Hollywoodbets Sharks coach John Plumtree has shared the latest ahead of the franchise’s double-header matchups with Saracens and the Pumas in Durban on Friday.
With the URC season just a few weeks away, today’s game against Saracens and final Currie Cup fixture against the Pumas will help get the players not involved during the domestic campaign up to speed in time for the upcoming season.
For Sarries, the match will also provide them with a similar chance to shake off the rust in time for the Gallagher Premiership while simultaneously giving both parties a chance to collaborate on a number of important rugby topics and brand building strategies.
“The golf day was great with a lot of the [Saracens] players and management, and a lot of the coaches. We’re going out for dinner with them tonight,” said Plumtree on Thursday.
“It’s nice for us to connect with them and talk with them about some of the challenges we have, and they’re doing the same for us. [There’s been] a lot of collaboration around the things we have to go through as clubs at different stages of the year, and it’s good to build relationships because we know that [Hollywoodbets Sharks owner] Marco [Massotti] and Dominic Silvester, their owner, are close friends as well.”
In terms of the games themselves, Plumtree has opted to field a number of URC players in the Currie Cup clash with the Pumas, which kicks off at 7pm at Hollywoodbets Kings Park. Vincent Tshituka is back and captains a side that features fellow Springboks Jaden Hendrikse and Phepsi Buthelezi, while the likes of Yaw Penxe, Siya Masuku and Manu Tshituka also start.
In the 4pm clash with Saracens, Tino Mavesere is the skipper and will be aided by the experience of Jason Jenkins in the second row while Lukhanyo Am is named on the bench after returning from injury.
Said Plumtreee: “On the games for the weekend, we’ve introduced a few URC players into both teams. They’re pre-season games for us, we need the hit out. It’s not so much around a result but more around just us getting the contact work in that our players ned before the start of a busy URC season.
“We’ve got Friday night, and next weekend in George against the Stormers – we’re taking a squad of 28 down there to play. The Saracens game, it’s a mixture of some younger players… we’ve had to pull a few players in from elsewhere to make up our numbers because we’ve got our U19s and U21s playing in Bloemfontein, and there’s been some challenges in that regard getting the two groups together, but we’ve done that.”
The Pumas game will be the Sharks XV’s final Currie Cup outing of the season, and a win could potentially see them finish the season in sixth.
Hollywoodbets Sharks Invitational v Saracens: Hakeem Kunene, Aiden de Villiers, Christie Grobbelaar, Albie Bester, Jaco Williams, Jean Smith, Tiaan Fourie, Jannes Potgieter, Matt Romao, Tino Mavesere (captain), Deon Slabbert, Jason Jenkins, Cohen Kiewit, Willem van der Hever, Kayden Kiewit.
Bench: Jacques Marais, Dian Bleuler, Dian Heunis, Gideon Koegelenberg, Meno Barnard, Coetzee le Roux, Ceano Everson, Chris Horak, Luhanyo Am.
Hollywoodbets Sharks XV v Airlink Pumas: Yaw Penxe, Phikolomzi Sobahle, Diego Appollis, Francois Venter, Paschal Ekeji, Siya Masuku, Jaden Hendrikse, Phepsi Buthelezi, Vincent Tshituka (captain), Manu Tshituka, Emile van Heerden, Batho Hlekani, Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, Fez Mbatha, Phatu Ganyane.
Bench: Jacques Marais, Dian Bleuler, Mawande Mdanda, Deon Slabbert, Nick Hatton, Ceano Everson, Jean Smith, Jaco Williams.
