The strength in depth available to the Cell C Sharks courtesy of the financial muscle brought by their American investors was made abundantly clear by Friday’s team selection for Sunday’s Vodaocom United Rugby Championship clash with Cardiff at Kings Park.
The Sharks are without 10 Springboks this week, thanks to the clash with Saturday’s game against England at Twickenham as well as Lukhanyo Am’s injury, but the side that will take the field in the second match of an appetising South African Sunday double header would be good enough to mix it with most teams in the competition.
Since what was essentially a Sharks second string team lost to the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus, the Sharks have been bolstered by the return from suspension of Rohan Janse van Rensburg, who will form what could be a quite formidable midfield partnership with Francois Venter, the former Cheetahs player who recently returned from overseas to play for the Durban franchise,
Lionel Cronje, an experienced player who may be underrated in the South African context, is also back from injury following his return from Japan and finds himself on the bench backing up the inform Boeta Chamberlain.
The team will be captained by openside flank James Venter, who has former Emirates Lions star Vincent Tshituka playing in tandem with him on the other flank, while another former Lions star, Carlu Sadie, gets a chance to start in the absence of regular captain Thomas du Toit, who is on duty this weekend with the Boks in London.
Ben Tapuai, capped for the Wallabies, can only find a place on the bench for the hosts, all of which adds up to a formidable challenge for Cardiff, who are currently two points ahead of the Sharks, in sixth position to the Sharks’ eighth, but the Sharks do have two games in hand on the Welsh team.
With Gerbrandt Grobler teaming up with Justin Basson in the second row, and Cameron Wright an excellent scrumhalf even though he is probably the third ranked player in that position at the Sharks behind Jaden Hendrikse and Grant Williams, it is hard to find any weaknesses in the Sharks side as they build squad depth ahead of their entry into the European Champions Cup two weeks hence.
Cell C Sharks team:Anthony Volmink, Marnus Potgieter, Francois Venter, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Werner Kok, Boeta Chamberlain, Cameron Wright, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Vincent Tshituka, James Venter (captain), Gerbrandt Grobler, Justin Basson, Carlu Sadie, Kerron van Vuuren, Dian Bleuler. Replacements: Dan Jooste, Khwezi Mona, Khutha Mchunu, Hyron Andrews, Phepsi Buthelezi, Bradley Davids, Lionel Cronje, Ben Tapuai.