To say that the Sharks really couldn’t afford a home loss to start off their campaign would certainly be a contender for “understatement of the month”. In a game that never reached any great heights, thanks in no small part to both the rain and the referee, the home side paid the price for shocking discipline and a worrying failure to create any scoring opportunities.
It was never going to be a day for running rugby, thanks to sweltering heat, oppressive humidity and steady rain that fell throughout. Add to that the somewhat vague-seeming interpretations of rookie blower Keith Brown and it was always going to be a stop-start affair. Although most of the referee’s calls seemed technically correct on closer inspection, he seemed to miss a fair few transgressions and one always felt that no matter what the Chiefs did, he would always rather find a reason to blow against the Sharks.
Let’s just get this out in the open, though. Bismarck du Plessis cost his side the game through being stupid and for a senior member, a Bok veteran, to do something like that is frankly unforgivable. You need to play smart and play to the ref and when you’ve worked out that he’s going to blow you for even looking at him funny, blatant late shoulder charges probably aren’t the best idea. Willem Alberts was lucky not to suffer the same fate a few minutes later.
The Sharks forwards were frustrating in this game. In the first half, they simply didn’t look as though they’d been coached at all. Set pieces were messy or bordering on shambolic at times and if they’d been educated in any way about the new law interpretations ahead of this game, it certainly didn’t show. Rory Kockott and Stefan Terblanche – the only backs to get their hands on the ball virtually all game – both played superbly under the conditions and the tactical kicking approach was the right one to use. If only the forwards could have pitched up for the first half, the Sharks may have been able to capitalise on it!
The anticipated half-time rocket seemed to have an effect on the pack and although only marginally more accurate in the second period, they managed to life their intensity appreciably managed to start dominating the game. Referee Brown was ever-present, however, ready and willing to pick up on any transgression, no matter how minor. After a period of furious defence on the goal line, the team did superbly to claw their way back into Chiefs territory and build up a 9-point buffer. Bismarck’s brain-fart undid all of that, though and despite the heartbreak of Donald’s last-minute winner, one feels that it would have been somewhat of a travesty had the home team walked away with the points in this game. They simply weren’t good enough, committed too many basic mistakes and (most tellingly) had to make do with 14 men for a full quarter of the game.
For the Sharks, there were very impressive defensive performances put in by both Waylon Murray and (particularly) JP Pietersen. The Sharks backs in fact did very well collectively to pressure their counterparts into a stuttering attacking display, but their failure to do anything at all on attack – albeit with hardly any good ball to do it with – remains a worry. Things aren’t going to get any easier for the Sharks, though. With only six home games in total this season, dropping one is nothing other than a mortal blow. More concerning, both Gerhard Mostert and Johann Muller were forced from the park with what looked like serious shoulder injuries and to lose two such key forwards before the campaign has even started could prove telling. The former is a notoriously injury-prone player and we can only hope and pray that he’ll still be able to play some rugby for the Sharks this season.
It’s early days, of course and writing anybody off at this stage of the season is just foolish. The Sharks are going to have to come up with something very different if they hope to beat the Cheetahs on Friday,though and a win in that game has now become absolutely non-negotiable. At least, I can say with conviction, the Sharks are not going to peak too early in 2010!
I`m gonna come out and say it. I don`t think Andries Strauss did too badly either.
As for the rest . . . I agree with Rob and luckily I had the foresight to go against them on sportsbet and superbru.
@Original Pierre (Comment 1) : yeah, Dries wasn’t bad either. Very busy on defence
As bad as we were ,we could have (and should’ve won).as for cheetahs:was interesting seeing ref blowing wp nel for illegal scrumming ..guthro seemed to get the upperhand . Maybe sharks should punish bis,and leave him out this friday.smit at hooker.
Seems as if sharks have lost their invincibility at home.have now lost 4 of 5 at the staduim.and last year we lost to 2 sa teams.in ’07 and ’08 we beat all 4 sa teams in round robin stage of s14 .
sharks vs Cheetahs is a Rubicon game for both teams……going to be as tough as all hell…Not sure where Bismarcks head is these days.
Sharks were brave though….what a terrible week prior to the game with Meyer,court cases, etc.
So dont be too harsh i reckon…..reserve judgement for after the cheetahs game.
