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- May 28, 2010
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All of my fellow Sharks fans know about the saddest moment in our recent history, the 2007 final.
Robbed some have said, but that was five years ago. I thought it would be interesting to see who played in that side, and what they are doing now.
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 1125, align: left"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Deon Carstens[/TD]
[TD]Deon left the Sharks in 2010 for the Saracens, before returning to South Africa this season to play for the Stormers. He was a substitute in their loss to the Sharks in the semi-finals[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]John Smit[/TD]
[TD]John Smit left the Sharks for France after winning the 2007 World Cup. He returned from Clermont a year later and won two Currie Cups with the Sharks before moving to England to play with the Saracens.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]BJ Botha[/TD]
[TD]After the final, Botha was part of the World Cup winning Springbok side. He moved to Ulster for the 2008/09 season before moving south to Munster in 2011.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Johan Ackermann[/TD]
[TD]A true legend, Ackermann retired from professional rugby in 2008. He joined up with John Mitchell and Carlos Spencer to form the Lions coaching staff, and is currently the stand-in head coach.
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Johann Muller[/TD]
[TD]Muller remained with the Sharks for a few more seasons, before going north to Ulster, where he is now the captain.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Jacques Botes[/TD]
[TD]A player whom I consider one of my personal favourites, Jacques Botes is still a faithful Shark. A prolific pilferer of the ball and try-scorer, he is likely to be in the 22 for the upcoming final.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]AJ Venter[/TD]
[TD]AJ retired from international rugby after being left out of the 2007 World Cup squad, but he remained a Shark for another season. He later joined Western Province before retired to run his business in Natal.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]Ryan Kankowski[/TD]
[TD]Ryan missed out on the 2007 Springbok squad, but made his debut against Wales (in which he scored a try) in November 2007. Despite varied form, he has remained an integral part of the Sharks side. He is likely to start this weekend, his last match for the Sharks until the 2013 Super Rugby season, as he has a short-term contract in Japan's Top League[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]Ruan Pienaar[/TD]
[TD]Another Shark-Ulsterman, Ruan joined the red hand gang in 2010 where he has become their best back, propelling them to the 2012 Heineken Cup final.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]Butch James[/TD]
[TD]After winning the World Cup, James joined Bath and remained their until 2011, when he return to South Africa with the Lions.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]JP Pietersen[/TD]
[TD]JP has remained a Shark after all these years. His recent form has caused him to be listed as one of the best backs in world rugby. JP is likely to start this weekend.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]Brad Barritt[/TD]
[TD]Barritt remained with the Sharks until 2008, after winning the Currie Cup. He then joined the Saracens before using his English ties (grandparents) to join up with the England national team, making his debut in the 2012 Six Nations.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]Waylon Murray[/TD]
[TD]Another 2008 Currie Cup winner, Waylon moved to the Lions in 2010, where he currently plies his trade.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]Francois Steyn[/TD]
[TD]The mercurial Steyn left South Africa for a lucrative contract with Racing Metro in 2009, where he remained until 2012. He returned to South Africa and the Sharks following the completion of his contract, but is ineligible to play in the final.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]Percy Montgomery[/TD]
[TD]Percy propelled South Africa to World Cup glory after the 2007 final. His boot, alongside Francois Steyn's, downing the previous winners in the final. He joined Perpignan in 2008 before retiring from international rugby after that year's Tri Nations. Percy returned to South Africa, through the Stormers, in time for the 2009 Super 14. He then linked up with Peter de Villiers and was until recently, the national kicking coach, a position now held by Louis Koen.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]Bismarck du Plessis[/TD]
[TD]Bismarck is another to have remained with the Sharks since this match. He fought with John Smit for the 2 shirt until Smit moved, with Bismarck since taking sole possession of it. He is likely to start this weekend,[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]Tendai Mtawarira[/TD]
[TD]The Beast announced his presence to the world in 2009, after punishing British Lions and 2003 World Cup winner Phil Vickery. Tendai is another who will possibly start in the upcoming match.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]Albert van den Berg[/TD]
[TD]Albert left the Sharks in 2010 to join Canon in Japan's Top League[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]Warren Britz[/TD]
[TD]Warren played one more match for the Sharks (2007 Currie Cup) after the 2007 final, before joining Montpellier in France's Top14. He is preseumed to have retired at the end for the 2008/09 season.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]Bobby Skinstad[/TD]
[TD]Skinstad joined the Springboks in the 2007 World Cup, where he captained the side in the hard-fought pool match against Tonga, where he scored one of his side's four tries. He retired after winning the World Cup[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]Rory Kockott[/TD]
[TD]Rory left the Sharks in 2010, but not before winning two Currie Cups. He joined Castres in the Top14, where he still plays.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]Adrian Jacobs[/TD]
[TD]Another loyal clubman, Adi remained with the Sharks until the end of 2011. After turning down the Stormers, he is presumed retired.[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
Robbed some have said, but that was five years ago. I thought it would be interesting to see who played in that side, and what they are doing now.
