Du Preez looking to test Sharks depth
Cell C Sharks coach Rob du Preez believes their Super Rugby clash against the Kings provides the perfect opportunity to test the depth of his squad.
Listen to the full media conference here, or read the story below.
The Sharks coach has made it abundantly clear that he would be resting a number of players this week. Those injuries have necessitated changes, but Du Preez has made a few more for what should be a fairly straightforward assignment against the Kings.
The front row is completely changed, with Thomas du Toit, Chiliboy Ralepele and Lourens Adriaanse getting their first starts this season. Du Preez has kept his locks unchanged, while Jacques Vermeulen gets his debut starting berth in a Sharks jersey in place of the injured Van der Walt.
All eyes will be on young Benhard Janse van Rensburg, as he looks to fill the massive void left by Lambie who is out for up to 8 weeks with a fractured vertebrae in his back. Curwin Bosch starts at fullback for Clement Poitrenaud while the evergreen Odwa Ndungane brings a wealth of experience to the back three, operating out on the left wing.
With massive changes made to the starting lineup, Du Preez maintained his confidence in his charges, emphasising his faith in the wider squad that has worked so hard over the past few months.
“I’m very happy with the team. I’ve always said from the outset that the strength of the 23 that plays on any given day will be determined by the squad. I’ve also said that those guys will get an opportunity down the line. This is a good chance for those guys to step up and it’s a good opportunity to see what our depth is like,” the coach said on Thursday.
Stepping into the shoes of a Springbok will be a daunting task for the 20-year-old Janse van Rensburg but Du Preez is confident that the pivot will do well in his Super Rugby debut. Having coached the flyhalf at Pukke, the Sharks coach knows what the youngster is capable of.
It must have been difficult to decide between Janse van Rensburg or Inny Radebe to replace Lambie but the Sharks coach seemed confident he’d made the right decision this week.
“There is very little to choose between him and Inny at this stage as the two flyhalves after Pat. I think he’s got his head a little bit in front especially after that game against the Bulls where I thought he played really well. It’s a big opportunity for him, I’m confident in his game management,” Du Preez said.
“I think he’s a very good communicator and that for me is very important in a pivotal position like flyhalf. He’s a brilliant defender so nobody is going to come into that channel – so is Inny by the way.”
Radebe may feel hard done by considering his exploits for the Sharks in the Currie Cup last year, but his opportunity will come down the line. Meanwhile Lambie will have to watch the game from the sidelines once again and Du Preez feels for the Bok pivot.
“It’s very difficult. Patrick is a massive loss for us but it’s not as bad as we thought it would be. So hopefully he’ll be back in six to eight weeks. We hope and pray he recovers 100 percent and quickly,” he said.
“After his MRI, he’s been to see a neurosurgeon so I think Pat is in good spirits – he’s a fighter.”
With Lambie out, Ndungane and Lwazi Mvovo will be the wiser heads keeping the backline calm and collected and their availability comes as a blessing.
“That played a big role, the fact that Patrick is not there and we also lost Philip. We have Tera as our captain this week and he has a lot of experience at this level. Oddy will calm everyone down at the back – there’s a lot of young guys there. Oddy brings that calmness and experience and he is also the vice-captain.”
In the meantime, the rest of the Sharks squad has been urged to stay positive and keep working hard. With such a demanding season, most of the players are likely to see some Super Rugby action and Du Preez credited the wider group for their attitude in training.
“We’ve got a group of 45 guys with an incredible work ethic, I’m very happy with the progress they’ve made. There’s a lot of frustration because a lot of those guys can’t play. They’re outside of the match 23 and that is a big challenge for us. Hopefully, in the future we can have the Currie Cup qualifying competition run concurrently with Super Rugby, that will help all the teams in South Africa.”
The Sharks host the Kings at Growthpoint Kings Park on Saturday. Kick-off is at 19h30.