SHARKS' Jaco Williamse seen in action against Angelo Daivds of the Lions, will have to bring his A arial-game to deal with the kicks that will rain down on him as he takes the fullback position against the Bulls at Loftus.
Image: BackpagePix
The Sharks have had some epic wins at Loftus Versfeld over the decades, but they have been like the occasional oasis in a desert of defeats.
Looking at the teams selected for Saturday’s penultimate SA Derby of the United Rugby Championship season (the Bulls are still to host the Stormers on March 14), you get the feeling that the Durbanites are going to need another one of those against-the-odds performances if they are to add to their special memories of Loftus Versfeld.
This might sound odd given that the Sharks beat the Bulls in the last match between the sides, not that long ago, on December 20. And odder still when you consider that of the last seven matches the Sharks have played against the Bulls and Stormers, the Sharks have won six of them.
But the reason the Bulls have the favourites tag is because of the momentum the home team enjoy while the Sharks have not fully restocked their ranks with Springboks.
Yes, Andre Esterhuizen is literally and metaphorically massive for the Sharks, and Ox Nche back at loosehead prop is a talismanic presence, but still at home with their feet up or galivanting around the world are Siya Kolisi, Grant Williams and Ethan Hooker, while Eben Etzebeth remains suspended and Aphelele Fassi is removed by injury.
The Bulls are approximating full strength, even if some of their heavyweights are on the bench, plus they have the momentum generated by three consecutive victories. In their last game, the 52-17 demolition of the Lions, they looked like they had properly clicked for the first time this season, and that is why Sharks fans should be worried.
Exacerbating matters for the Sharks from a confidence point of view, they marked JP Pietersen’s appointment as permanent head coach with a disappointing performance in losing heavily to the same Lions team that capitulated to the Bulls.
The loss of Springbok fullback Fassi is a concern for the Sharks because the aerial battle at Loftus will be crucial. Handre Pollard and Embrose Papier are merciless with their pinpoint bombs, and you wonder how capable Fassi’s successor, Jaco Williams, will be in dealing with the kicks that will rain down on him.
We know Williams is fearless from his displays on the left wing for the Junior Boks and the Sharks, but he has no first-class experience at fullback.
Apparently, fullback is his primary position, according to his coach, but that was back at school at Glenwood High in Durban.
The Sharks’ halfbacks are not mugs, and this is a golden opportunity for Jaden and Jordan Hendrikse to convince Rassie Erasmus he was right in inviting them to next week’s Springbok alignment camp after both were out in the cold last year.
But when you look at the Bulls’ back three, the aerial battle looks ominous for the visitors — there is class all over fullback David Kriel, wings Sebastian de Klerk and Kurt-Lee Arendse, while outside centre Canan Moodie will be close by.
Another area where the Bulls seem to have a clear advantage is the bench. Coach Johan Ackermann has assembled a potent Bomb Squad of Marco van Staden, Sti Sithole, Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, and Jeandre Rudolph.
If I had to put my prediction in a nutshell, this game will be reminiscent of the olden days of Natal rugby when the headline on their matches against Northern Transvaal read, “Brave Natal go down fighting.”
Kick-off is at 5pm.
Bulls — 15 David Kriel, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marcell Coetzee (c), 5 Ruan Nortjé, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Morné Smith, 2 Jan Hendrik Wessels, 1 Alulutho Tshakweni.
Bench: 16 Marco van Staden, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Jeandre Rudolph, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Willie le Roux, 23 Stravino Jacobs.
Sharks — 15 Jaco Williams, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Jurenzo Julius, 12 André Esterhuizen (c), 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Tino Mavesere, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Eduan Swart, 1 Ox Nché.
Bench: 16 Fez Mbatha, 17 Phatu Ganyane, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Corne Rahl, 20 Thomas Dyer, 21 Ross Braude, 22 Siya Masuku, 23 Yaw Penxe.