Super 15 - Sharks Squad for 2014

I have looked all over the show for the official squad for the Sharks this year and could not find anything about it.   The only thing available is the Sharls teams playing in the pre-season games.  

The teams have been as follows:-

Saracens Game

15. Tyler Fisher , 14. Odwa Ndungane , 13. Paul Jordaan , 12. Andre Esterhuizen , 11. Lwazi Mvovo , 10. Tim Swiel , 9. Cobus Reinach , 8. Willem Alberts , 7. Jean Deysel , 6. Tera Mtembu , 5. Pieter–Steph du Toit , 4. Etienne Oosthuizen , 3. Jannie du Plessis , 2. Bismarck du Plessis (C) , 1. Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements: 16. Kyle Cooper , 17. Dale Chadwick , 18. Lourens Adriaanse , 19. Stephan Lewies , 20. Jacques Botes , 21. Charl McLeod , 22. Heimar Williams , 23. Jaco van Tonder

Lions Game

15. SP Marais , 14. Odwa Ndungane , 13. Paul Jordaan , 12. Francois Steyn , 11. Lwazi Mvovo , 10. Patrick Lambie , 9. Cobus Reinach , 8. Tera Mtembu , 7. Jean Deysel , 6. Marcell Coetzee , 5. Pieter-Steph du Toit , 4. Anton Bresler , 3. Jannie du Plessis , 2. Bismarck du Plessis (C) , 1. Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements : 16. Monde Hadebe , 17. Dale Chadwick , 18. Lourens Adriaanse , 19. Stephan Lewies , 20. Jacques Botes , 21. Ryan Kankowski , 22. Charl McLeod , 23. Fred Zeilinga , 24. Heimar Williams , 25. S'bura Sithole , 26. Jaco van Tonder

SUMMARY

The following was not in the second squad against the Lions:-

Tyler Fisher, Andre Esterhuizen, Timo Swiel, Willem Alberts,  Etienne Oosthuizen

A Super 15 squad normally consists of 36 players - the Lions game squad had 26 players and I assume the five players not included in the Lions game squad would be part of the official squad in any event.

Has anybody got an official list of squad Members from the Sh arks available?   

Here we go Mike......great Sharks squad

Sharks name 39 for Super Rugby 2014

Under 19 loosehead prop Thomas du Toit is the only surprise in the 39-man final Super Rugby squad named by Jake White this morning.

Du Toit has impressed all comers since joining the Academy from Paarl Boys High; his frankly massive 130kg frame belies a fair turn of speed and he will no doubt benefit hugely from working with White and the senior coaches at such a young age, even should he not go on to play Super Rugby in 2014.

Lourens Adriaanse, Tim Swiel, Etienne Oosthuizen and Tonderai Chavanga are the only other players in the group that are new to the Sharks system, while a number of other players uncapped at Super Rugby level have been included, to complement the 17 capped Springboks in the group.

Here is the full squad (* denotes uncapped players)

Props:
Lourens Adriaanse (Amanzimtoti Rugby Club)
Dale Chadwick (Ricoh PMB Collegians)
Jannie du Plessis (Marshall Security Crusaders)
Thomas du Toit * (Marshall Security Crusaders)
Tendai Mtawarira (Jonsson College Rovers)

Hookers:
Kyle Cooper (Jonsson College Rovers)
Bismarck du Plessis (captain) (Marshall Security Crusaders)
Monde Hadebe (Amanzimtoti Rugby Club)

Locks:
Anton Bresler (Jonsson College Rovers)
Pieter-Steph du Toit (Jonsson College Rovers)
Stephan Lewies * (Amanzimtoti Rugby Club)
Peet Marais (SA Home Loans Durban Collegians)
Etienne Oosthuizen (UKZN Impi)

Loose Forwards:
Willem Alberts (SA Home Loans Durban Collegians)
Jacques Botes (Varsity College RFC)
Marcell Coetzee (SA Home Loans Durban Collegians)
Keegan Daniel (Jonsson College Rovers)
Jean Deysel (vice capt) (Marshall Security Crusaders)
Ryan Kankowski (Amanzimtoti Rugby Club)
Tera Mtembu (Amanzimtoti Rugby Club)

Scrumhalves:
Charl McLeod (Varsity College RFC)
Cobus Reinach (SA Home Loans Durban Collegians)
Stefan Ungerer * (Ricoh PMB Collegians)

Flyhalves:
Hansie Graaf * (Amanzimtoti Rugby Club)
Patrick Lambie (vice capt) (Jonsson College Rovers)
Tim Swiel * (UKZN Impi)
Fred Zeilinga (SA Home Loans Durban Collegians)

Centres:
Andre Esterhuizen * (Varsity College RFC)
Paul Jordaan (Varsity College RFC)
S’bura Sithole (UKZN Impi)
Francois Steyn (SA Home Loans Durban Collegians)
Heimar Williams * (SA Home Loans Durban Collegians)

Wings:
Tonderai Chavhanga (Marshall Security Crusaders)
Lwazi Mvovo (Ricoh PMB Collegians)
Odwa Ndungane (vice capt) (Varsity College RFC)
JP Pietersen (Thanda Zululand Rhinos)

Fullbacks:
Tyler Fisher * (Amanzimtoti Rugby Club)
SP Marais (Marshall Security Crusaders)
Jaco van Tonder * (Ricoh PMB Collegians) 

Saffex 

Thanks a lot.  

Saffex

For some reason or another White is not impressed with Whitehead - he prefers Esterhuizen and Williams as centers.  I think it may have to do with Whitehead's speed, which is not food enough to try him at outside center.     

Saffex

I think that White is taking out insurance in this case.   Performance wise Steyn has been brittle and injury prone since his return from France.    White has praised Steyn to high heaven like Plumtree did last year before the start if Super 15 - but he has also given a general warning - don't think reputation counts more than performance.

Both Esterhuizen and Williams have been specialist 12's and their selection at 13 is at best dicey.   I am sure that Jordaan will also be shown the door if he does not perform at 13 - but I have a suspicion that that is not going to happen.

The issue at full back is also a problem - White has got only Marais - also still rather young - at full back,   His options are limited as -

*  he knows that Ndungane is getting near to retirement age and not really a development prospect at full back;

*  that he only has Van Tonder to fall back on; and

*  sees in Tyler an option as a potential future top full back.

I think he sees Lambie as a flyhalf and not at full back - with Swiel as the back up flyhalf.  

However, he is likely to announce the team for Saturday sometime over the next two days - but White is known for delaying team announcement and has done so repeatedly during his term with the Brumbies until late on Fridays - so we might only know by Friday afternoon what he is going to do.   As a result the fantasy participants crowned him with a piss pot as the arsehole of the week often enough.