Sharks Super 14 season preview: good travellers face road trip from hell

By Greg Clark
Fox Sports rugby commentator
February 04, 2010.

The Sharks failed to make the finals last year despite looking a certainty for the play-offs halfway through the season.

They have a roster that features many seasoned Springboks and others on the fringe, but they are still searching for their first ever title.

They’ve finished in the top half of the table for the past four seasons, and I can’t see them doing any worse this year.

The biggest hurdle for the Sharks will be winning on the road. They have the toughest Australasian road trip, with games against the Crusaders, New South Wales Waratahs, the Brumbies, the Highlanders and the Hurricanes.

And they will have to make two trans-Tasman trips just to add to the pain.

For the second year in a row, injury has plagued their high-profile recruit.

Last year, Frenchman Frederic Michalak suffered a serious injury in the early rounds; this year, Argentina star Juan Martin Hernandez has already been ruled out.

Fortunately, coach John Plumtree still has Ruan Pienaar to guide the team around the paddock.

Up front, the Sharks boast an all-Springboks front row with Beast Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis and John Smit.

And there is speed to burn in the backline with J.P. Pietersen and Odwa Ndungane on the wings.

Veteran fullback Stefan Terblanche is backing up again, and he’s desperate to win a Super Rugby title before retiring.

Sharks Stats

Home ground: ABSA Stadium
Coach: John Plumtree
Best Super 12/14 finish: Runners-up 2009
Last season: P13 W8 D0 L5 F282 A239 BP6 Pts38 (sixth)

Squad:

Willem Alberts, Skipper Badenhorst, Nikolai Blignaut, Jacques Botes, Craig Burden, Deon Carstens, Dale Chadwick, Patric Cilliers, Guy Cronje, Ross Cronje, Keegan Daniel, Jean Deysel, Monty Dumond, Justin Downey, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Alistair Hargreaves, Wiehahn Herbst, Adrian Jacobs, Chris Jordaan, Ryan Kankowski, Rory Kockott, Patrick Lambie, Charl McLeod, Steve Meyer, Gerhard Mostert, Tendai Mtawarira, Johann Muller (C), Waylon Murray, Lwazi Mvovo, Skholiwe Ndlovu, Odwa Ndungane, Len Olivier, Ruan Pienaar, J.P. Pietersen, Michael Rhodes, John Smit, Andries Strauss, Riaan Swanepoel, Steven Sykes, Stefan Terblanche, Albert van den Berg, Luzuko Vulindlu

Gains: Willem Alberts (Lions), Louis Ludik (Lions), Steve Meyer (Stormers)

Losses: Francois Steyn (France)

Sharks' Head-To-Head Records

Week 1, v Chiefs (home)
H2H: Played 12: Won 7, Lost 5 +
In Durban:/Port Elizabeth Played 6: Won 4, Lost 2 +

Week 2, v Cheetahs (home)
H2H: Played 4: Won 2, Lost 2 =
In Durban: Played 2: Won 1, Lost 1 =

Week 3, v Crusaders (away)
H2H: Played 13: Won 2, Lost 11 -
In Christchurch/Timaru: Played 7: Won 0, Lost 7 -

Week 4, v New South Wales Waratahs (away)
H2H: Played 15: Won 5, Drawn 1, Lost 9 -
In Sydney: Played 8: Won 2, Lost 6 -

Week 5, v Brumbies (away)
H2H: Played 15: Won 7, Lost 8 -
In Canberra: Played 8: Won 1, Lost 7 -

Week 6, v Highlanders (away)
H2H: Played 12: Won 7, Lost 5 +
In Dunedin: Played 6: Won 3, Lost 3 =

Week 7, v Hurricanes (away)
H2H: Played 12: Won 6, Drawn 1, Lost 5 +
In Wellington/Palmerston North/New Plymouth: Played 6: Won 2, Drawn 1, Lost 3 -

Week 8, v Queensland Reds (home)
H2H: Played 15: Won 5, Lost 10 -
In Durban: Played 8: Won 7, Lost 4 +

Week 9, Bye

Week 10, v Lions (away)
H2H: Played 13: Won 10, Drawn 1, Lost 2 +
In Joannesburg: Played 6: Won 4, Drawn 1 , Lost 1 +

Week 11, v Blues (home)
H2H: Played 13: Won 9, Lost 4 +
In Durban: Played 7: Won 5, Lost 2 +

Week 12, v Bulls (away)
H2H: Played 13: Won 6, Drawn 1, Lost 6 =
In Pretoria: Played 6: Won 3, Drawn 1, Lost 2 +

Week 13, v Stormers (home)
H2H: Played 12: Won 6, Lost 6 =
In Durban: Played 6: Won 3, Lost 3 =

Week 14 v Western Force (home)
H2H: Played 4: Won 3, Lost 1 +
In Durban: Played 2: Won 2, Lost 0 +