Alberts may play

Ex supersp ort

The chances of the Sharks scoring what would be an upset win at Newlands to steal back the Absa Currie Cup on Saturday have improved considerably following the release of the Monday medical report by team doctor, Alan Kourie.

According to the report, hulking Springbok flanker Willem Alberts is fit again after his neck injury sustained in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship decider against the All Blacks at Ellis Park just over a fortnight ago. Alberts is thus in the selection mix, and it would be surprising if he didn’t wear the No 7 jersey in Cape Town.

Alberts’ availability could become particularly important if hooker Bismarck du Plessis incurs a suspension for the stomping incident that saw him yellow carded in the semifinal against the Free State Cheetahs at Growthpoint Kings Park last weekend. Judgement was reserved on Du Plessis until Tuesday following a disciplinary hearing in Cape Town on Monday afternoon.

Should Du Plessis be ruled out, it would be a big setback for the Sharks as Province have all their physical hard men available for selection, and Eben Etzebeth and Duane Vermeulen make a particularly strong impact on WP’s physical game when they are present. When WP shocked all and sundry last year by fronting the Sharks physically in the 2012 final, many ascribed their ability to do so to the long term absence of Du Plessis, who was out with a serious knee injury.

But if Du Plessis is cleared to play and Alberts is also selected, their presence could make a substantial change to the Sharks’ chances of winning as they are both enormously influential players and together they can assure that the visitors front better than they have on their last few visits to Newlands and rediscover the staunchness that helped them to victory over Stormers in a Cape Town Super Rugby semifinal last year.

The expected return to the front-row of Beast Mtawarira can also help in that regard. The Springbok loosehead was also given a clean bill of health by the Sharks on Monday, and further good news was that back-up hooker Kyle Cooper is also expected to be fit after receiving a knock to his shoulder against the Cheetahs.

That could be particularly significant if Du Plessis is ruled out. At this stage the only Sharks Bok who is definitely not expected to take the field at Newlands is Du Plessis’ tighthead prop brother Jannie, who reportedly had his injured hand in a plaster cast this past weekend. But even Du Plessis has still to be officially ruled out, with Kourie’s medical report stating that a final assessment will be done on him on Tuesday, and the same for Jean Deysel, who left the field with a hamstring injury against the Cheetahs.

Just_win

Alberts is more injured than he is playing this year.   Was out for most of Super 15 for instance.  Mozart's poor dear is getting frail in his "old" rugby age.

Beeno

Him playing would be for the benefit of WP - so rejoice if he is in fact selected

Beeno

I just don't like slow props masquerading as loosies - and this one is very, very slow.  

CC: I think Beeno has mentally blanked Kieran Read our of his memory, lol

No point in pesisting, according to him I am sure it didn't happen.

CleanCut

It was not only the missed tackle on Read that showed Alberts up for poor performance  - remember he was also too slow to tackle two try-scoring players in the Samoan test - it is about the clumsy bugger falling over his own feet when he was supposed to recover the ball from the tackled Aaron Smith before the Messam first try.

He is slow and clumsy and never involved in any ball recovery at breakdown points - so of what value is h e for a squad.  No defence slightly wider out, no ball recovery - no ball protection and virtually no line out benefit - that means he can do about 20% at most of what is expected from a loosie.  

Clean  Cut

Whether you are a Lappies fan or not - he is the only real option we have - at least he is very good in defence and good in virtually in all the other functions exoected from a loosie.   The other option better than Alberts,  is Elstadt - but he is also on his way to France.

Problem with people is that they only remember the good from the past - but not the bad as well.   Like funeral eulogies for example.   I can remember the good tries scored by Juan Smith and other good elements of his game - but I can also remember how he frustrated the hell out of me with fairly frequent poor ball handling, his real weakness.   Anyway he has not played any real rugby for 2 years and even though Mozart will advocate his return, since in any event he is now on contract if France.