Super 14, 2008- The Sharks
Form from 2007
Dick Muir has overseen the revival of the Sharks from wooden spooners in 2005 to pushed out of the finals on points difference to 2006 and very nearly Champions in 2007. The Sharks are in great Super 14 form expect this to continue in 2008. In the Currie Cup it has been a while since the Sharks were in the finals, however with many players in the Springboks, this is no suprise. There will be question marks over the depth of the squad in 2008, however.
Comings and Goings
2008 sees the loss of a number of key campaigners in the Sharks. In the backs Butch James and Percy Montgomery are both off to Europe and will be sorely missed as they have a lot of experience between them (and are both good kickers). The forwards see the loss of captain John Smit, Warren Britz and Bobby Skinstad. With so many hardened, experienced players on the way out leadership will be a serious issue for Muir. Captaincy will likely fall on the shoulders of Johann Muller.
The major signing coup for the Sharks this year will be Frederic 'The Little Magician' Michalak. It is a risky play from Muir as Michalak is sometimes erratic and inconsistent and how well he will adapt to the S14 and the Sharks is uncertain. With little news out of the Republic its hard to say about any other incoming players to the Sharks (please add on any that you know of) but you can expect most new players to come out of the academy system that has already produced some excellent young stars
Who to watch out for
Bismarck du Plessis won't have too much trouble filling Smit's shoes as he has already proved himself a future Springbok star. The two players to keep an eye on are Keegan Daniel and Ryan Kankowski. The pair will slot into a back row where they will do a lot of damage. They are young, though, and for all their exuberance they'll need to keep tabs on their discipline or else they'll be seeing a fair bit of yellow.
There are plenty of explosive players in the Sharks backline to check out: Steyn, Pietersen, Michalak, Pienaar- but for my money Bradley Barritt will be the Sharks brightest star in 08. At 22 he has already proven himself to be a dangerous outside centre and plays with a vision and flair that is not often seen in a South African centre. If he gets quality ball from his halves he'll make more than a few breaks and score more than a few tries.
Prospectus for 2008
After two excellent years I think we'll be seeing a bit of a drop off this year from the Sharks. 5 experienced core players leaving puts a hole in any squad and the Sharks will be no different. Especially as its the key positions of 2,8,10,15 that are going. Add to this that some of the remaining ones are on their last legs (Johan Ackermann for one) and if injuries test the depth they might find wanting. At least their cheerleaders will keep the fans happy. 6th place for me.