@grant10 (Comment 5) : kind of ironic that it takes a Stormers supporter to point that out to us
good call, dude. After this week, the Sharks were staring a hiding in the face and did quite well to avoid one
Well,we will just have to beat all 4 the other sa teams now:it is a must. But in-between that,we must turn the ‘nightmare tour’into the ‘dream tour’ .bottom line though is we need to win all home games and beat all the sa teams .that would give us 7 victories . . . And 2 victories on tour and we’re at 9 wins. . . Easier written than done ,though
Still hard to judge the Sharks on last night’s performance, so many things happened during the week and our lovely novice kiwi ref seemed to be the final nail in the coffin, sadly a player like Bis might actualy be guilty of taking his frustration out on the Chiefs.
I say lets wait to see what happens friday night before making any judgement, we should have a much more settled team so lets hope for the best.
Btw, seems the rumour surrounding Swannie is unfounded, he came on as replacement for the Sharks XV pre-match in the second half joined by most of the Sharks bench.
So our run of poor discipline continues. This was always going to be a tight game in those conditions, so playing a quarter of it with 14 men wasn´t going to help, was it?
If we don´t want to end up bottom of the log we better get our house in order. Of all the sides on the opening weekend we seemed to have the least clue as to the law interpretations and we also urgently need to get something done about the Dup brothers´ attitudes.
It would be easy to blame the ref, who should have penalised the Chiefs at the last ruck, but having been 15-6 up we shouldn´t have been in that position in the first place.
Next week our bogey side awaits. Let´s hope that between now and then we miraculously catch a wake-üp.
Hey guys its all good !
Look on the bright side u didn’t look like the westridge high under 14 girls hockey team out there..another loooooooooooooong season awaits us Lions supporters.
By the way stormer supporters in JHB are arrogant pricks , go back to your mountain ! ..some of them anyhow
@robdylan (Comment 6) : Exactky…..one second away from victory….thats the truth of it. And conditions were very poor. Of course there is loads of room for improvement imo…..but Sharks were staring down the barrell and fronted up manfully. Defended passionately…and that is a sign of pride and determination….
The cheetahs game is Everest….win that and all is not lost….get on the plane with a bit of confidence.
But lose it and , of course, the wheels may come off. Sharks can beat Cheetahs…..but need to select team cleverly.
@grant10 (Comment 5) : How was Barney in your opinion at TH?…
@FireTheLooser (Comment 12) : Scrums were at best okay….but not a strength of the sharks….which is surprising given they boast the Bok front row. Adequate would be being kind…..Bottom line he is a hooker…..and remember the chiefs scrum not the best the super 14 have to offer. To be fair though, the sharks never lost it in the scrums…..discipline was the reason imo.
I wonder if that fool from the Chiefs will get banned for his clothes line tackle on Blanche…another incident conveniently missed by ref and so called ass. refs.
Beast….Smit……Carstens
Sykes…Hargreaves
Keegan….Deysel…Alberts
Kockitt
ruan
Strauss[here is the problem ]…Murray
Odwa….JPP
Ludick…
Bench…Bissy and Jannie…Muller or mostert [ pray they not badly injured ]Kanko
Adi….Dumond…S Terblanche.
Can anybody explain how a novice kiwi ref was picked for a game involving a kiwi side, the way I understand, all refs are picked on some kind of points basis….not having any experience in the S14 how was he able to have any points on their scale….
Time to get international refs to adjudicate the games, not these novice bafoons from oz and nz.
@grant10 (Comment 11) : one 2nd away from victory after stephen donald pissed a couple of kicks and the chiefs backline butchered clear cut try scoring opportunities. If the chiefs were clinical & the weather not what it was in durban, the sharks would’ve seen their cloacas in a major way!
it’s nice to see people say andries strauss played well, when in fact what he didn’t is fcuk up anything. What did he do at centre that is worth mentioning?
Weren’t most of scrum penalties against sharks incurred by jannie ? He has to front up big time this season -starting with this friday’s match
@Megatron (Comment 17) : The rain affected both backlines, probably why the Sharks opted for a kicking game in the first half…second half they kept the ball closer to the ruck, lots of knock on’s going both ways.
As I said, only way to properly gauge the Sharks will be coming Friday, after that we should know for sure.
Always count on Megatron to put things in perspective for all the sharks fans
And the Proteas implode in spectacular fashion from 210/1 to
254/7 nice
Play smart,play with passion .. Play with the head and play with the heart ..
