Being a proud Sharks supporter, my friends know where my allegiance lies and therefore I had to field many questions along the lines of “So, what happened to the Sharks?”. The irony of the situation is that these questions come from Stormers/Bulls/Crusaders/any team who is winning the most that season supporters.
This brings me back to my experience at the haemophiliac hospital otherwise known as Loftus Versfeld. I was treated to having to wait for people in muddy corridors who had decided that standing and blocking the way while trying to decipher where their seats were was a good service to humanity. Finally settling into my seat I was then subjected to “Die nasionale lied van die Blou Bulle” which confuzzes me as I was under the impression that a “nasie” had to exist before a “nasionale lied” could. Before the game the stadium announcer proudly asked the crowd to uphold the tradition of never booing the opposition when they went for kicks. After some minutes of bruising rugby later, one Andy Goode’s first attempt at goal was greeted by loud jeering, I guess it was technically not booing but it had much the same effect.
The match itself was a hard, bruising encounter characterised by the inability of the Sharks to turn their first half dominance into points as well the whistle of Jonathan Kaplan (invariably penalising the Sharks) and the Bulls clinical finishing in the second. Another sore point (literally for some players) was the dirty play of the Bulls by targeting Pat Lambie with high balls and subsequently taking him out in the air without contesting the ball as well as trying to decapitate him. In short, the Bulls played dirty rugby and got away with it.
This brings me back to the title of this article. I have a friend who keeps telling me that I have to “admire how effective the Bulls are”. Fair enough, I ask him who he supported before 2002 and he says he doesn’t support any team, he just “admires the Bulls effectiveness”. What a way to cop out! To say that the general attitude of South African fans annoys me is putting it mildly. Where were these Bulls fans which packed Loftus on Saturday in 2008? Or even last year’s Currie cup when the Bulls were struggling? The people who are singing the Bulls praises were probably doing the same thing for the Sharks last year (until we lost to the Cheetahs). Even my brother in law whom I considered to be a thick and thin Cheetahs supporter has decided that the Stormers are his “second team”. What is with the whole “second team” thing anyway? As far as I’m concerned there should not be such a thing. You support your team, finished! Sure, I seldom watch a game of any sport where I don’t feel an affiliation to a particular team, but that does not mean I suddenly find a new team to adopt when my “first team” is doing badly. LOYALTY people!
Just to finish off my Monday rant, I have had a attitude in the recent past of not having a problem with the Bulls players while intensely disliking their smug hypocritical “supporters” who, by the way were probably Lions supporters in the Francois Pienaar era, etc. But that sentiment has changed, the filthy way the Bulls played on Saturday has meant I have lost my respect for them and I know view them as bullies (excuse the pun) who could have won that game fairly, yet still resorted to dirty tactics.
Now, before I end up breaching the website rules with regards to language I need to end this post. Before I do, I feel the need to remind Sharks supporters how much guts their team showed on Saturday, and may have even won the game had they been allowed to have some sort of continuity of possession which would have given them try-scoring opportunities rather than being blown of the park in the second half.
Well done guys! I am proud of the character shown by the team in impossible circumstances.
Well I was proud of our boys, they played with guts and never gave up.
Mvovo should have started from the very first game. Why do we only find what we have got once we have a injury to another player? Crazy to have left him out of the side.
War1 my 2nd team are the Lions, so think you will be okay with that
Sharks forever though
Yip 2007 final Percy got taken out by Habana in the first few minutes in the air, the past weekend Lambie gets taken by Olivier in the air, result….nothing but play on by the ref….
@Puma (Comment 1) : When I started varsity in Joburg I decided the Lions would be my second team because I live in the area now and I actually know a few of the players personally. But, after a while I realised it would not work, guess I’m too damn stubborn to support 2 teams, also opposition fans piss me off sometimes (ok most of the time)
@Uli (Comment 2) : Apparently Bulls look to test out new players by taking cheap shots at them. Read a story where they tried the same with Bissie when he first arrived at the Sharks, Bissie punched Matfield back in the next ruck.
yey, somebody’s bit angry today.
You must admit though that there was quite a crowd of us, Sharks aupporters at Loftus and it was not that bad. Where I was sitting there was a lot of clapping and shouts “andy” when the man was kicking.
@ Wwar1
HaHa
Wish Lambie did that to Olivier. lol
I agree you must support you’re team through good and bad times…but I’m also a SA supporter and prefer certain teams over others. From here on I really hope the Stormers win the S14 and last year in the final I supported the Bulls because they are South African. And let me explain my reasoning…..I hated hearing from commentators that a SA team has only ever won the S14 title once in 12 years(prior to the final last year) and at least now we can say that SA teams have won the title 2 out of the last 3 years and hopefully after the Stormers win it it would be that SA teams have won 3 of the last 4 S14′s. Sounds great doesn’t it?
