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Ken Borland


From Ward to Koster, Sharks team spans gamut of experience, but openside flank & flyhalf the most interesting selections 0

Posted on March 09, 2021 by Ken

The Sharks team announced by Sean Everitt on Friday for their preparation fixture against Griquas in Durban on Sunday spans the gamut of experience from captain Jeremy Ward, in his fifth season at Kings Park, to his centre partner Murray Koster, who will don the Black and White for the first time.

But the two most interesting selections are at openside flank and flyhalf.

James Venter has been out of action for the duration of the post-Lockdown season, but the 24-year-old was in superb form a year ago in Super Rugby. The No.6 flank was rightly praised for his ability to cover the field from side-to-side and his skill at the breakdown. And then he got injured, opening the door for Dylan Richardson, who performed the fetcher role so well he was one of the finds of the 2020/21 season.

But Venter is back now and has the chance to remind everyone of his qualities as he adds to the Sharks’ loose forward depth.

“James has got experience and unfortunately he was injured at the start of Super Rugby Unlocked, then he got concussed and then he caught Covid. So it was not a happy end-of-season for him. But he will bring leadership and experience and he is, of course, a fantastic rugby player,” Everitt said on Friday.

Manie Libbok can do things on a rugby field that can make a spectator squawk with delight, but all his previous appearances for the Sharks have been at fullback. Now he gets to call the shots at flyhalf, his opportunity coming as Curwin Bosch, one of the heroes of the last season, gets a well-deserved break. How Libbok handles the pressure of an abrasive Griquas defence in his face, as opposed to the space he gets at fullback, will be interesting to see.

“Manie was signed as a utility player and we actually didn’t expect him to play so many games at fullback, but Aphelele Fassi got injured. And then when Manie was meant to be getting a run as a replacement flyhalf against Griquas in Kimberley last year in Super Rugby Unlocked, Anthony Volmink got injured and he played fullback again.

“But flyhalf is Manie’s favourite position and he’s trained very well there, it’s just with Curwin in such good form he never got a chance. But last year against the Hurricanes, Curwin missed the game because of a family bereavement and we struggled without him because we haven’t really been able to build a second flyhalf who can challenge him,” Everitt explained.

Sharks team: Aphelele Fassi, Werner Kok, Jeremy Ward (C), Murray Koster, Anthony Volmink, Manie Libbok, Grant Williams, Phepsi Buthelezi, Thembelani Bholi, James Venter, Hyron Andrews, JJ vd Mescht, Michael Kumbirai, Kerron van Vuuren, Khwezi Mona. Bench – Fez Mbatha, Ntuthuka Mchunu, John-Hubert Meyer, Reniel Hugo, Mpilo Gumede, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Chait, Thaakir Abrahams.

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    Christ-likeness is about bearing his fruit – We can’t produce it ourselves.

    For this we need the Holy Spirit in our inner being.

    “Stay close to him and do all we can to get to know him better. Spiritual growth is an ongoing process to which we should dedicate ourselves wholeheartedly.” – A Shelter From The Storm by Solly Ozrovech

    It’s a real challenge to become like Jesus, a living faith requires effort from our side.

    “But he always meets us more than halfway when our efforts are sincere, and strengthens us through his Spirit.” – ibid. We must obediently follow wherever he leads.

    “It is essential to develop a healthy personal relationship with the living Christ. Remain near to Jesus through faithful prayer and meditation. Then, when problems strike, you will find that he will be with you to help you overcome them with peace [worry has a very negative effect] in your heart.” – ibid.

    Remember that Jesus himself was not exempt from problems, nor did his problems just disappear instantaneously. So he can share your burden and teach you how to cope with it so that you can have peace of mind too.

    Jesus lived by Romans 8:31 – “If God is for us, who can be against us?”. He looked forward to a new heaven and a new earth. Just like Jesus, we must conquer sin and death.

    His life of abundance should encompass our situation here and now, and everything in our whole life.

    Surrender yourself to his Holy Spirit – it is his Spirit that gives you the ability to handle life’s problems successfully.

    2 Corinthians 2:14 – “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ.”

    Co-operate with God! Walk the path of life in his light, like Jesus did. Jesus carried out his tasks in God’s strength. He took his problems to God in prayer and acted in complete dependence on him. He committed himself to God.

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