This was the game we needed to win to get our season and boys of to a good start, might not have been pretty, but it would have done us a world of good, last thing we needed was an inexperienced kiwi ref.
Guaranteed, if it was an inexperienced SA ref (Willie Roos) Sharks would have won, I rate these two refs the same.
@CoffeeShopBok;-) (Comment 21) : was Bis there?…
254/7 !!!!
@bergshark (Comment 25) : Almost as tragic as last night’s dying second loss, but not quite….
@FireTheLooser :almost ..tell you what is tragic :gonna watch the game again on supersport7 in ten min time :’(
have the sharks ever finished in the top half of the table after a first game loss? dont think so
I’ll try and get the stats for that, I’m VERY worried about the team! 
REFF JOU F@KK#N P@#S!!!!.
That was the most SHOCKING SPELL OF REFFEREEING I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE!!!. Why did the chiefs not get a yellow card when that f#cking stupid cheating chiefs player kicked the ball out of Rory’s hand right infront of the posts?, and he gave a srum to the chiefs?????!!!!!, YOU CAN’T EVEN BLAME OUR PLAYERS, BECAUSE THEY COULDIN’T DO ANYTHING AGAINST THIS PRICK REFF.
SHOCKER SHOCKER SHOCKER, I HOPE ALL THE NEW ZEALND TEAMS WILL KAK AF DURING THE REST OF THE TOURNAMENT!!!!!…PATHETIC!!!
@The Shark (Comment 29) : relax dude
@The Shark (Comment 29) :
So you dont think much of the ref then.
By the way I mostly agree.
long time no see,hear.pity about yesterday………crap weather, ball handling,a BIT of the ref…dicipline………but nerves at the beginning of any new s14 start is there……..
Bissie lost it for us to be honest. To shoulder charge and get a yellow so close to the end was just plain stupid.
The ref too was out of his depth I thought at times.
Just had to love that try saving tackle by JP though and the great goal kicking by Rory put hope in my heart.
The loss right on the last second just was hear breaking. Thought for a min we had won it to see they had a penalty given. Reading in the Sunday papers here the writer thinks that was a dubious penalty. Will have to watch the game to see.
We have to go back to Neutral refs. This ref system just does not work and will never work.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 16) : Agree with you Fires, That kiwi ref messed up a lot.
Really am against this ref system. Said many times last year too. Should go back to neutral refs. Will never work having a ref from the same country as the team you playing against ref the game. Unless of course both teams from that country playing each other, then have no problems with it. Felt like Chiefs came to play the Sharks and brought their ref with too!! Really will never agree to this daft system they have with the refs. Now hope we can get a saffa ref when we play Saders in NZ.
Read the Sunday papers and see what was written about this ref. He was useless. Also our supporters throwing stuff onto the field in anger is really not good for us Sharks supporters. That kinda stuff has to be stopped. Ban the lot from at the Tank that do that. Giving as a bad name that lot. Probably the same lot that booed Fransie last year. Not good enough. We pride ourselves at the Tank that we are good supporters.
We had to win this game if we had any chance for this S14 with our awful draw. Had to go on tour with two wins. Really don’t see us picking up much wins on the road. We play all the top sides on their turf. Going to be very tough.
Our scrum was fine last night that is not what let us down. We need to get our discipline in order too. Giving away too many penalties. I know the ref got some wrong and he was out of his depth sometimes there. Plum too has to speak to Bismarck as he really let us down bad. After he got that yellow card it all went against us. We should have won that game. Not a good game to watch but in that awful weather conditions can not blame the players for the game they played.
WTH happened 2 my Bulls shirt pic?
@Puma (Comment 33) : sorry for typos there. hear – heart – need to watch the game again* missed that in my post above.
@bergshark (Comment 27) : I was considering watching it again, but just cant get myself to do it, let me know what you see, whether we were robbed or just plain useless.
It was a wet situation……dont think u guys were useless.
Who would antway wanna watch.it was like watching paint dry
@FireTheLooser (Comment 36) : I need to watch the game again. Don’t feel up to it right now. Heart feels too down about that last min of the game. In the Sunday papers the writer there feels that penalty they got in the last few seconds was dubious.
only in the sunday papers…….wanna see what the mercury said?
