This is just a really short post to raise some points on which, I’m sure, we will elaborate further during the week. It will occur to many of you that many of the results that I requested in my somewhat optimistic article on Thursday actually came through for us this weekend.
While the dust is still settling on a weekend of unlikely upsets, I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks (and congratulations) to, in particular, the Chiefs and Cheetahs, who managed to pull off stunning upset victories over the Stormers and the Crusaders respectively. With the four points the Sharks enjoy courtesy of the second bye, they are now a scant few points behind both sides and, I would say, have their destiny very firmly back in their own hands now.
Pity the Bulls won so well, but that one was always going to be a long shot. The race is now wide open when it comes to top spot in the South African conference and the SHarks will need to seize the opportunity presented to them with every hand they have.
As a footnote, well done Lions! About bloody time. Now knock over the Waratahs for us too, please!
Thank You!
VRYSTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!
As a footnote….lol. We’ll need to pull up our socks big time. Our remaining games are going to be tough and they include a team that contains those twins in Bloem. Any word on Kanko’s injury? No miracle recovery!
Well said Rob. Thank you Chiefs! Well done Cheetahs. I must say some in terms of Iding halfback combos that are playing well, look no further than Bloem.
@beet (Comment 3) : Sias was good ,but it was an all round performance by the cheetahs ,there must be alot of togetherness and tenacity in that team.
What is it going to take to beat the bulls guys???
Well done to the chiefs and cheetahs for that wining it brings us a bit closer and in reach
i was hoping to bulls would of lost that to but what the hell mayybe in time they will loose and i hope its against us
and like Rob said its about time that the Lions won
well done it cost me on SB but it felt good
You should be a betting man Rob!
In my personal opinion everything is falling into place for a Bulls assault on the title, it is going to take a massive effort this coming weekend to beat them and an even bigger one to beat them in the last match of the league stage.
If only the Bulls lost or at least won without a bonus point
Sharks better put in a huge performance and make the Bulls doubt themselves.
You don’t want to have such an easy game as the bulls and play a contender the following week.
I need to say that I think the Sharks need that bit of “urgency” that seems to be lacking lately. I hope this bye gave them some rest and renewed strenght! Seems the Bulls et al are starting to peek – so hopefully we are going up a couple of levels as well.We sure as hell need to show why we are one of the contenders.
Well done Cheetahs and Lions – it was great fun watching you (Cheetahs)play – stuff Superbru! I had a ball!!
@ Ice…urgency in the backline for sure…
@Ice (Comment 11) : They need to brush away the charade they hide behind, they need to come out and do more than just the job and play with some heart and pride ,they need to get up for big occasions like the up and coming bulls game . Cheetahs performance against the crusaders shows that with a litle belief and heart any team should beat any other team .@Ice (Comment 11) : I said it in the begining of the season and it caused a bit of un happiness.
Our destiny is in our own hands now. I couldn’t agree more. Let’s not forget the Stormers still have to play the Blues and Cheetahs away and the Bulls at home. They don’t have the easiest fixtures left. All we can do is keep winning and then the rest will fall into place I’m sure. Now please Sharks, start playing the rugby that we all know you can.
Congrats to the Cheetahs, great defensive display on the day! Actually they were pretty good all round.
Thank goodness the sharks bagged the bonus points when they did, it has kept them in the race. With two games against both the sharks and stormers, the bulls are indeed in a good position if they continue playing well. It is going to be a tight race between the big three in South Africa.
Awesome rugby this weekend… I mentioned in an earlier post that The Cheetahs would lose a close game; but show the world how to beat The Crusaders… I was wrong, they showed the world by beating them! Awesome victory… The Lions showed some guts, and The Stormers have now lost two on the trot with a wounded Blues team at home waiting for them… A tough tour made tougher by an opening loss…
Sharks have no excuses – none! And ol’ Albert Van Den Berg is in Durbs, no doubt addressing The Sharks lineout set-piece.
Looking forward to team selection, hope to see Gerhard Mostert in the mix.
Well done Rob. You definitely saw that one coming even though you may have had some luck on your side. It shows you how quickly this game can change. Sharks will need to make it count now. Take it week for week…