War 1 I tried to follow your approach last year as well. I finally forgave Johan Wasserman for the power bomb on Deon Kayser years ago and told myself the players are okay, the fans are the real problem here.
But last year when that Van der hoover er heever shouldered Lucky Luke Watson ( who lets face it I was not a great fan of at the time having booed him myself at Newlands ) into the ad boards outside the field after the whistle had gone I changed my mind again.
They played like thugs against wp then and they weren`t much better this weekend.
Problem is, you can`t really say anything about this cause whatever they`re doing . . . it`s working for them.
They hardly ever get penalized because of these tactics. Guys like Jonker and Joubert just love them and they know it LOL
My advise, maybe the Sharks should resort to things like this as well, we might not like it, but I`m sure some cups would make up for the bad taste in our mouths . . .
I think Lambie was awesome
F__ die Bulle!
There I said it.
Well the times when Sharks actually gave to Bull a hiding for nothing was when they gave the bulls some of their own medicine.
@war1 (Comment 3) : Well I am a Shark Supporter and a real one..hehehe. Supported this team even in the very, very lean years of the early 80′s. Then we were Natal of course. So Black and White for me forever….
Only really go to Sharks games too. Only support the Lions as my 2nd team cause I live a few months up in Joburg but mostly live in Umhlanga.
So you can see I don’t jump ship ever for who ever is on top.
@provincejoulekkading (Comment 9) : I thought Lambie was superb too. Magnificent under the high ball and would like to see him in a Bok jersey before the Scots get him
PdV should play him in the cap him in the Wales game this year so not to lose him. Cause see Aplon or Zane being our FB for awhile. Well think they will be until the 2011 wc. Both are 27 now so maybe after that they too look to Europe to play some rugby there and make some money. So get Lambie a Bok cap quick. Don’t want another Barritt that leaves cause he gets overlooked for a Bok.
@Puma (Comment 12) : Sorry English is just rubbish up there
@Puma (Comment 13) :
Not nearly as bad as my Afrikaans 
@provincejoulekkading (Comment 14) :
Think I brain working faster than my fingers or the otherway round
@Puma (Comment 15) : Never even go that right……hahahaha
I meant my
GO SHARKS !!!
Finally, more and more persons are seeing the light regarding the blou Nulle…..a bunch of cocky, arrogant vuilgatte (remember, most of them supported the Nulle before they started playing for them).
They believe they have become invincible at Moftus and their arrogance are only surpassed by their stupidity. I’ll nail my colors to the wall, whom ever plays the Nulle at Moftus will have my support…….GO SADERS!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Pokkel (Comment 7) :
You sir are a Scholar and a Gentleman of the Highest order!!
@FireTheLooser (Comment 18) : im with you on that one dude!!!!!!
wow… I have mellowed a lot in the last year. I didn’t see too much wrong with the way the Bulls played and will still be supporting them against the Saders.
Maybe I fell and hit my head?
I don’t like Richard Clayderman or Potgieter overly much, but the rest of them aren’t too bad? van den Heever is clearly as thick as pig muck, but he does what he needs to do on the field.
Did the Bulls approach surprise any of you? They just did what they do best, the thing is you need to deal with it and find a way to overcome it.
The Sharks are my number one side, wheter we win or lose.
@robdylan (Comment 21) : van der heever already has a song played when he scores at loftus,but seriously reminds me of Chucky hahahah!!
@robdylan (Comment 21) : btw who,s richard claiderman???
War 1 normally I really enjoy your articles but this one smacks of Bitterness and lots of excuses, for a below par team. The Bulls targeted Lambie, you bet they did, he is 19 years old they tested him and were obviously putting him under pressure , he came through the baptism of fire, but to say their tactics were dirty, bit over the top, he got no more than a lot of other players have had before him, thats the way they play, nothing new there. I also don,t see why someone has to support a team, not everyone is into rugger the way we are, so that someone admires the way a team play is there right, and can hardly be such a terrible thing. I admire the way the Bulls are playing and have adapted to the new rules, says something about their coaching staff maybe the sharks should be doing the same thing. It seems to be working and whether you love them or hate them they gave you guys a good lesson on Saturday. Never mind the sun will rise again for the Sharks, they are too good an outfit not too.
@Whindy (Comment 25) : who you support dude??
i SU@ruggabugga (Comment 26) : Alas the Lions.Always have and always will just hope they are still around because if they keep playing like they are, they are opening the door to the super kings or what ever they are called!!
@robdylan (Comment 21) : van der Heever is a ‘stoep pistertjie’, always very windgat when playing at Moftus, but elsewhere he knows how to behave.
@Whindy (Comment 25) : A good lesson?
It was hardly a hiding, so a lesson in what!?
