The good news for the Sharks is that they managed to get through yesterday’s physical encounter against the Stormers without picking up any fresh injury concerns and will head back to Durban today regretting a loss that shouldn’t have been, but in pretty good spirits otherwise.
Sharksworld has confirmed that the ankle injury which curtailed Craig Burden’s involvement after a scant ten minutes of the game is not at all serious and the hooker will be fit for selection when the Sharks face the Cheetahs in a fortnight – in the first REAL Super Rugby game of the season. Gerhard Mostert, who took quite a blow to the head, is also fine, although a little sore and bloody after an accidental clash with teammate Beast Mtawarira. Two other players carrying niggles coming into the game, Bismarck du Plessis and Keegan Daniel, also enjoyed a good hit out and are showing no adverse effects, which is great news for the team.
In fact, assuming Steven Sykes, Louis Ludik and Alistair Hargreaves recover according to plan, the Sharks should go into the opening Super Rugby match with only Jean Deysel and Ross Skeate unavailable, with the latter coming into the selection frame the following week against the Blues. The performances put in by Mostert and new boy Anton Bresler yesterday will also have allayed any fears about a lack of quality depth in the second row.
Even Deysel’s absence should not be too keenly felt, with Jacques Engelbrecht asked to fly to Durban with the team today, having impressed during his trial run in Cape Town. Engelbrecht’s representatives still need to sit with the Sharks to thrash out a formal deal, but I would put money on the big loose forward becoming a permanent part of the Sharks squad this year.
Glad our loose forward problem is sorted out! Not that it was a problem but it could have become a problem with injury’s
Glad Bresler had a good game yesterday he really did some hard work around the rucks and mauls, if they are offering Vleis a contract I believe they should try Odonga at 13 in the CC seeing that we should be stocked well at lose foward but he has to work on his ball handling.
@Danman110 (Comment 2) : Its simple, he has to prove he’s better than one of our loose forwards that we have at the moment or he won’t play. But he’s still very young so won’t worry about it already
@Ben (Comment 3) : With you 100% he has to show his worth in the CC first he should get a chance this year with all the bok call up’s.
@Danman110 (Comment 4) : Exactly! Time is not a factor he will get his chance then he must step up and take it.
@Ben (Comment 5) : one thing’s for sure, though – he’s not ready just yet.
Hopefully he managed to cement a position in the Vodacom Cup side and get ready for the Currie Cup, which I suspect was the plan all along anyway.
@robdylan (Comment 6) : Yeah agree he’s not ready yet. I believe he’ll be playing in the vodacom cup.
Hey everyone was pretty rowdy at newlands yesterday
As for Stormers, very sad to see how dirty they played , a huge amount of off the ball shit, At the front of the dirty play?? CJ, Bekker January and Vermeulen, CJ comming from the wrong side of 90% of the rucks he hit
As for the Sharks, besides stupid calls by the ref or getting in the way of a quick tap by Mcleod, the Sharks have themselves to blame
The reserves comming on were not good with the worst offender being Adi , his defense leaves a lot to be desired ( I know Charly will hate what i am saying ) but facts are facts
On the positive?? after last tuesday? huge improvement and knowing which of our players did not play?? i would be more worried if i was a Stormer supporter
@ sharkslover, To repeat myself just for you -”Re: Adi Jacobs, Everybody have the right of their own opinion, I do respect it most hearted, but also remember to give credit in the near future when it’s due
?
@Charlie (Comment 9) : Its not really an opinion its a fact! Adi needs game time he is not up to par! So in your opinion was adi good enough yesterday?
@Charlie (Comment 9) :
@Charlie (Comment 9) : Just jerking your chain. I’m sure adi will be much better soon. Class is permanent!
@ Ben – Did I say he was good, nope, but for so-called supporters to say he must go play Vodacom Cup is utter bull,and that’s a fact, players need descent gametime, and what did he get 2 spells of 15 min so far, and that’s a fact. Plum needs to manage a quality player like Jacobs much better as he ads more value on form then most Sharks backline players, so to get form he needs to play, oops another fact
@Charlie (Comment 13) : I’m sure he’ll get some game time in the super 15. So don’t worry about that. And like I said I was just jerking your chain!