@Puma (Comment 33) : Ja Puma, although I have to say, being at the tank myself we were pretty darn frustrated especialy having put up with tons of rain and a VERY boring first half, wouldnt even have been surprised if someone pulled a ‘Piet van Zyl’ on him. But yes, throwing stuff at him was in bad taste.
It’s actualy the S14 ref governing body who should be brought to book for the refs they allow to be put on the field…think the time has come for that whole body to take responsibility for their refs. Teams might actualy have to take them to court, this is the profesional era, guaranteed the Sharks will loose a lot of revenue because of Saturday’s loss, the stands will be very empty.
If the governing body is brought to book, us fans will actualy not feel the need to act up against the ref and even the oposing team, but the spectators know nothing will happen to that ref, that’s why they start throwing him with bottles.
So refferees to face the same music as is faced by the players.
@Puma (Comment 33) : typical arrogant Sharks fans when they don’t get their way they throw things on to the pitch! Louts!
Can anyone tell me how is it going with MAD about Sharks.Maria Dewar/
@Puma (Comment 40) : I’ll watch ‘all out rugby’ this afternon and hopefully they won’t pull a ‘bobby’ on us and back the ref no matter what.
Just cant bring myself to watch the game, it was on earlier but I couldnt stand to watch.
@Megatron (Comment 43) : You should go on voldy’s site, you’ll love it there.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 42) : Fires, Something has to be done about the refs. Not good enough really. Some are sub-standard and should never be reffing at this level. If players get yellow carded then if refs get it wrong should get fined or miss a few games. Or get dropped from the reffing in this tourney.
Still Bissie cost us yesterday. That shoulder charge near the end was plain dumb. Cost us the game.
I know bad reffing frustrates supporters, but I don’t support our supporters throwing stuff at refs. We better than that.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 46) :
He does, he copies and pastes Robs thoughts there in the hope that the masses will start frothing at the mouth and start ripping into Rob, even they ignored him.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 46) : where?
@FireTheLooser (Comment 46) : He or she does, probably comes from there. Ignore that poster. Only here to stir. A real troll I think.
this game was a bit of a lottery – both teams making a lot of mistakes mainly due to conditions. Sharks discipline I guess let them down a bit.
I am bit disappointed that there was so little of this ” all out attck” that we’ve hearing about in pre-season. I guess this time they can blame it on conditions.
@Salmonoid (Comment 48) : @Puma (Comment 50) : Eish, yeah probably better to ignore it.
u guys fighting within the ranks…Grow a beard.Rory has…lol
think rory is trying to look like a good winning team/VM?
@Puma (Comment 50) : you just joined last week and already you are labelling people as trolls. Who do you think you are?
it is your red shirt Mega
@Salmonoid (Comment 48) : hello Celluloid, did you enjoy last night’s game?
@FireTheLooser (Comment 52) : Always better Fires, He/She blogs on keo and only here to stir. He/she knows it though.
@BULLHORN (Comment 57) : what about my shirt?
@Megatron (Comment 43) : typical arrogant Sharks fans when they don’t get their way they throw things on to the pitch! Louts!
there is no smiley after that comment so I have to presume you are serious and if that is the case then I take offence, to say that I am a passionate sharks fan would not be an understatement !
the typical SHARKS fan is in no way a lout, arrogant and we don’t typically throw things on the pitch when we don’t get our way !
the behavior at KP used to be the best in SA with no boo-ing etc. however we’d have to admit that in recent years it has sadly deteriorated
- still, to say it is typical behavior of a SHARKS fan is just wrong
suggest you take a realistic look at all stadiums, all teams and all fans 
@bergshark (Comment 27) : why would you put yourself through it again
@BULLHORN (Comment 34) :
We don’t allow Bulls pictures on here. I have replaced it with a Sharks Jersey.
@Megatron (Comment 56) :
Well that nick of yours only joined a week or two ago. Why don’t you post under your real nick? afraid we’ll see you for what we knew you were before you tried to re-invent yourself?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 63) :
It has been approved.
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 61) : hey sharkette, sorry if i offended you but when you have the likes of Andy Capostagno writing articles suggestting that the Sharks will finish on top of the log
because they have the best academy in the country and a judicious introduction of those youngsters to the Sharks team this season will guarantee that top four spot…
Now please tell me who are these superb youngsters that are so red hot, they will catapult the Sharks to top spot?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 64) : anyone that thinks i re-invented myself is delusional…am i the first blogger to ever change nic here? Don’t be foolish..
