Comings and goings from 2007 semis
Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:22
The semifinals this year have a look of déjà vu - same teams involved, but not all of the same players.
In 2007 the Sharks played the Lions in Durban and lost and the Cheetahs played the Blue Bulls in Bloemfontein and won,. This year the Sharks and the Lions again meet in Durban but it is the Cheetahs' turn to travel to Pretoria.
In 2007 the Lions won 19-12 (three tries to none) and the Cheetahs won 11-6 (one try to none).
Not all the players who played in the 2007 are back in 2008. We give the teams of 2007 and 2008 and make a note of changes. We have not included positional switches - the sort of thing which has suddenly seen Earl Rose back at fullback. The most changed team is the Blue Bulls.
The teams in 2007 and 2008:
Sharks
Not there in 2008: Gcobani Bobo and AJ Venter who both moved to Western Province, Johan Ackermann who went to the Cape and had the odd game in Super rugby or for his club, Robbie Harris, Skipper Badenhorst, Craig Burden and Ronnie Uys now that the Du Plessis brothers have tumbled over the Drakensberg, Deon Carstens is fit and John Smit has come back for a short sojourn on the Massif Central, Kees Lensing who has gone to Castres, Scott Mathie, who has gone to Yorkshire to play in England's second division, and Monty Dumond who cannot really compete with the genius of Frédéric Michalak and the versatility and genius of Ruan Pienaar.
Not there in 2007: The World Cup heroes - François Steyn, JP Pietersen, Ruan Pienaar, Johann Muller and John Smit. The Michalak was still in France, the brothers Du Plessis were in Bloemfontein and Jean Deysel had not yet made the side.
Sharks in 2007: 15 Stefan Terblanche, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Waylon Murray, 12 Bradley Barritt, 11 Gcobani Bobo, 10 Adrian Jacobs, 9 Rory Kockott, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 AJ Venter
(captain), 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Johan Ackermann, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Robbie Harris, 2 Skipper Badenhorst, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Ronnie Uys, 18 Kees Lensing, 19 Nikolai Blignaut, 20 Keegan Daniel, 21 Scott Mathie, 22 Monty Dumond
Sharks in 2008: Sharks: 15 Stefan Terblanche, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Adrian Jacobs, 12 François Steyn, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Johann Muller (captain), 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 John Smit, 17 Deon Carstens, 18 Albert van den Berg/Nikolai Blignaut, 19 Keegan Daniel, 20 Rory Kockott, 21 Bradley Barritt, 22 Waylon Murray.
11 out of 22 are the same.
Lions
Not there in 2008: Jacques Cronjé is in sophisticated Biarritz, Cobus Grobler, who played for Emerging South Africa in Bucharest this year, is in Newcastle-on-Tyne and Wylie Human is down in the Cape. Freddie van Zyl and Wilhelm Koch have gone west to the Leopards. Jannie Boshoff, Walter Venter and Rayno Benjamin have been playing.
Not there in 2007: Jaque Fourie was recovering from the World Cup, Doppies la Grange was injured. Trompie Nontshinga was at the Blue Bulls, Ross Geldenhuys at the Pumas and Chris Jonck and Michael Killian down in Port Elizabeth. Justin Wheeler is in his second year out of school. Derick Minnie was maturing and is still only 22. At the other end of the scale big Jannes Labuschagne was retired.
Lions in 2007: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Jannie Boshoff, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Walter Venter, 11 Ryno Benjamin, 10 Louis Strydom, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Jacques Cronjé, 7 Ernst Joubert (captain), 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Anton van Zyl, 3 Lawrence Sephaka, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Heinke van der Merwe
Replacements: 16 Ethienne Reynecke, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Cobus Grobler, 19 Wilhelm Koch, 20 Freddie van Zyl, 21 Earl Rose, 22 Wylie Human
Lions in 2008: Lions: 15 Earl Rose, 14 Louis Ludik, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Doppies la Grange, 11 Trompie Nontshinga, 10 Louis Strydom, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Ernst Joubert, 7 Justin Wheeler, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar (captain), 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Anton van Zyl, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Ethienne Reynecke, 17 Lawrence Sephaka, 18 Jannes Labuschagne, 19 Derick Minnie. 20 Chris Jonck, 21 Michael Killian, 22 Jaco van Schalkwyk
12 out of 22 are the same.