@Charlie (Comment 9) : charlie you know me long enough now to know i am an adi fan like you, for example yesterday the try he should have scored was not his fault at all , mvovo past the ball to him far to hard
but his overall game is lacking and he is not defending like a player of his experience
i’ll be the first to say i hope and pray he finds form because if he does there is few better in SA
My Sharks buddies!
Aweee ma se kinners!
Don’t get too technical from what you saw yesterday, technically, it was a shit game, with the ref and players getting plenty wrong.
For Stormers supporters, their discipline and bad execution is a point of concern. Their defense and depth however, looks the part.
For the Sharks, I still think they struggle with a number of combinations (depth wise specifically, back up boys let them down), but they absolutely ruled the contact point – they dominated this, and this is what wins you more games more often than not.
@Morné (Comment 16) : HI Morne , agree 100%
like i said in comment 8 if i was a stormer supporter id be more worried
purely as i know what players did not even play for the sharks yesterday, and we dominated the stormers up front
of course its a practice match and one cant read to much into it ,
but we all know a match is won and lost up front,In the real games coaches wont make whole sale changes like we saw
and i have no doubt with the likes of
jannie, smitty, sykes , hargreaves, ludick, deysel,skeate back that sharks pack will be pretty dominant for the most
GO SHARKS !!!
@Charlie (Comment 18) : now there we can all agree
@Charlie (Comment 13) : I said Adi must play some VC rugby, just a game or 3 and then he’ll be up to par with his former greatness. Like Ben said: ‘class is permanent’
Can’t wait for the S15 proper to start
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 21) : We just need to educate a few newbies that we are all one big happy family here regardless of who you support.
The banter is ………..well JUST that BANTER. We don’t get personal and we don’t get aggresive.
Once we have that sorted we can START HER UP.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 22) :
Sorted your FL Side yet ?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 22) : And who is she?
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 23) : I know which players WON’T be in my side.
Cheetahs & Lions.
The question is. Will a winning player score more than a losing Captain?
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 24) : She is Super.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 25) :
Well a winning player may be in a side that scores 4 Tries and wins by a margin of 20 points as well !
Analysis analysis !
have you decided what I’m winning this year yet !
Ps Has the time stamp starting already for the LMS in other words if you haven’t picked yet and plan on winning it your finished !
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 27) : Nope. The time stamp only starts after we open round 2 for that specific reason.
I dont believe it! Asked the better half to record the game as i was away and the hard drive ran out of memory 3 mins from the end with the stormers pressing!! AAAARRGGGHH!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 28) :
Looks like all the picks for Round 1 are time stamped !
Must have missed the mention of it kicking in, after Round 1 in the new rules !
@Caratacus (Comment 29) :
No longer the better half !
@Charlie (Comment 18) : hey you made me angry. i thought you were aiming to be part of the rwc squad and you put in an abysmal performance like that. you better sort out your game.
seriously though adi has a lot of work to do if he wants to crack the starting line up again. another player that disappointed me was jlp, the backline looked stagnant when he came on. i don’t think he realises there are players outside him from playing at the bulls so long. i suppose the bulls expansive game isn’t anything like everyone elses idea of expansive rugby. but overall john plumtree is definitely the happier of the two coaches as he knows who his starting line up is. whereas the stormers replacements played better than the supposed stars.
and add hoffman to the list. i felt he tried a little too much on his own, and he may be more of a rory kockett than an charl macloed. but like jlp and adi they are new to the sharks way of playing so a little time should sort their games out. i would like to see meyer bosman though been given a chance to kick if lambie doesn’t sort his achilles heel out. but overall the sharks are looking great and as long as injuries don’t mess the team up tooo much, they are in a good space at the moment. the thing that impressed me most is the sharks handling was far better than it was into week 4 of last years competition. oh and odwa played well at 15. i thought he would be a good full back and he definitely impressed me with his composure.
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 27) : Strategies and strategies.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 25) :
@try time (Comment 33) : I think Odwa will make a good 13 aswell. And Odders has a high work rate which may catch him out of position if he’s not carefull.
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 20) : No need to play VC rugby, just manage him better by giving him proper game time @ the highest level, at least 25 min
@try time (Comment 32) : Sorry to have dissapoint you, feeling bad myself, but what’s wrong can surely be rectify, time is on our side
Just a few thoughts:
Why did the ref allow the game to take place when the Sharks did not have the required front row replacements? Surely he must be made to answer for that, or do the rules not apply in preseason games?
Has Ndungane found a new position? I thought he was really good at fb.