@Megatron (Comment 66) : thanks for the respectful apology but I fail to understand how a commentator mouthing off about academy, players, finishing spots etc. impacts your opinion on spectators ???
most – agreeably not all, but most real sharks fans would support their team whether they be in the top four spots or the bottom four.
…. and I don’t believe I am an atypical sharks fan !
I am heartbroken about the result last night but we live another week, we learn from our mistakes and we’ll come out next week to try and score a few points.
Yes the world is a wonderful place when you finish on top and don’t get me wrong I will shout it from the rooftops but when I lose and however kak a ref was (as he was last night) you don’t throw things or boo – thats just unsportsmanlike
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 68) : well, fortunately or otherwise i have in the recent past been encountering the arrogance i’m talking about from shark fans, they might be the exception rather than the norm.
Where else in south africa have you ever seen an opposition kicker being pelted with objects? Is there a precedent? People are quick to blame bismarck for lack of discipline, how different was he from those fans?
@Megatron (Comment 67) : “Now please tell me who are these superb youngsters that are so red hot, they will catapult the Sharks to top spot?”
One of them is your cousin… or was that a lie?
@robdylan (Comment 70) : sbu is hot & was hot property when he captained Queens! He made SA Schools before the Sharks contracted him, as a 19yr old he can harldy help the Sharks in this year’s s14 campaign, wouldn’t you agree?
Under the circumstances, I think we did ok. Dumond seemed solid enough in a game where almost none other than Kockett and Stefan got any ball. I think we shouldnt be harsh on the players or even the ref.
It seems that Ludik will play within a week or two, although it will most probably been in the Vodacom Cup
it certainly DOES get harder from here on. There are no surething games to pick on LMS for the coming weekend.
@Jarson’s (X + V) (Comment 72) :
Hey
You are doing well in the comps i see.
@Megatron (Comment 71) : QUEENS!!!! Long time since I saw or read THAT name associated with ANY great rugby game or player!
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 68) : Hey Kette…you tell him
How things going in the desert? Good to see you both on SW again.
@FireTheLooser: re: sharks vs chiefs replay.after reliving final 5 min,lost all ability to reason objectively .. Guys on all out rugby upset me with their comments :@
Nothing like a loss to get a debate going.
You arrogant Sharks.
Don’t worry. Next week when you put the Cheetahs to the sword, all will be well again.
Time for Ita v Eng.
Never knew Geldenhuys was an Italian surname.
Garth Wright joins the knob squad for this season, shame on him having a go at the Sharks fans yet avoiding pointing out the numerous mistakes made by the ref, two yellow cards never handed out included.
Seems only the Sharks fans are not allowed to be unhappy with the ref. People like Garth empowers the ref to keep making MASIVE mistakes and get away with it, costing unions milions every year.
SS must stop sucking up to the refs seeing as their comantators started the ‘blame the ref’ game.
@bergshark (Comment 78) : Yep, the reason for my post, bleeding plonkers
@FireTheLooser (Comment 82) : Not a fan of Mr Wright’s commentary myself. He gets on my nerves a bit at the best of times.
@McLovin (Comment 84) : They ALL get on my nerves……sometimes I wonder if They and I are watching the same game
and arnie geerdts :@
@Me2 aka Mama Shark (Comment 76) : well Mama, i agree there’s been a dearth of star quality from Queens, but Sbu and the flyhalf for the stormers Lionel Cronje are representing for Queens…
@McLovin (Comment 84) : and old Arnie followed right on his heels with his atempt at sarcasm…not feeling a lot of love towards anyone not willing to crucify the ref publicly making an example of him…of course this will never happen, unless you hail from nz.
Will listen to superrugby tomorrow, we should have a few angry Sharks fans, that’s if the Problems and Nulle suporters dont hog the phones as usual.
All in all just disapointed at how most of the country basicaly turned on the Sharks yet they expect our support during the season…realy pathetic.
@bergshark (Comment 78) : well Garth Wright summed it all up nicely on All Out Rugby!
@Me2 aka Mama Shark (Comment 85) :
True. Actually Mr Bladen is probably the best of the current lot. 
@FireTheLooser (Comment 88) : Ag wat, you know what they say about the tallest trees.
Same with the Bulls I suppose.
Gotta go.
Hou die blink kant bo folks.
@McLovin (Comment 91) : True, here’s hoping that little kiwi ref shafts another team as hard as he did us….
