12/02/2008 15:43

Durban - Dick Muir has announced his Sharks squad to do duty in the 2008 Super 14, with lock Johann Muller named to captain the side.

According to Michael Marnewick, writing on the Sharks website, the Sharks have lost the Noble brothers, Howard and Dusty, as well as Bob Skinstad, John Smit, Butch James, Percy Montgomery, Gcobani Bobo and Warren Britz to contracts with other SA teams or overseas.

They have however secured the services of high profile local and international players and in most cases have not lost out on experience or talent in their recruitment drive which includes 47 Test-capped Frenchman, Frederic Michalak, Rugby World Cup prop Jannie du Plessis, Tongan international Epi Taione and Falcons scrumhalf Charl McLeod.

Taione, one of the five nominees for the IRB Rugby World Cup Player of the Tournament, will join up with the Sharks when his team, Sanyo Wild Knights (currently in the playoff stages), end their season - which should be in a week or two.

Also in the system for 2008 are Dumisane Matyeshana, Frank Wagenstroom and Jean Deysel who had limited game time for the Sharks in the latter half of last year's season, while lock Johan Snyman moves into the senior ranks from age-group level.

There is an enormous amount of hunger, drive and desire in this Sharks squad, and the pain of losing in the dying seconds of the 2007 Super 14 final in Durban has galvanised the players into accepting their duty which is giving nothing less than their best - be it in the gym, on the training pitch, or on the field of play.

With the new ELVs, the exodus of players from all three participating nations and a host of new talent expected to emerge, together with the psychological effects of the World Cup and the experience gained, especially by the youngsters in the Sharks camp, the 2008 Super 14 competition should be exciting, thrilling and gripping.

Sharks squad:

Forwards:

Johann Ackermann, Skipper Badenhorst, Nikolai Blignaut, Jacques Botes, BJ Botha, Craig Burden, Deon Carstens, Patric Cilliers, Keegan Daniel, Jean Deysel, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Alistair Hargreaves, Robbie Harris, Jody Jenneker, Ryan Kankowski, Kees Lensing, Tendai 'Beast' Mtawarira, Johann Muller, Steven Sykes, Johan Snyman, Epi Taione, Albert van den Berg, AJ Venter.

Backs:

Bradley Barritt, Adrian Jacobs, Rory Kockott, Scott Mathie, Dumisane Matyeshana, Charl McLeod, Henno Mentz, Frederic Michalak, Waylon Murray, Odwa Ndungane, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Francois Steyn, Andries Strauss, Stefan Terblanche, Frank Wagenstroom.