Lambie didnt set the world alight and yes his goal kicking needs work, but he got the ball to the backline efficiently and surely that is what is required of him!
Mostert showed signs that his old form is slowly returning.
Plum’s biggest headaches must be the lineouts and the fact that we cant protect the ball in contact!
@Charlie (Comment 37) : i know. that is why i am not too concerned. rather peak when it matters than two weeks before the competition starts. adi has made many comebacks before, i am sure he knows how to do it again.
@SheldonK (Comment 38) : it was a warm up game and was not an official game. the fact that it was televised isn’t the sharks fault. so accept what you get. there were 13 replacements that is also not allowed so he should have cancelled the game on that reasoning as well. take the game for what it was, not what you wanted it to be.
as for odwa i agree he was solid at 15.
also agree about lambie, his value in getting that ball out is far more important than his boot. but in saying that we need to look at bosman as the main goal kicker then, or boot lambie up the butt and get him practicing his place kicking. we also have to question braam’s ability as a kicking coach.
lineouts are something that can be fixed quickly. i remember last year the sharks started the season and the lineouts were atrocious then a week later everything was sorted.
@try time (Comment 39) :
@try time (Comment 40) : Agree, many of these things can be fixed, the more worried team should be the Stormers and their coaching staff surely are concern
@Charlie (Comment 42) : that was my first thought when the game finished. habana is going nowhere slowly. their inabilty to break the sharks defence in the first 60 minutes and against the lions is a worry with all the “stars” they have in their team. and the team looked a lot more dangerous when the replacements came on. the only thing they have in their favour is they have another week to get ready.
@try time (Comment 43) : Well that is what these warm-up games are all about, the whole fuss now are just cause by this games being televised, practice makes perfect, even if you are a professional
– I actually feel sorry for Habana, that guy is so overplayed, he needs a six months rest for sure 
@try time (Comment 40) : My argument regarding the Sharks replacements is more of a safety concern than an issue of how many players were allowed to be subbed. I am not sure if you have or havnt attended any of the BokSmart courses, but if you have it is quite clear that every side is required to have at least 2 front row replacements in order to prevent the need for uncontested scrums. So whilst i understand it is a warmup game, surely the rules should still be followed in regards to safety? Otherwise where do we draw the line? Do we allow high tackles and tip tackles because it is a warm up.
Im not having a go at you, rather im having a go at Mark Lawrence and the other officials.
Must say the Sharks back three were on fire – Kudu’s to Odwa, Mvovo and JPP !!!
Quote from sharksrugby.co.za
“De Kock Steenkamp, the fifth miscreant from the Stormers’ side to be penalised within 20 minutes…”
I have to say that that kind of statement does not belong on an official franchise website, even though we all know players from other unions are a bunch of ill-begotten miscreants
For a so-called professional operation, the Sharks official website sure does leave a lot to be desired…
@SheldonK (Comment 45) : So how can it be a safety risk if there is uncontested scrums? I have to say I’ve never seen anyone get injured in an uncontested scrum?
@SheldonK (Comment 45) : that is why uncontested scrums were called, so there were no saftey issues. this however won’t be allowed to happen during the super 15 though as uncontested scrums disadvantage a stronger team.
@Charlie (Comment 44) : what do you mean, he has been resting for a whole season now. when last did you see him run more than ten meters?
but i know what you mean. he should be dropped and made to work his way back in the team.
@try time (Comment 50) :
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 30) :
Don’t worry about that. it will get adjusted at the close of round 1.
Anyone doing their superbru picks on their phones? Internet at work is down and can’t seem to make my picks on my phone?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 52) :
I’m not panicing yet ! have you got your stategy sorted
Going to be a brilliant comp. Like the new format
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 30) :
it’s there in the FAQ’s
What do we do if there is more than one player standing at the end?
Two tie breaks will be used if this happens.
1). During the competition a time stamp will be assigned to each pick made, recording the elapsed time from the round being opened to the selection being made. This elapsed time will then be totalized each week and at the end of the tournament the player with the smallest elapsed time will be the winner.
2). In the VERY unlikely event that there is still more than one player left, then the smallest elapsed time for the Round 2 selection will determine the winner. Should there be no clear winner after this Round 3?s elapsed time will be used and so on until one of the rounds offers a clear winner.