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 1125, align: left"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Deon Carstens[/TD]
[TD]Deon left the Sharks in 2010 for the Saracens, before returning to South Africa this season to play for the Stormers. He was a substitute in their loss to the Sharks in the semi-finals[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]John Smit[/TD]
[TD]John Smit left the Sharks for France after winning the 2007 World Cup. He returned from Clermont a year later and won two Currie Cups with the Sharks before moving to England to play with the Saracens.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]BJ Botha[/TD]
[TD]After the final, Botha was part of the World Cup winning Springbok side. He moved to Ulster for the 2008/09 season before moving south to Munster in 2011.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Johan Ackermann[/TD]
[TD]A true legend, Ackermann retired from professional rugby in 2008. He joined up with John Mitchell and Carlos Spencer to form the Lions coaching staff, and is currently the stand-in head coach.
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Johann Muller[/TD]
[TD]Muller remained with the Sharks for a few more seasons, before going north to Ulster, where he is now the captain.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Jacques Botes[/TD]
[TD]A player whom I consider one of my personal favourites, Jacques Botes is still a faithful Shark. A prolific pilferer of the ball and try-scorer, he is likely to be in the 22 for the upcoming final.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]AJ Venter[/TD]
[TD]AJ retired from international rugby after being left out of the 2007 World Cup squad, but he remained a Shark for another season. He later joined Western Province before retired to run his business in Natal.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]Ryan Kankowski[/TD]
[TD]Ryan missed out on the 2007 Springbok squad, but made his debut against Wales (in which he scored a try) in November 2007. Despite varied form, he has remained an integral part of the Sharks side. He is likely to start this weekend, his last match for the Sharks until the 2013 Super Rugby season, as he has a short-term contract in Japan's Top League[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]Ruan Pienaar[/TD]
[TD]Another Shark-Ulsterman, Ruan joined the red hand gang in 2010 where he has become their best back, propelling them to the 2012 Heineken Cup final.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]Butch James[/TD]
[TD]After winning the World Cup, James joined Bath and remained their until 2011, when he return to South Africa with the Lions.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]JP Pietersen[/TD]
[TD]JP has remained a Shark after all these years. His recent form has caused him to be listed as one of the best backs in world rugby. JP is likely to start this weekend.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]Brad Barritt[/TD]
[TD]Barritt remained with the Sharks until 2008, after winning the Currie Cup. He then joined the Saracens before using his English ties (grandparents) to join up with the England national team, making his debut in the 2012 Six Nations.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]Waylon Murray[/TD]
[TD]Another 2008 Currie Cup winner, Waylon moved to the Lions in 2010, where he currently plies his trade.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]Francois Steyn[/TD]
[TD]The mercurial Steyn left South Africa for a lucrative contract with Racing Metro in 2009, where he remained until 2012. He returned to South Africa and the Sharks following the completion of his contract, but is ineligible to play in the final.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]Percy Montgomery[/TD]
[TD]Percy propelled South Africa to World Cup glory after the 2007 final. His boot, alongside Francois Steyn's, downing the previous winners in the final. He joined Perpignan in 2008 before retiring from international rugby after that year's Tri Nations. Percy returned to South Africa, through the Stormers, in time for the 2009 Super 14. He then linked up with Peter de Villiers and was until recently, the national kicking coach, a position now held by Louis Koen.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]Bismarck du Plessis[/TD]
[TD]Bismarck is another to have remained with the Sharks since this match. He fought with John Smit for the 2 shirt until Smit moved, with Bismarck since taking sole possession of it. He is likely to start this weekend,[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]Tendai Mtawarira[/TD]
[TD]The Beast announced his presence to the world in 2009, after punishing British Lions and 2003 World Cup winner Phil Vickery. Tendai is another who will possibly start in the upcoming match.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]Albert van den Berg[/TD]
[TD]Albert left the Sharks in 2010 to join Canon in Japan's Top League[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]Warren Britz[/TD]
[TD]Warren played one more match for the Sharks (2007 Currie Cup) after the 2007 final, before joining Montpellier in France's Top14. He is preseumed to have retired at the end for the 2008/09 season.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]Bobby Skinstad[/TD]
[TD]Skinstad joined the Springboks in the 2007 World Cup, where he captained the side in the hard-fought pool match against Tonga, where he scored one of his side's four tries. He retired after winning the World Cup[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]Rory Kockott[/TD]
[TD]Rory left the Sharks in 2010, but not before winning two Currie Cups. He joined Castres in the Top14, where he still plays.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]Adrian Jacobs[/TD]
[TD]Another loyal clubman, Adi remained with the Sharks until the end of 2011. After turning down the Stormers, he is presumed retired.[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
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