Cheetahs:
Not there in 2008: Marius Joubert is in Clermont Ferrand, Gavin Passens in Kimberley, Willem de Waal in the Western Cape via Toulon, Noel Oelschig in Paris, playing in pink, Darron Nell in Castres, Rory Duncan in Japan and Ollie le Roux in a retirement of sorts. There has been a Cheetah diaspora. Alwyn Hollenbach is only recently back from injury, Hendrik Meyer gives way to Meyer Bosman, Corniel van Zyl is in Treviso and Jaco du Toit has tough opposition from the redoubtable Strauss cousins.
Not there in 2007: Bevin Fortuin was seriously injured, Robert Ebersohn and Coenie Oosthuizen were at school, Meyer Bosman was injured, Jongi Nokwe and David de Villiers were down in the Boland, and Chris Rossouw and Nico Breedt were somewhere in the Mediterranean coast. Juan Smith, the Du Plessis brothers and Adriaan Strauss did not play because of World Cup duty.
Cheetahs 2007: 15 Alwyn Hollenbach, 14 Eddie Fredericks, 13 Marius Joubert, 12 Hendrik Meyer, 11 Gavin Passens, 10 Willem de Waal, 9 Noel Oelschig, 8 Darron Nell, 7 Duane Vermeulen, 6 Hendro Scholtz, 5 Corniel van Zyl, 4 Rory Duncan (captain), 3 Kobus Calldo, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez
Replacements: 16
Jaco du Toit, 17 Ollie le Roux, 18 Barend Pieterse, 19 Heinrich Brüssow, 20 Kabamba Floors, 21 Tewis de Bruyn, 22 JW Jonker
Cheetahs 2008: 15 Bevin Fortuin, 14 JW Jonker, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Chris Rossouw, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Juan Smith (captain) , 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Barend Pieterse, 4 David de Villiers, 3 Kobus Calldo, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Nico Breedt, 19 Hendro Scholtz, 20 Jandré Blom, 21 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 22 Kabamba Floors.
10 out of 12 are the same.
Blue Bulls
Not there at all in 2008: Johan Roets and Cliffie Milton have retired, Roets because of age, Milton because of a lack of interest. Danwel Demas is down in the Boland, James van der Walt in Kimberley, Derick Hougaard in Leicester with Heyneke Meyer, Johan Wasserman and François van Schouwenburg in France and Hottie Louw in Italy. Hilton Lobberts does not get much of a look-in and is on his way to Western Province while Jacques-Louis Potgieter has been playing for the Cheetahs. JP Joubert has competition from Fourie du Preez and Heini Adams. Richard Bands has injury and age problems.
Not there in 2007: The World Cup men are back - Wynand Olivier, Bryan Habana, Fourie du Preez, Wikus van Heerden, Victor Matfield, and Danie Rossouw. Pierre Spies is over the health problems that is plagued him last year and Chiliboy Ralepelle is over his injuries. Promising young tighthead Werner Kruger is more established and there are some imports - Tiger Mangweni from East London, Burton Francis from Potchefstroom, Juandre Kruger from Stellenbosch and Zane Kirchner from Kimberley. Big, fast Marius Delport was there or thereabouts last year but his switch from wing to centre has been beneficial especially with clever, in-form Wynand Olivier.
Blue Bulls 2007: 15 Johan Roets, 14 John Mametsa, 13 JP Nel, 12 Morné Steyn, 11 Danwel Demas, 10 Derick Hougaard, 9 Neil Powell, 8 Dewald Potgieter, 7 Johan Wasserman, 6 Hottie Louw, 5 François van Schouwenburg, 4 Cliff Milton, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Derick Kuün, 1 Jaco Engels.
Replacements: 16 James van der Walt, 17 Richard Bands, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 Hilton Lobberts, 20 Deon Stegmann, 21 JP Joubert, 22 Jacques-Louis Potgieter.
Blue Bulls 2008:15 Tiger Mangweni, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Marius Delport, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Wikus van Heerden, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (captain) , 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Rayno Gerber, 2 Derick Kuün, 1 Jaco Engels.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Juandre Kruger, 19 Dewald Potgieter, 20 Heini Adams, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Zane Kirchner.
6 out of 22 are the same. Six!
