 2018, with Thomas Du Toit and Coenie Oosthuizen becoming such strong scrummagers and both weighing over 120kg's they won't be easily pushed around, Perhaps it's time for Beast to take a step back.
Possible 23:
1. Thomas Du Toit
2. Franco Marais
3. Coenie Oosthuizen*
4. Ruan Botha
5. Stephan Lewies
6. Tera Mtembu
7. Jean-Luc Du Preez*
8. Dan Du Preez*
9. Louis Schreuder*
10. Robert Du Preez
11. Makazole Mapimpi
12. Andre Esterhuizen
13. Lukhanyo Am*
14. Sibusiso Nkosi
15. Curwin Bosch*
16. Akker van der Merwe
17. Tendai "Beast" Mtawarira
18. Ross Geldenhuys
19. Phillip van der Walt
20. Keegan Daniel
21. Michael Claasen
22. Garth April
23. Cobus van Wyk / Leolin Zas
The Stormers:
Something tells me that there is a storm brewing in the Cape, and it's not one that is bringing water. The have yet again managed to be in a crisis at fly half. Seriously?? How does this happen so often to the same team? Don't they learn from their mistakes? Anyways, All indications are there that the Stormers will again be a very competitive team as they always are, but I get the notion that they will again be a little short.
Possible 23:
1. Steven Kitshoff*
2. Bongi Mbonambi*
3. Frans Malherbe*
4. Eben Etzebeth*
5. Pieter-Steph Du Toit*
6. Cobus Wiese
7. Siya Kolisi
8. Juarno Augustus
9. Dewaldt Duvenhage
10. Damian Willemse
11. Dillyn Leyds*
12. Damian De Allende*
13. JJ Engelbrecht*
14. Sergeal Pietersen
15. SP Marais
16. Scarra Ntubeni*
17. JC Janse van Rensburg
18. Alistair Vermaak
19. JD Shickerling
20. Nizam Carr
21. Jano Vermaak
22. Joshua Stander/George Whitehead
23. Raymond Rhule/EW Viljoen
So we're back to the 15-team Conference system. The system where the SA team have been the most successful in getting to the playoffs, and actually win the tournament.
I know it's still a long way off, but for my own sanity it's time to talk because I'm starting to get withdrawal symptoms. This time around we only have 4 SA teams competing, so let's have a look at what they have to offer:
Bulls:
So a new head coach in John Mitchell, and a lot of changes in personnel. Along with some administerial issues with regard to retrenchments, the Bulls certainly have their hands full in trying to rebuild their brand. Their new kit was evidence of that they are looking to focus on the old values of Blue Bull Rugby, in that they want to get the community involved. Their away kit being similar to the Mamelodi Sundowns soccer team who play their home games at Loftus Versfeld.
The training squad they picked was a majority of the Currie Cup team who under Mitchell started to show just what the can do with ball in hand. A very youthful group that oozes talent. A return of some stars from injury and stints in Japan, and this team looks rather dangerous.
Possible 23:
1. Pierre Schoeman
2. Adriaan Strauss*
3. Trevor Nyakane*
4. Lood De Jager*
5. RG Snyman
6. Roelof Smit*
7. Jacques Potgieter*
8. Boom Prinsloo
9. Rudy Paige*
10. Marnitz Boshoff*
11. Jamba Ulengo*
12. Handre Pollard*
13. Jesse Kriel*
14. Travis Ishmaiel
15. Warrick Gelant*
16. Edgar Marutlule
17. Lizo Gqoboka
18. JR Jenkinson
19. Jason Jenkins
20. Jannes Kirsten/Hanro Liebenberg
21. Ivan van Zyl/Embrose Papier
22. Manie Libbok
23. Burger Odendaal
* = Springbok capped players
Lions:
The Lions are this year without Johann Ackermann, after going to the finals the last 2 seasons. And the question everyone is asking, will Swys De Bruin be able to continue in Ackermann's place. De Bruin has been Ackermann's right hand man the past few seasons, and we saw in the Currie Cup that not much have changed in their playing style under De Bruin, but will he be able to weld (pun intended) them into another machine come game time? Victor Matfield has joined the coaching team, and that makes me think that they will have a big focus on line-outs and attacking from set phases.
Possible 23:
1. Jacques van Rooyen
2. Malcolm Marx*
3. Ruan Dreyer*
4. Franco Mostert*
5. Andries Ferreira
6. Jaco Kriel*
7. Kwagga Smith
8. Warren Whiteley*
9. Ross Cronje*
10. Elton Jantjies*
11. Courtnall Skosan*
12. Rohan Janse van Rensburg
13. Lionel Mapoe*
14. Ruan Combrink*
15. Andries Coetzee*
16. Robbie Coetzee
17. Sti Sithole
18. Jacobie Adriaanse
19. Marvin Orie
20. Cyle Brink
21. Dillon Smit
22. Shaun Reynolds
23. Sylvian Mahuza/Anthony Volmink
The Sharks:
Or as I'd like to call them now, the Du Preez Family with Friends. So Dad Robert is the head coach, and the twins Jean-Luc and Dan have both been capped by the bokke, and now they've managed to lure big brother Robert from the Stormers, to join them in Natal to be one big happy family again. Let's hope they can get this reunion to preform on the field, because dad is a no-nonsense type of guy, and his focus on discipline has been instrumental in getting the Sharks as a powerhouse they are becoming. Their pack is one I fear for 2018, with Thomas Du Toit and Coenie Oosthuizen becoming such strong scrummagers and both weighing over 120kg's they won't be easily pushed around, Perhaps it's time for Beast to take a step back.
Possible 23:
1. Thomas Du Toit
2. Franco Marais
3. Coenie Oosthuizen*
4. Ruan Botha
5. Stephan Lewies
6. Tera Mtembu
7. Jean-Luc Du Preez*
8. Dan Du Preez*
9. Louis Schreuder*
10. Robert Du Preez
11. Makazole Mapimpi
12. Andre Esterhuizen
13. Lukhanyo Am*
14. Sibusiso Nkosi
15. Curwin Bosch*
16. Akker van der Merwe
17. Tendai "Beast" Mtawarira
18. Ross Geldenhuys
19. Phillip van der Walt
20. Keegan Daniel
21. Michael Claasen
22. Garth April
23. Cobus van Wyk / Leolin Zas
The Stormers:
Something tells me that there is a storm brewing in the Cape, and it's not one that is bringing water. The have yet again managed to be in a crisis at fly half. Seriously?? How does this happen so often to the same team? Don't they learn from their mistakes? Anyways, All indications are there that the Stormers will again be a very competitive team as they always are, but I get the notion that they will again be a little short.
Possible 23:
1. Steven Kitshoff*
2. Bongi Mbonambi*
3. Frans Malherbe*
4. Eben Etzebeth*
5. Pieter-Steph Du Toit*
6. Cobus Wiese
7. Siya Kolisi
8. Juarno Augustus
9. Dewaldt Duvenhage
10. Damian Willemse
11. Dillyn Leyds*
12. Damian De Allende*
13. JJ Engelbrecht*
14. Sergeal Pietersen
15. SP Marais
16. Scarra Ntubeni*
17. JC Janse van Rensburg
18. Alistair Vermaak
19. JD Shickerling
20. Nizam Carr
21. Jano Vermaak
22. Joshua Stander/George Whitehead
23. Raymond Rhule/EW Viljoen