John Plumtree has included one newcomer and one returnee in his Hollywoobets Sharks team for Saturday’s opening Vodacom United Rugby Championship match against champions Munster at Thomond Park in Limerick.
Friday’s was Plumtree’s first team announcement since returning to the Sharks after 10 years spread between Ireland and his native New Zealand and the side he came up with has mostly a familiar look to it.
The newcomer is former Cheetahs looseforward George Cronje, who will pack down at No 8 against Munster, while the returnee is Springbok prop Coenie Oosthuizen, who is back in Durban this season after four years spent campaigning overseas.
Vincent Koch, currently with the national squad at the World Cup, will probably wear the No 3 jersey when the Sharks get to full strength in the second half of next month, but Oosthuizen’s experienced presence will help offset the departure of last year’s two tighthead props, Thomas du Toit and Carlu Sadie.
SIMILAR LOOK TO LAST SEASON
With Boeta Chamberlain at fullback and Curwin Bosch at flyhalf, the team led by centre Francois Venter has a similar look to the one that played the under-strength games last season, but there are some former stalwarts, such as Henco Venter, who are no longer at the Sharks.
Vincent Tshituka, the former Emirates Lions flanker, was used as a lock on a few occasions last season and it is interesting to note that he appears to be covering that position off the bench in this game. An early-season injury to Gerbrandt Grobler has impacted the Sharks’ second-row depth and they will be pleased to have Eben Etzebeth back when his Springbok commitments are over.
The Sharks have a tough start to the season and Plumtree’s second stint as coach as they follow up the Munster game with a clash with the powerful Leinster outfit the following week. With Ireland making an early exit from the World Cup, Leinster may have a couple of international players back playing for them by then.
The Sharks’ Boks are expected back in the second half of the month, with the Sharks’ first home game scheduled to be a clash with last season’s beaten semifinalists, Connacht, at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on 18 November.
Hollywoodbets Sharks: Boeta Chamberlain, Werner Kok, Murray Koster, Francois Venter (captain), Marnus Potgieter, Curwin Bosch, Cameron Wright, George Cronje, Phepsi Buthelezi, James Venter, Reniel Hugo, Emile van Heerden, Coenie Oosthuizen, Kerron van Vuuren, Ntuthuko Mchunu. Replacements: Dan Jooste, Dian Bleuler, Hanro Jacobs, Vincent Tshituka, Zee Mkahabela, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Aphelele Fassi.