Hopefully the Sharks can pull together for next week, and get over this loss sooner than us…
…and flay those cheetahs…
a win will also be fine though…LOL..I’m sure our unruly Sharks fans will flay them well enough…
What really pisses me of is that Lyndon Bray (manager of SANZAR refs) said that the 1st round of the S14 would be vital and they will be using the top referees.
SO WHY WAS JONKER A TJ AND NOT REFEREEING!!!!!!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 94) :
WHY WAS LAWRENCE A TJ AND NOT A REF?
Italians giving the Poms a hard time.
This coming weekend.
Stormers vs Waratahs at Newlands
Referee: Keith Brown (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Jonathon White (New Zealand)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
At least WE have a decent ref this week.
Sharks vs Cheetahs in Durban
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Pro Legoete (South Africa), Cobus Wessels (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
We only have ONE top ref reffing our games. EXPECT LOT’S of complaining in the next 5 weeks
Rnd 1 v Chiefs a Kiwi Keith Brown
Rnd 2 v Cheetahs a Saffa J Kaplan
Rnd 3 v Crusaders a Kiwi Chris Pollock
Rnd 4 v Waratahs an Aussie Paul Marks
Rnd 5 v Brumbies a Kiwi Garratt Williamson (S14 debut I think)
@KSA Shark © (Comment 94) : That was my understanding also, but as South African’s we are now looked down on because we dare complain about the ref….
So lets do it the Garth Wrong way and blame the spectators for booing a poor ref, us fans should have congratulated him on the penalties he got right and stop focussing on the wrongs, that’s why SA refs are the best, because we ignore their mistakes…NOT
I still maintain that when the refferee for the match was as incompetent as last night the franchise should sue -in this case- SANZAR refs, it clearly was not the best refferee for the job, they did not keep their side of the bargain, so take them to court
Time for everyone to pick the fruits of the profesional era.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 99) : Seems we’ll have to be twice as disciplined as the opposition team.
So if we’re to win the cup this year we’ll have to do it with the reffereeing odds stacked squarely against us, as if the tour was not hard enough.
my freaken livetv4ever stream is not streaming it is pausing.
@klempie (Comment 96) :
I have England by 16.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 75) : where and what
what do you know that I dont 
@KSA Shark © (Comment 103) : cant remember mine, whats the score?
@Jarson’s (X + V) (Comment 105) : I thinks its 24, to lazy to check
@Jarson’s (X + V) (Comment 105) :
Current score
England 11 – 6 Italy
@Jarson’s (X + V) (Comment 106) :
It’s 26.
22nd out of 116 not bad at all!!
you know what pisses me off, when someone asks for finacial help and they smell of alcohol, dont tell me you dont have money for food or whatever, I WONT HELP YOU
@Jarson’s (X + V) (Comment 110) :
@KSA Shark © (Comment 109) : you did better
@KSA Shark © (Comment 111) : nevamind that
@KSA Shark © (Comment 107) :
I hope I get a MP or a BP 
England 14 – 9 Italy
67min
@Jarson’s (X + V) (Comment 113) :
I had a guy stop next to me outside the flower nursery two weeks ago (driving a chevy Tahoe current shape) Can i please help him with Petrol money.
I told him to take a jump.
@Jarson’s (X + V) (Comment 110) : Agree with you there, matey!
@Jarson’s (X + V) (Comment 110) : ask for financial help.
Euphemism of the day that.
72min
Wilko slots a Drop Goal
England 17 – 12 Italy
75min
This ref is blind. That last lineout from England was practically parallel to the touch line!
79min
Italy are letting themselves down now, they are deep in England territiory and give away a silly penalty for a shoulder charge at a ruck.
Why does that sound familiar.
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 61) : Hi, there – you are soooo right, bad “apple fans” everywhere.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 101) : Welcome to the reality of being a Bulls supporter
Well played Italy. Pity you couldn’t pull it off.
3 from 3 on my 6N SB.
Mario Bros almost delivered the upset of the tournament.
Just not good enough.
@McLovin (Comment 126) : Would have been awesome.
To put it mildly, some sharks fans acted in a disgraceful manner.
Also to put it mildly, going on about the ref is just ignorant. Did you guys mis the memo about the breakdown? Certainly the players, including John Smit, did.
