Here we go. I have spent the last few days desperately trying to change the settings of my brain from cricket to rugby and recollect thoughts of what it’s all about. For anyone who cares to remember that I used to write on this site, I am back again. For those who don’t, nice to meet you.
You can expect rumbles of rubbish ramblings about rugby (alliteration success) and maybe even, from time to time, some decent observations and insights. What you cannot do is challenge me on tactics, final log predictions or any other fortune telling process. Nor may you challenge me on stats I might misquote, I am not Rugbypedia. Cool, you done? Good. Let’s get to it.
My top 10 things I am looking forward to most this Super 15 (in no particular order):
- Pat Lambie. The management at the Sharks can teach any other management team about how to treat a prodigal flyhalf. Pat played mostly at 15 last year to gain experience at Super Rugby level without having the weight of Kings Park on his shoulders at the pivotal 10 position. Then, he got comfortable in the position of flyhalf against weak opposition like the Bulls and Stormers in the Currie Cup and everyone on this site will remember how the 19 year-old made a mockery of Schalk Burger when he strolled through their “legen (and if you’re lactose intolerant you won’t like this) dary” defense to score a Currie Cup Final try. I cannot wait to see him make the 10 position his own during a full season of Super 15. Let’s hope he learns how to kick under pressure, we’ll need that in the final.
- A decent start to the Super 15 for the Sharks. I know we’ve all been to psychologists and undergone extensive hypnosis to try banish memories of the start of last season but this year can’t be as bad as that. Steve Meyer embarrassed the team when he was the youngest retiree in the earth’s history and left us without a ten on the eve of the Super 14. Now if I still have your attention and you’re reading beyond the heading, point 1 will reiterate why that won’t happen. Neither will the signing of Jacques-Louis Potgieter.
- Willem Alberts. Most Sharks supporters knew the potential of this human Ford F250. It appeared the one eye supporters from both shades of blue didn’t and were surprised to see him dominate in a Springbok jersey scoring almost as many tries as minutes played. I cannot wait to watch him play this year.
- Sonny Bill Williams: Converted from Rugby League to Rugby Union and many were hoping he would finally prove that a successful crossover is possible after several failures. He played for Toulon until joining New Zealand, Canterbury and the Crusaders. His heavyweight boxing career also billed him as a fearsome midfield runner and he made his debut against England at the end of last year. Him and Nonu combined in a 212kg centre pairing. I know, OMG right? Wrong. It was everything but his size that impressed against England. If you had watched you will remember one of the slickest passes in rugby history to set up a try. He seems to have it all. And outside DC, it could be epic.
- Heinrich Brussow: Our favourite Jack Russell is back after a long injury lay off to get back to poaching balls and stealing possession… Oh wait. Hold that thought.
- Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie: Even though I love the Stormers like I love my neighbour who renovates his house at 7am every Sunday morning, I hope our Springbok centre combo fires and becomes completely lethal by the World Cup.
- Stormers fans: Continuing on from my aforementioned love of the Stormers, is my love of the Stormers fan. Spend 5 minutes with one of them and they’ll rattle off a Wikipedia of reasons why the team is so great. Bottom line, this year celebrates 10 years of Stormers/Western Province not winning a trophy. NEVER forget to remind them of that.
- The Melbourne Rebels: Adding a 5th team from a country where Rugby Union is 3rd on the list of Rugby priority is close to bizarre. The Force have hardly given the West Coast much reason to support the game and I can’t imagine the Rebels will do much for converting Melbourne’s residents from fans of Aussie Rules to fans of a real sport. Expect plenty more Aussie bashing as their sides are weakened and their slight talent reserves are spread even thinner and grown men are left crying into their sheep.
- The Lions winning for a change: It is no doubt good for Springbok rugby if the Lions are a strong side. I mean last time they were good we won a World Cup with their captain leading the way. Although they tried to poach the Beast and ended up with Butch instead, I do hope they do well. Nothing would please me more at the start of the year than watching them beat the Bulls. On that note, I am well ready for a year in which the Bulls do badly.
- Finding out how the format actually works: Wow, these guys have succeeded in making a simple, “win more than 10 other teams and make it to the semi finals” formula, almost impossible to understand. We tried and to explain it in a simple format we created this site: www.howthehelldoesthesuper15actuallywork.com. Hope it helps.
That’s it. Super 15 is only 20 hours away. I cannot wait!
What a boykie, welcome back meneer
Hehehehehehehehe, Dean!!” against weak opposition like the Bulls and Stormers in the Currie Cup ” LUVIT!
Awesome writing dude!
You are legen – wait for it – dary!!
nice to have you back, Deano!
GO DIE HAAI!!
The Sharks:
1. John Smit (Captain)
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Steven Sykes
5. Alistair Hargreaves
6. Jacques Botes
7. Willem Alberts
8. Ryan Kankowski
9. Charl McLeod
10. Patrick Lambie
11. Lwazi Mvovo
12. Meyer Bosman
13. Stefan Terblanche
14. Odwa Ndungane
15. Louis Ludik
Replacements
16. Tendai Mtawarira
17. Eugene van Staden
18. Anton Bresler
19. Keegan Daniel
20. Conrad Hoffmann
21. Jacques-Louis Potgieter
22. Adrian Jacobs
Do we pick we think will win or lose in last mand standing?
