The Sharks have been very close now for a few seasons. They surely have some of the best talents on paper but for some reason they just lose form at the wrong stage of the competition. They have really depth in their squad (almost to much) and the same thing happen in our CC competition with them. Despite having a lot of players out last year they still were able to top the CC log. Then they falter in the semi against the Cheetahs. Almost felt they should not have played their Boks in that semi and that just show the depth they have.

Player Losses:
Albert (Spinnekop) van den Berg (retired), Skipper Bardenhorst (Cheetahs), Hernandez (injured) and maybe Du Mont (Cheetahs).

Player Gains:
A host of  Lion players in Louis Luddick, Gerhard Mostert and Willem Alberts. Also one of Paarl Gim jewel upcoming youngster midfielders in Jean Stemmet. And the talented Tin Ear (Cheetah) blond flanker Johan Wessels.

New Talent
Patrick Cilliers blond LH fatty. Pretty usefull with pill in hand. The redreaded flanker to hooker, Craig Burden,. They have a host of young lock stock but Allistair Halgreave look like heading for the green jersey. Johan Wessels playing at the Cheetahs in the shadow of that man Brussouw will take full advantage with the Sharks. The Cronje Twin (nephews of Hansie) maybe still as backup players but no shortage of talent in this two, looking like your normal Durban surfers. Stemmet will have to play a important role in midfield for them. Worth a mention is Willem Alberts that made a huge stepup from S14 to CC for the Lions last year. This guy is iron and Kankowski cant be sure of his 8 jersey.

Coaching
Pretty much the same staff they had last year. Think the Shark Tank faithful may lose their confidence in Plumtree & kie if they don't produce the goods this time around.

Players to Watch:
Watch old hands like Terreblanche & Kankowski up their play with quality players like Luddick & Albert blowing down their neck.. The most important players for the Sharks is their usual experience Bok players like Jacobs,Pienaar, JP, Beast, Doep Bros and John Smit. Jean Deysel hopeful will deliver the goods.

Challenges:
Usually they are good tourist but it's a tough road this year. They show in the past if they pick up steamon tour they usually end on the top side of the log. That's the make or break one for them.

My teams pick
1. Mtawarira, Carstens, Cilliers
2. Du Plessis, Burden
3. Smit, Jannie Doep,
Locks Sykes, Muller, Halgreave, Mostert
6. Botes, Wessels,
7. Deysel, Daniels,
8. Kankowski, Alberts,
9. Pienaar, Kockott, McClead, Cronje
10. Pienaar, Cronje.
Wings Pieterson, Ndungane, Jordaan, Movovo
12. Jacobs, Swanepoel, Stemmet,
13. Murray, Strauss, Vulindlu
15. Terblanche, Luddick, Lambie

Calendar:
Chiefs (H), Cheetahs (H), Crusaders (A), Waratahs (A), Brumbies (A), Highlanders (A), Hurricanes (A), Reds (H), Bye, Lions (A), Blues (H), Bulls (A), Stormers (H), Force (H).