@Ben (Comment 53) : Also had that problem. Used Opera Mini 5 in standard (non-mobile) view and that worked.
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 54) :
My Strategy is to load my team with Sharks.
That way when we win the final i’ll still have all my players scoring.
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 56) : Thanks man
@KSA Shark © (Comment 55) :
So by my way of thinking 1) means the round is open open now and the timestamp applys now !
@Ben (Comment 53) : I make mine by phone. frustratingly long and laborious but it works eventually.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 57) :
Good logic !
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 59) :
Okay i see where you are coming from. Let me put a specific statement to the effect in there.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 62) :
Change the rules !
@KSA Shark © (Comment 62) : Done.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 62) :
It is a big part of my life !
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 63) :
Damn Kiwis always want things THEIR way.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 64) :
Brilliant use of bolding.
Now we have that sorted …i’m off to ponder my FL Side !
@KSA Shark © (Comment 66) :
Anywhere i can see Meyer Bosman’s try? Apparently Mvovo did some freakish running and made Habana look stupid in the build up to it.
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 67) : Ponder as long as you wish, it wont win you anything
@Culling Song (Comment 47) :
Miscreant = transgressor, which is what he was in that instance. It sounds worse than it really is, maybe the word would have been better used on Paul Bosch.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 57) : What if they have a bad start like last year
@CapeShark (Comment 69) : mvovo made many players look stupid. he bulldozed more players than alberts. alberts got tackled backwards a few times. the try that adi missed, mvovo flattened a stormers defender.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 62) : If I play dumb for long enough will you adjust the rules for me too?
@CapeShark (Comment 69) : habana succeeded in making himself look stupid all by himself. he has been doing it for over a year now.
@CapeShark (Comment 69) : http://www.supersport.com/video/play.aspx?id=13647
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 74) :
@try time (Comment 73) :
Did you see Mvovos try in the insert on the Lions game. He was right up against the touchline with no space to try and round the defender so he went straight over him, dotting down before his body was pushed into touch. He is one powerful runner.
@Salmonoid (Comment 78) : i missed that. hopefully they show it again on boots and all on thursday.
@try time (Comment 75) : I still question his move to the Cape
@Charlie (Comment 80) :
I still question any team who will take him on current form.
@Salmonoid (Comment 78) :
I waited for the highlight for that match but saw nothing ..unless it was just the one try shown and missed it.
I did however enjoy how Mvovo steamrolled forget players name but he went backwards very quickly, near the end of Sat match.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 81) :
i see they are showing highlights of the game tomorrow night on ss1 at 19h30.
@Charlie (Comment 80) : it was about the money. i think he knows he wasn’t producing and the bulls ten man rugby would have highlighted the fact even more. stormers were desperate and bought him and i think they might be regretting the money they wasted.
@csb (Comment 82) :
I saw it late on Saturday night – they first shwoed the Stormers / Lions highlights and then the Sharks / Lions. They seemed to have had about 2 cameras at each game.
@try time (Comment 85) :
And when he arrived he had unbelievable hype and pressure put on him by the Cape rugby public. It was so bad that whenever he got the ball the crowd erupted expecting miracles.
@try time (Comment 84) :
Thanks
The real rugby must start now ..not even the 6 Nations got me up and running ..it was a dour weekend for rugby viewing compounded with the Arsenal capitulation of being 4 up and drawing after ManU slipped up..All round shitty weekend
@csb (Comment 89) : italy almost made my weekend. then the plonkers gave o gara room and damnit game over.
@Salmonoid (Comment 87) : but no-one including p div wants to drop him and say, if you really want it earn it. both boks and stormers are happy to carry passengers. januarie is another example of this.
@Charlie (Comment 76) : Thanks for the URL charlie
@try time (Comment 90) : I think Ireland will do much better with O’Gara starting, but thumbs-up to Italy with that performance.
@CapeShark (Comment 92) :
@try time (Comment 91) :
True, I somehow feel that Habana would still be producing the goods in a Bulls jersey.
Januarie seems to need space the size of False Bay just to turn in.
Habana is just waiting in the wings for an interception, and nearly got it right with a few of our careless long passes. But other than that, I think his time is up…MHO
@Salmonoid (Comment 95) : I was just waiting for a harrier to land on him
@robdylan (Comment 97) :
@Salmonoid (Comment 95) :
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 93) : i agree. they seem better when he is on the field. it was the same during the ireland bok match.