@Whindy (Comment 25) :
I think war1′s complaint has to do with the way the Bulls manhandled Lambie well out of the the field of play and long after the ball was dead and his complaints dont regard the bombs they launched on him, which he handled well even when played in the the air.
@ruggabugga (Comment 24) : That blonde 12… Wynand something
@FireTheLooser (Comment 29) : Patience and retaining the ball, the Sharks were starved in the second half you can’t score points without the ball. Patience at no stage of the game did they panic.@Salmonoid (Comment 30) : Point taken, I had forgotten about that and I agree it was not necessary, but again all part of the intimidation treatment, that Loftus is famous for, its not known as the most daunting stadium for the opposition for nothing, I don’t condone it, but it works, Those terrifying creatures on the stand must be pretty daunting for any player to face, I get scared just going there
@Whindy (Comment 32) : i have not seen the game on tv, but on the stadium there were plenty of Sharks supporters and they were making some noise, so I really don’t think that the Sharks can play the crowd intimidation card.
BTW : if the Sharks won we would be talking about the game as “physical”
@Whindy (Comment 32) :
Im more pissed off with Kaplan and the linesman for not seeing that Lambie was played in the air, its those types of oversights that take place in open play that leave people wondering.
We lost because we don’t have a S14 quality 10, 12 and 13.
That’s the bottom line.
@rekinek (Comment 33) : Exactly my point and the reason why I am having a go at War 1. I love this site because of the knowledge of rugby and even as a lions supporter, I enjoy the banter here, so I hope War1 does not take it personally that I have critisized his article, because it is not personal, but the Bias is obvious and there are guys on the site who can only see through black tinted glasses. Hats off to you, but dont cry, when every now and then the milk gets spilt!!
@Salmonoid (Comment 34): agreed especially the assistant referees, they seem to miss a lot. I am a big Kaplan fan I rate him as no1 in the world he tends to make games more enjoyable in the way he blows, but hey even he has an off day, but he is not biased, say what you like!!
did anyone miss Johann Muller’s cheapshot shoulder charge on Potgieter? Was that penalised?
@robdylan (Comment 38) : will at it when watching the game courtesy of pvr
On a different note there seem to be article on iafrica confirming that Butch is staying with Bath.
@robdylan (Comment 38) :
Dont recall it, was it punished, if not and it was open for all the world to see, then even more reason to wonder about refs / linesmen. Missing illegal play on both sides doessnt mean that they are doing a good job.
@robdylan (Comment 38) : Never thought I’d see the day that Rob defends the Bulls
@wpw (Comment 19) : Dankie
….kruip jy gat 
@robdylan (Comment 38) : It doesn’t count, Pootgieter played for tjietas and is now a cocky bull. Die oom het net die seun bietjie vas gevat.
@Pokkel (Comment 42) :
Nah, it are because you said you wanted the Stormers to win the S14!!!
Can you feel the love tonight
@diablo (Comment 45) : hehehehe….it’s tough being a Bull supporter on sharksworld….but don’t worry not all Sharks supporters are like that
….just like you also get some nice Bulls supporters 
@FireTheLooser (Comment 43) : the other potgieter.
@Pokkel (Comment 41) : crazy, huh? I just don’t think we should be moaning about over-robust play from the Bulls. We should have found a way to beat them, just as we have in the past.
@robdylan (Comment 47) : Correct….and what will the world come to if a Sharks/Bulls game isn’t robust.
It’s a tactic that a lot of teams use. How many time have people said that you need to tackle Carter ot Gitau hard early in the game to rattle them a bit. Teams will always target the best players so it’s actually a compliment to Lambie that the Bulls targeted him because they saw him as a threat.
@diablo (Comment 45) :
Hope I never have to go to war with certain people
@diablo (Comment 50) : you mean with or against?
Dont agree witht his article.
I know some good Bulls fans, along with some utter knobs. Same is true of Sharks and Stormer fans (wpw).
Bulls played well, not particularly dirty. They deserved the win, we didnt.
@Whindy (Comment 36) : hey I did no take that personally, you are entitled to your opinion but for the record this article is written with pretty much raw emotion
Thanks for the lurrvvv Big Fish…
@Big Fish (Comment 52) : I never said the Bulls did not deserve the win, they did. The Sharks simply did not take their chances and that was because the Bulls defense was so good. To clarify, if the Bulls played a much better game than the Sharks did, it was not necessary at all to play dirty.
@Big Fish (Comment 52) : Dude, there are good and bad supporters from ALL teams.
@robdylan (Comment 47) : Too many Pootte in the nulle team.
We lost because we are an inferior team this year, NOT because the Nulle deserved it…..if the Nulle beat the Streamers, then it will be a deserved win, because the Streamers team has hit top form…..when you beat a team at top form, then you deserve it.
And yes, agreed, stop moaning about the physical aspect of the game, we were just as physical and our forwards can handle anything and more than any team can throw at them.
