Mike Greenaway
The upper tier of Hollywoodbets Kings Park will be open to spectators for the first in many moons for Saturday’s United Rugby Championship (URC) derby with the Stormers because of spectator demand.
The good times are back at the Shark Tank after the first URC campaign under John Plumtree failed miserably but that has changed after a year of the big Kiwi successfully instilling the culture and gameplan that he had wanted, but which the players initially found difficult to understand.
The Sharks were on a roll when the URC was rudely interrupted by the November international season and how Plumtree would have wished they could have continued because his team played some magnificent rugby in humbling Munster (the 2023 champions) and Glasgow (the reigning champions).
Four weeks later the Sharks regroup for the Stormers, a team that has had them under the cosh for some time. In the battles of the Johns, it has been Dobson who has had the wood on Plumtree but the tide has changed for both sides.
The Stormers have not clicked this season and are 13th on the points table. The bottom half of the log is unfamiliar territory for the former champions and in their last match, in Stellenbosch, they were outclassed by the Warriors team that the previous week had been outplayed by the Sharks.
The big question for Plumtree is the state of his Springboks. The Sharks have the biggest Bok representation of the four South African teams and SA Rugby has restored the players to their unions. Each Bok must have eight weeks of rest according to protocols put in place by Rassie Erasmus and it is up to the unions when they give their Boks their time off.
We can rest assured that this is one game Plumtree will want all hands on deck and the only Boks not in the field on Saturday will be the ones carrying injury niggles. That would likely remove Eben Etzebeth and Ox Nche from the selection frame. The former came off against Wales and looked a touch groggy, suggesting a head impact issue, while Nche has stitches in his knee.
Still, the Sharks have Springbok firepower in the tight five in the form of Trevor Nyakane, Vincent Koch, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Bongi Mbonambi, and Jason Jenkins. Former Lions prop Ruan Dreyer has also played four Tests for South Africa. Add in Gerbrandt Grobler and Corne Rahl and you have a serious pack.
The Sharks are bristling with in-form loose forwards in Manu and Vincent Tshituka, James Venter, Phepsi Buthelezi, and recent Scotland international Dylan Richardson.
Plumtree is also spoiled for choice in the backline. If he wanted to, he could pick the Bok halfback pair from Cardiff last week, Jaden and Jordan Hendrikse, but the prevailing feeling is that he will go with Siya Masuku for this one. Grant Williams was sensational overseas and will play a prominent role either as the starting scrumhalf or as back-up to Jaden.
Andre Esterhuizen will be the No 12 and Lukhanyo Am his midfield partner. Most international coaches would kill to have this pair starting for them but they are in back-up roles at the Boks. And when you add back three options such as Aphelele Fassi, Makazole Mapmpi, Ethan Hooker, and Eduan Keyter, you have a potent mix.
Without tempting fate for Sharks fans, the Stormers will have to produce something special to beat this team.