What was he thinking? Diving over a ruck to get the ball 5min after telling the ref to be more precise.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 94) :
I thought Jaco Peyper did a good job. What did you think of his performance??
@KSA Shark © (Comment 97) :
Damn. SO he is reffing our game on Saturday??
Just hope we learn from this and sort out the discipline .especially the off-the-ball-stuff.and,yes, the breakdowns were a worry .but also don’t have an out-an-out fetcher in the pack -problematic if you chasing bonus points for tries ..and if you chasing points for the win.
GO SHARKS !!!
@wpw (Comment 130) :
but I thought it wasn’t all the refs fault 
@Charlie (Comment 132) : agree 100%
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 133) :
@KSA Shark © (Comment 99) : So we have Kaplan against the Cheetahs that is a bit of good news. Then against the Saders we have another kiwi Ref? Damn it is now ridiculous. Playing a kiwi side and they have their own ref once again? I am really against this daft ref system. Need serious to get back to neutral refs. Never worked when I grew having our own refs ref the Boks here against the ABs. Many times it was biased to be honest. To bring all that back is just crazy. Get the best refs agree but they must be neutral to the country sides they are reffing.
@wpw (Comment 130) :
Ja but no worries he is a good ref and had no influence on the outcome of the game.
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 134) : Hi Kette! I asked KSA to pass greetings on but he flew into a jealous rage.
@klempie (Comment 138) : hey there klempie, how you doing ?
mmmm husbands, refs neither are predictable right, just my luck I get both rolled into one
@Puma (Comment 136) :
It IS now a merit based appointment system but we now have a quota of a different sort. SA has the highest number of top referees in SANZAR best referees in the other unions are reffing while our top referees have to run touch because we can’t be seen to be favouring South African referees.
So because of that we are being screwed. If they did a half decent job of appointing the referees then the merit system would work 100%.
You appoint the top referees for the 1st half of the season there ARE enough of them.
SA
Lawrence
Kaplan
Joubert
Jonker
Aus
Walsh
Dickinson
NZ
Bryce Lawrence
Vinnie Munro
They are the top refs let them ref all the 1st half games. Then in the second half of the season when there are games that will be extremely onesided or that will have no influence of the final standings then let the up and coming guys ref those.
If they have a season or two of reffing 2nd half of the season and they show they deserve the promotion then promote them to the top tier.
Hell you could do what brett Bowden did. He had a bad season in the S14 and then decided to work on his game and came out to Sa for the CC. His next season of S14 was great.
We don’t have the highest number of good refs by coincidence. We have good refereeing coaches and structures. USE them!!!!!
@wpw (Comment 129) :
Good referee this time next year i will add him to the list of TOP SA referees.
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 139) :
@KSA Shark © (Comment 140) : Think Walsh is a kiwi. Was he not the ref that reffed us in the S14 final 2007? If it is don’t rate him. He cost us that game. Also Bryce Lawrence from NZ is not up to much either.
Mostly only our saffa refs are good. Use them then. Why a novice ref against us last night? He screwed us for sure. Really I don’t like to blame the refs but he was out of his depth there and made plenty mistakes. Or was biased. I grew up watching the Boks play ABs in the 70′s we had good refs but they were very biased. Not sure if we should have won the 1976 test against the ABs that time. Our ref probably too biased.
KSA, to be honest we need the best but they must be neutral to the country side they are reffing. This wont work, watch after another year like this it will be dropped. Now we have a kiwi ref to ref us against Saders? Hard enough to play them in NZ but even harder to have one of their refs ref that game. Never want to see a ref like last night again.
Players get yellow and red cards and cited for a long time. Refs that mess up should get some sort of fine or dropped to ref a few games. Let it hurt them in the pocket. Maybe they will get better mate.
Still feel heart sore about that loss last night. Most of all Bissie cost us that game in the end. Plum has to speak to him.
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 139) : I’m cool. How’s things at school?
@Puma (Comment 143) :
Walsh IS a Kiwi but he got fired there and moved to Aus. he is reffing for the Aussies now.
@Puma (Comment 143) : Walsh was NZ ref, got fired for avoiding AA meetings
Moved to OZ, so now seen as ozzie ref.
@Puma (Comment 143) :
Yes a mistake he made handed the final victory to the Bulls but not before a mistake we made didn’t find touch.
He did nothing wrong in that game except miss one knock at a vital moment. He IS a good ref who had a drinking problem but that seems to have been sorted.
