Gavin Rich 01 August 2016, 15:26
The Cell C Sharks have turned to the captain who led them to their last Currie Cup triumph for the coming two and a half months of domestic competition in their quest to redeem themselves after a few seasons of drought.
Keegan Daniel was at the helm when the Sharks shocked Western Province at Newlands in the 2013 Currie Cup final but has been absent from the past few domestic seasons because he was playing in Japan.
During that time the Sharks slipped from their former position of pre-eminence in the Currie Cup (they used to top the log as a matter of course and were regular finalists) to beaten semifinalists in 2014 and failed to make the play-offs last year.
Daniel re-established himself as one of the Sharks' leaders during the recently completed Vodacom Super Rugby season after returning to Durban in February, and his elevation back to the regular leadership makes sense considering his experience and proven abilities as a captain.
Springboks Patrick Lambie and Beast Mtawarira were the regular captains during Super Rugby, with Lambie being appointed to lead but missing out because of injury and Mtawarira replacing him. Both will be unavailable due to national commitments.
“Keegan is someone who leads by example and sets the pace not only on the playing field, but also off the field and at training,” said Sharks Currie Cup coach Robert du Preez.
With fewer regular players than in the past missing to Springbok duty, the Sharks boast a strong squad. The loss of Paul Jordaan at the back might hurt a bit, but they do have S’bura Sithole to slot into his place at outside centre. With three Bok back three men missing in the form of Lwazi Mvovo, Willie le Roux and JP Pietersen, there are holes to fill.
However in terms of the outside backs, Wandile Majekevu can perhaps have more opportunity than he did in Super Rugby while Lukhanyo Am is back in the mix after picking up some invaluable Super Rugby experience playing for the Southern Kings on loan.
With Lambie set to be with the Boks once he is recovered from the concussion that kept him out of the closing stages of Super Rugby, there will be pressure on Garth April to recover from the recent jolts to his confidence levels. Curwin Bosch, last year’s SA Schools pivot, could be a workable alternative, although at this point he looks more likely to play for Du Preez as a fullback. The last line of defence is a position of weakness at the Sharks at present.
Currie Cups tend to be won up front, so the Sharks probably won’t be too displeased that they boast more depth at forward than at the back, with JC Astle back from the Kings to add further depth to a second row resource base that is looking quite impressive now that Ruan Botha has recovered from his injury.
He was good back-up to Etienne Oosthuizen and Stephan Lewies before he was ruled out of the Super Rugby quarterfinal through an eligibility issue. Hyron Andrews, who ended up sitting on the bench in that Wellington play-off game, is also there.
The two Du Preez twins, Jean-Luc and Daniel, are joined by Philip van der Walt, Tera Mtembu and Jean Deysel in an also impressive pool of loose-forwards, while Mtawarira and Coenie Oosthuizen are effectively the only front-row players lost to Bok duty. There was a time when the Sharks would have as many as four or even five front-row players missing.
The Sharks open their 2016 Currie Cup campaign against the Pumas in Nelspruit on Friday night (7.20pm).
SHARKS SQUAD
Forwards: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Dale Chadwick, Daniel du Preez, Etienne Oosthuizen, Franco Marais, Francois Kleynhans, Hyron Andrews, JC Astle, Jean Deysel, Jean Droste, Jean-Luc Du Preez, Johan du Toit, John-Hubert Meyer, Juan Schoeman, Keegan Daniel (captain), Khaya Majola, Lourens Adriaanse, Philip van der Walt, Ruan Botha, Stephan Coetzee, Stephan Lewies, Tera Mtembu, Thomas du Toit.
Backs: Andre Esterhuizen, Bernard Janse van Rensburg, Curwin Bosch, Garth April, Hanco Venter, Heimar Williams, Inny Radebe, Lukhanyo Am, Marius Louw, Michael Claassens, Morne Joubert, Neil Maritz, Odwa Ndungane, S’bura Sithole, Sibusiso Nkosi, Stefan Ungerer, Wandile Mjekevu.
