Gold looking to back youngsters
The three Springboks are set to play their final match for the Sharks when they host the Stormers on Saturday evening. Gold is focused on winning that fixture to end the season on a high – but has cast his gaze towards the players who will take the Union forward.
“To lose one legend is a big thing, but to lose three such incredible people, guys who have made such a big statement for the union - it’s an emotional time and it will be a big day for them. They’ve given a tremendous amount to the union and have had a huge amount of success. All three have been stalwarts here, brilliant people, people the union wanted to build a culture around,” Gold said.
During today’s press conference, Gold cryptically said he was hoping some of the Springboks who were said to be leaving would not be – but their departure seems set in stone.
Whether or not the Sharks can somehow keep the Du Plessis’s in town, Gold is excited about a number of youngsters coming through the ranks while he couldn’t confirm if any new signings were going to be made.
“There are lots of discussions going on about that. Naively I was hoping they weren’t going. It’s best to wrap up season and get confirmation of everything. We are looking at some guys,” Gold said.
“If we are to lose such stalwarts, and I honestly don’t think they’re replaceable, you can’t go into market place and find another Willem Alberts or Bismarck du Plessis - it’s not going to happen. I’ve been on the other side of the world and I know how difficult it is to get players like these guys.”
“That then forces us to back the kids we have here: Jean-Luc and Daniel du Preez, we have put time and energy into those guys now playing with the SA under 20s. We have Kyle Cooper, Monde Hadebe and Franco Marais, it’s time to back them. They deserve to feel that they’re backed. We will have to find one or two senior players, you can’t play an entire campaign with kids and probably through the spine of the team we’ll look further, but at this moment in time, there is nothing else on the horizon other than the announcements we’ve made.”
Gold has already backed the young halfback pairing of scrumhalf Stefan Ungerer and flyhalf Lionel Cronje. The pair has played the last four games together and start against the Stormers.
The Cape Town outfit meanwhile named a team devoid of many of their star players for Saturday’s clash.
They have three debutants in fullback Robert du Preez (son of former Bok scrumhalf Rob du Preez), flank Sikhumbuzo Notshe and hooker Michael Willemse. Nizaam Carr captains the Stormers in place of the injured Duane Vermeulen.
Sharks team (15-1): Lwazi Mvovo, Odwa Ndungane, JP Pietersen, Andre Esterhuizen, S'bura Sithole, Lionel Cronje, Stefan Ungerer, Renaldo Bothma, Willem Alberts, Marcell Coetzee,Marco Wentzel (c), Etienne Oosthuizen, Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis, Beast Mtawarira.
Replacements: Franco Marais, Dale Chadwick, Lourens Adriaanse, Lubalalo Mtyanda, Khaya Majola, Conrad Hoffmann, Fred Zeilinga, Heimar Williams.
Stormers team (15-1): Robert du Preez, Johnny Kotze, Huw Jones, Jaco Taute, Pat Howard, Kurt Coleman, Louis Schreuder, Nizaam Carr (c), Michael Rhodes, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Ruan Botha, Jean Kleyn, Vincent Koch, Michael Willemse, Oli Kebble.
Replacements: Neil Rautenbach, Ali Vermaal, Wilco Louw, Jan de Klerk, Siya Kolisi, Godlen Masimla, Seabelo Senatla, Kobus van Wyk.
Kickoff at Growthpoint Kings Park is at 19h10 on Saturday.
(File Photo: Gallo Images)
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