Smit propping up Sharks again
Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:09
Sharks coach John Plumtree has resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes as his winless side head into their Round Five Super 14 encounter with the Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday.
The side shows just two changes, both to the pack, following the unfortunate 21-25 loss to the Waratahs last week - courtesy of a horrendous refereeing blunder by Australian Paul Marks, who will appear as a touch judge, despite being 'stood down' as a referee by the SANZAR panel.
While the Sharks have made it clear that they would like to move on from the Marks episode, they must do so in the knowledge that he could still have an influence on their game from the touchline.
The changes will see captain John Smit move from hooker to tighthead and prop Jannie du Plessis - yellow carded for a trip last week - being demoted to the bench.
The other change sees Keegan Daniel and Jacques Botes continue their rotation, with Botes starting this week and Daniel on the bench.
On the bench Craig Burden gets his first opportunity on tour, being named as replacement hooker, while Alistair Hargreaves - who flew over this week - has been named on a forward-heavy bench.
Rory Kockott and Waylon Murray provide the only backline cover.
Saturday's match is the Sharks' final game in Australia before heading back to New Zealand and they will look to end their two-week stay on a high.
Last week's narrow loss to the Waratahs has had the effect of growing a steely resolution to show just what the team is capable of, and while the bookies are giving the Sharks no chance against a team they have traditionally battled against in Canberra, the visitors are determined to prove their detractors wrong.
Coach John Plumtree admits that, like all their matches to date, the Brumbies will be tough opposition.
"Obviously they are a side that can seriously hurt you if they get front foot ball for their game-breakers," Plumtree said on the Sharks' website.
"The thing with the new law interpretations is that you have to be clever with how you compete at the breakdowns.
"The ball can come out so quickly now that you don't want to have committed too many players to the ruck when they could be better used waiting in defence."
Sharks: 15 Stefan Terblanche, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Adrian Jacobs, 12 Riaan Swanepoel, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Andy Goode, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Johann Muller, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 John Smit (captain), 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Jannie du Plessis, 18 Alistair Hargreaves, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Keegan Daniel, 21 Rory Kockott, 22 Waylon Murray.
Date: Saturday, March 13
Venue: Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Kick-off: 19.40 (08.40 GMT)
Referee:
Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Paul Marks (Australia), Simon Moore (Australia)
TMO: Matt Goddard (Australia)
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