Haha dude, this is some funny writing. ‘Weak opposition’ damn that’s good
Nice stuff Dean, welcome back.
haha, brilliant…”left crying into their sheep”
and I think I am about one 10 year reunion reminder away from sleeping on the couch in my house,haha
nice artical dean looking forward for more writing from you as the sharks will make a mockery out of the rest of the sa conference.GO SHARKS
Number 11: Correcting people every time they refer to Super 15. It’s Super Rugby!
@Greg (Comment 11) : It’s Super Stupid…
Hello
nice to meet you
Very funny article: look forward to more.
“Stormers fans: Continuing on from my aforementioned love of the Stormers, is my love of the Stormers fan. Spend 5 minutes with one of them and they’ll rattle off a Wikipedia of reasons why the team is so great. Bottom line, this year celebrates 10 years of Stormers/Western Province not winning a trophy. NEVER forget to remind them of that.”
One trophy in the bag already my good man!
@VinChainSaw (Comment 15) : Which?
@deanoelsch (Comment 16) :
The first one of the season that was held a couple of weeks ago! The tri-series or something between Stormers, Sharks and Lions.
*Vinnie stumbles as he clutches at the straw*
Sorry, it appears I loaded the link wrong. Fixed now.
@VinChainSaw (Comment 17) : Oh, the self-invented trophy??
@VinChainSaw (Comment 17) : HA! No, sorry. That certainly doesn’t count.
@Ice (Comment 19) :
Yep thats the one, when the Stormers play on the first and the last day of the tournament and the other 2 teams play their 2 games within 4 days.
the Stormers also gave themselves a trophy for beating Boland…
@robdylan (Comment 22) : Is that the one that sits next to Bryan Habana’s “Close But No Cigar” rose bowl for the highest number of fluffed manoeuvres in a season?
@robdylan (Comment 22) : Or the one next to Schalk’s “Embarrassed Recipient of the Most Awesome Hand-Off Ever” medal?
By the way… evening dudes and dudettes… How are we all today?
@deanoelsch (Comment 12) : Great story… still giggling into my Amarula…
1.Biltong and braai
2.Absa stadium ,80s ,rovers ,clapham grand and sasha afterwards
3.Willem Alberts
4.Jean Deysel return
5.New format
6.Sharks beating Bulls
7.Sharks beating Crusaders
8.Sharks handing it to Poofy province
9.Good times____10.Sharks winning 1st super competition
@Talent (Comment 27) : number 2 should read Kings Park
Clapham Grand: not a bad party.
Mebbe I’ll wheedle Rich into joining me there in a few weeks.
Who wants to go out in CT this weekend?
@Big Fish (Comment 29) : me.
Damn, if only I were there it would make it so much easier…
7.Stormers fans: Continuing on from my aforementioned love of the Stormers, is my love of the Stormers fan. Spend 5 minutes with one of them and they’ll rattle off a Wikipedia of reasons why the team is so great. Bottom line, this year celebrates 10 years of Stormers/Western Province not winning a trophy. NEVER forget to remind them of that.
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
I’ve been there.
and grown men are left crying into their sheep.
heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Lol! 10yrs, no trophie is one hella celebration! Already made it my FB status
@deanoelsch (Comment 20) : welcome back dude, nice to meet you.
Welcome back Dean……. have missed your reviews !
Looking forward to all your picks !
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 35) : hey hey…. the day has finally dawned for you guys… lucky sod.
GO LANDERS!
@robdylan (Comment 36) :
It is disturbing how excited I am !
Really worried about tonight we could get absolutely demolished !
The thing about the Canes ….if you can get amongest them up front they panic
@robdylan (Comment 36) :
However miss my UK Saturday morning rugby fix …two back to back games while the wife is in Hertford shopping with the kids !
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 37) : I actually looked at that… they don’t have many big names in their pack this year. You guys could monster them upfront.
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 38) :HH what time is the Highlanders game in NZ time?
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 38) : Are you looking forward to the game? What was your SB pick, or what would your SB pick be?
It is true. The Bulls and the Stormers were weakened teams in the CC. Now we’ll see how he does against the big boys.
I hope he lives up to the hype so the Sharks may be welcomed into the realm of the contending teams again.
As for the Bulls, the only significant difference between this team and last year’s champion is more experience.
@fyndraai (Comment 42) : did you see the article on Sport24 about the differing levels of experience in the Bulls and Lions team? It’s actually funny…
Breaking News:
Because Supersport is the channel of CHAMPIONS, NO Stormers games will be broadcasted.
@Ben (Comment 40) : @Ben (Comment 41) :
Ben 7:35 evening kick off
SB pick has been Canes by 6
We should start ok like most underdogs this weekend.
It’s when we go behind …that’s when we will see what we are made of !
Strap yourself in folks Super Rugby 2011 is exactly 60 minutes away.
…..right off to put the kids to bed ….this will be a very quick bed time routine !
With the bed time story being a great sporting feat of Jeff Wilson
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 45) : Cool man. I can’t wait to get this rugby season under way!
@deanoelsch: nice article..but surely it is much better to support the bulls rather than the lions??
@deanoelsh: re: sbw boxing career:funniest thing I read was when mundine said sbw should concentrate on his boxing career because “he can be the next ali” .. ??!!! Lol!
Surely,he was misquoted..