@klempie (Comment 144) : hectic but some things never change
and you ?
Mostly only our saffa refs are good. Use them then. Why a novice ref against us last night?
Exactly and that AFTER Bray said the TOP referees will be used in these vital games while everyone comes to terms with the laws.
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 148) : Me too. We’re in the final stages of branding and packaging software I worked on last year. Lotta office politics going on. Otherwise I’m good.
@klempie (Comment 150) : well good luck – politics anywhere is never fun
Mike Catt being wheeled out for Irish. Desperate times?
@Puma (Comment 143) :
Neutral referees will not make any difference. Some people will always blame the raf when their team looses.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 146) : Still a wont forgive him for the mistake he made in the 1007 final. Lives in Oz or Nz now makes no difference.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 147) : I know he had a drinking problem, I don’t hold that against him. We all have our faults.
I know we should have kicked it out should have. Would have been game over and won by Sharks, just never happened. Then right at the end Walsh messed up. Still don’t rate him much but probably better than all the other kiwi and Oz refs.
Ours are the best and mostly ref the overseas teams. Lucky em.
We are a goner I think. Needed to win that game last night and should have. Going to be tough against Cheetahs I feel. Against Saders, Tahs, Brumbies and Canes over there it is going to be a huge, huge battle. Not sure if we will win much on tour this year. Then I hope I am wrong, will only be too pleased to be wrong. Remember we also play Bulls at Loftus. Only have 6 games at the Tank we had to win all our home games to be competitive. Now feel we might end up around 9th or so. Just too many top sides to play on their home turf.
@fyndraai (Comment 153) : Well last night to be honest the ref messed up a lot mate. But that was not the really only reason we lost, we really lost that game when Bissie got a yellow and went off. All went wrong after that. He cost us that game.
@McLovin (Comment 152) : What are you on about?
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 151) : It’s clear you haven’t lived in SA for awhile. I revel in amusement everytime I check the news sites.
@klempie (Comment 156) : London Irish v Bath.
@McLovin (Comment 158) : Ohhhhhhhh.
@McLovin (Comment 158) :
Butch and the boys thumping the irish.
@fyndraai (Comment 153) : Ag but we’re Sharks, only the Bulls does that…
@Puma (Comment 154) : Don’t worry Puma, at least we’ll have our Sunday group sessions here to help us work through it, I’ll stand by you….fru fick and fin…:mrgreen:
Only just viewed the end of the Sharks match.
Mr referee made an almighty cock-up imo.
Now I understand the aggro from the Sharks folk.
@McLovin (Comment 163) : lemme go watch that pen again.
@robdylan (Comment 165) : I’m no expert but there was no knock, no ruck/maul, no tackle. So ball in open play, so no off-side surely.
Not for one moment suggesting that Bismarck et al weren’t blameless, simply viewing the last penalty in isolation.
@McLovin (Comment 166) : just watched it. There was no knock. If there had been, then the penalty might have been justified, but Kockott did not knock the ball on.
Plus the ref ignored two Chiefs infringements in the ruck before Jannie picked up he ball. Tackler not releasing the tackled player and side entry. Both pretty blatant.
screw that. I’m off to make Thai food.
@robdylan (Comment 168) : Oh well. Que sera sera…..
@robdylan (Comment 169) : Enjoy. I have some Sauvignon Blanc with my name on it.
Nighty night.
@robdylan (Comment 168) : I vote for public hearings of incompetent refs, and if found guilty, death by public hanging….
@FireTheLooser (Comment 172) : I say just fire the losers.
i see the “blame the ref” brigade is on song over here…
@klempie (Comment 173) : Plant some contraband on the refs person, one anonymous tip-off and he’ll be a problem of the past…
Now that’ll get him fired on the spot, if you cant beat them, set them up and tip the authorities…
From the IRB website:
http://www.irb.com/lawregulations/laws/index.html
In general play a player is offside if the player is in front of a team-mate who is carrying the ball, or in front of a team-mate who last played the ball.
Whether there was a knock-on is immaterial, once Kockott fell over behind the ball, all his forwards were off-side.
@Megatron (Comment 58) :
Morning sista
No I didnt particularily enjoy the game, the conditions and all the drama leading up to it made that possible and obviously the result hurt. At least the ref didnt dissappoint, kept up the standard one comes to expect from this lot.