3 Positions has cost us the season (for the million’th time: 10,12 & 13), and management’s lack of foresight and lack of planning and blind, misguided spending should take full responsibility.
Muller out injured too. Injured arm. Wont take part in any of the last two games.
We are like the walking wounded. 6 players out injured it looks like.
JPP, Bissy, Johh, Alberts, Deysel and Muller. Stormers going to carve us up. We will be looking like a Vodacom cup for Saturday.
Pity was really looking forward to this game if we were full strength.
@robdylan (Comment 51) : With, Rob, with
@diablo (Comment 60) : ouch. Which ones?
Could not have said it better myself mate.I still love my team and know that our future in SA rugby is a sure thing with all the talent coming through the ranks of the Academy and Sharks XV
Cheers
I see Matfield reckons the conditions were to blame for them not scoring the bonus point try:
” We would have liked to score the bonus point, but with the conditions, that idea went out the door “
@robdylan (Comment 61) : Makisaki, but I’ll be the BB-chickie running like the blazes for the enemy trenches should I find myself in the same platoon as a few folk from here
@diablo (Comment 64) : I think you’re already hanging around the enemy trenches, this being Sharksworld and you being a Nul supporter and all.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 65) : Too true, but as I love the game & appreciate the opinions of others I brave the perils of visiting the “enemy” camp. One way to keep a better balanced perspective on SA rugby in general
@diablo (Comment 66) : And nothing beats a bit of intelligent rugby company.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 67) :
Now where’s the rofl smiley?
@diablo (Comment 68) :
We removed it when we started losing so that our fans couldn’t laugh at the team
@diablo (Comment 64) : you’re a chick? Another one?
Diablo, in all seriousness, though, it’s a bit of a tightrope that we walk here. I think it’s fair to say that Bulls fans, in general, are better at the “blind faith” thing than the Sharks are. Then again, your fans haven’t really been particularly sorely tested of late (barring the disaster of the 2008 Super 14). We like to think we are unwavering in our support, while vocal with criticism when deserved. I know that I have personally been accused of leaning much too far in both directions – often on the same day!
@diablo (Comment 68) : Well you can always go to that Nulle blog and bask in the intelligent rugby talk YOU Nulle fans have become renowned for.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 69) : You’ve been rather quiet.
Don’t worry, even though we lost to the Nulle, there’s still plenty negative to be said of them:
They still think Brandy’s intended consumable form is with coke, AND ONLY COKE
They still hug and sing songs to each other.
They’ve lately been seen playing with each others blue balls.
‘Simply the best’ has made an un-welcome return to the jakaranda top 20.
And they’ve once again proven beyond any shadow of a doubt that being ‘a dutchman’ has bearing only on those blue skinned folk found mostly, but not always in the Transvaal region of SA.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 73) :
Been a bit hectic weekend
Tri-athlon on Friday morning
Bahrain Rugby friday afternnon
Work Sat
prepare for US visa interview Sun
and tommorrow morning at 2am we are driving to riyadh for our interview, so will be quiet for a while to come.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 74) : So you’re also chasing the American dream?
The sand in Dubai finally getting the better of you.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 69) : Think you should replace it and add a F%$#&!!!! swearing one too – that’s what I do everytime my team makes a hash of things (and that happens quite often)
Shall start referring to you as the ringmaster 
@robdylan (Comment 71) : Yep, we do have blind faith – very often rewarded and then again, alas, often not, BUT whateva, we be Bulls
@FireTheLooser (Comment 72) : @FireTheLooser (Comment 73) : Darn, this bullet-proof vest is so not comfortable – aag what the heck, let’s have anuffer doppie & diesel
I could have sworn Diablo just left a comment, in fact I read the whole thing myself……
Spooky
@FireTheLooser (Comment 77) : Eerie
@FireTheLooser (Comment 58) :
As I’ve said many a time, I don’t like those Bulle one bit, but credit where credit is due. 
We lost because we are an inferior team this year, NOT because the Nulle deserved it… No offence but that is just a load of drivel. In the words of John Mac – You cannot be serious.
And for the record I don’t agree with this article one bit.
impossible circumstances
Sharks were ahead 12-3 after 20 or so minutes.
The Bulls came back and scored 24 unanswered points. Stuff of champions.
Where were these Bulls fans which packed Loftus on Saturday in 2008?
You can ask that same questions about every union during the lean years. Certainly not a unique feature of Bulls fans.
Over and out.
@McLovin (Comment 78) : So you think we’re not inferior this year?
As I said, only if the Nulle beat the Streamers I’ll believe them to be a championship team.
We’re nothing close to being a top side, the best we’ve been able to achieve this season was to narrowly beat the Reds.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 75) :
No No this is just a tourist visa.
Must say something me a proud SHARKS SUPPORTER for me its always has and always will be the guys in
BLACK AND WHITE
for me