Newlands is the destination for our second game this Friday night, and what a game we are expecting to see. Western Province have beaten the Sharks twice this year, albeit with their full strength side, and in both games prevented the Sharks from scoring a single try.
Things this evening should go a bit better for the men in Black and White as they have a near full strength squad, including a few Boks, to choose from whereas Province are without any of their bigger stars. Don’t think that this is going to be a one sided affair, as Western Province have showed moments of magic so far this season, and even though they have had a few rocky games, will be sure to put up a big performance against the Sharks.
The Sharks have opted to include their Springbok stars this weekend, with Pat Lambie turning out in the inside centre jersey, and his partnership with Fred Michalak should make for some interesting viewing, especially if the pack can get McLeod some good ball.
This match kicks off at 19h10.
Western Province: 15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Danie Poolman, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Tim Whitehead, 11 JJ Engelbrecht, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Nick Köster, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Rohan Kitshoff, 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Hilton Lobberts, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Deon Fourie (captain), 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 Adriaan Fondse, 19 Pieter Louw, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Berton Klaasen, 22 Marcel Brache.
Sharks: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Stefan Terblanche, 12 Patrick Lambie, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Keegan Daniel (Capt), 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Eugene van Staden, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Dale Chadwick.
Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Jan Andre Marais, 19 Jacques Botes, 20 Conrad Hoffmann, 21 Adrian Jacobs, 22 Marius Joubert.
Referee: Lourens van der Merwe
go
SHARKS
Gang getting bigger. Big Fish, Original Pierre, Flasher Girl, Claytie, Xtal all here. waiting on WPW and Charlie slowed up and not here yet.
got the rest of the day off so can watch the game, GO SHARKS!
Sharks!!!!!!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 2) : Say hi to them all from Newcastle boys ….
This is gonna be a good one…
Wow! it’s bucketing down there.
@Franshark (Comment 6) : Hopefully good, definitely wet
@KSA Shark © (Comment 8) : I can see on TV.. Its belting down buckets… How’s the seats… Dry?
Sharks getting me out of my seat(couch) very early in the game. heehaa!!
Sharks penalty…
Woohoo Sharks have score on the board
Successful PK
3-0 Sharks
nice scrumming boys
Michalak over
WP 0 – 3 SHARKS
5min
Lambi watched like a hawk…
Sharks forwards seem to be on top so far. Scrum penalties seem to going like the norm these days: one for me, one for you.
Qriekwas 3 – 0 Leopards
Kom Haaie!!
Griquas 10 – 0 Leopards
18 min
Kwasse 10 – 0 Leopard
Discipline at the rucks will be vital today.
PROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVIIIIIIIIIIINCE!!!!!!!!!!!
PK Missed for WP
WP 0 – 3 SHARKS
15min
@McLovin (Comment 22) : Shhhussss!!!
Loving the defense from the Sharks, solid stuff.
WP setting up a PK …. Thankfully missed
Good run Mvovo
Both teams look very keen tonight. Unfortunately the conditions are making things tough.
Is it cold at Newlands??
Sheesh but the 3G speed here is terrible, my post about the WP PK is soooo out of place now
Sharks!!
Where’s the Sharksworld possy?
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 30) : must be the bad weather
This is frustrating.
this ref is pissing me off!
Lucky brake for problems … Ai
Gri 13 – 7 Leo
WP 10 drop
Scores level
29min
Why cant we keep hold of the ball
@McLovin (Comment 32) : in the stands
@RuckingFun (Comment 35) : you and KSA too
Gri 18
Leo 7
Good play by sharks
PK Mich
WP 3 – 6 SHARKS
34min
Sharks successful PK,
6-3 Sharks
5 minutes to go in 1st half
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 40) : har-har.
@JarsonX (Comment 42) : kom Grieks, have them to win by 27
Captain Fred Dropgoal.!!
Mich drop
Woohoo DG Sharks
9-3 Sharks
2minutes to go
@Franshark (Comment 46) : 28 for me
WP 3 – 9 SHARKS
38min
Halftime
Griquas 20
Leopards 7
@McLovin (Comment 45) : on the tryline Sharks are defending, Mvovo side
HALF TIME
WP 3 – 9 SHARKS
Hallow guys(KSA and KSA sharkette, I’m dry under the blanket and you
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 44) : you guys managing to stay dry?
Sharks defense is great… So-far come sharks!!!!
Gri 20
Leo 10
2nd half….
My goodness, Bismarck looks awkward in his ‘pump by die dam’ advert.
2nd half starts
@war1 (Comment 60) : hehe he does
@Sharkster (Comment 55) : welkom to sharksworld
Great stuf Mcleod
Fred with a brainfart
Mich u beauty
@JarsonX (Comment 65) : And gets another drop over
Mooi so
WP 3 – 12 SHARKS
44 min
The Frog seems quite at home in the wet.
@robdylan (Comment 56) : @Sharkster (Comment 55) : have moved from our original seats to stay dry, rain still coming down nice and fine, flipping cold
Knock knock knocking on heaven’s door
great stuff jantjies
First time I ever saw that, Jantjies tripping on his own boot lashes PROBLEMS
Mich drop goal nr 3
Freddrop no3!!!!!!
freddy u boytjie!
man he can drop
Mclovin is quiet today
TMO for WP try
Starting xv Brock try
WP gets awarded a try
5 point margin 30mins remaining
Conversion over
WP 10 – 15 SHARKS
50min
Stupid mistake costing us
Brok, the most underrated 10/12 in the country.
come now boys
That looked suspiciously like a knock on after he grounded it on a boot. That is all I’m going to say.
Fantastic conversion from the Greek.
Gri 20
Leo 13
WP kreeping back into this game…
???
PK over
WP 13 – 15 SHARKS
56min
Momentum swinging the wrong way here.
Surely the ref must be looking at yellow cards for all the Sharks’s transgressions at ruck & maul time.
PK over SHARKS Mich
WP 13 – 18 SHARKS
58min
20mins
@McLovin (Comment 95) : This refs got only one eye and its Blue
Too much stupid kicking going on.
Gri 25
Leo 13
@Franshark (Comment 98) : Funny that, looks like he’s wearing a Sharks onderbroek to me.
time to bring on adi
this ref is a doos
Van Staden is one of WP’s most valuable players. We better pull our fingers out if we want to win this.
@McLovin (Comment 101) :
@McLovin (Comment 101) : I just think he has had an average game overall, again.
Sharks again looking for a fight at scrum time.
PK over
WP 16 – 18 SHARKS
63min
@Mclovin the couch have a series stiff arm alllways the WP
The Greek keeping Province in the game.
@McLovin (Comment 101) : Waar kyk jy?
@McLovin (Comment 107) : because the ref booring them at scrum time
@Sharkster (Comment 109) : You’re gonna have to translate that for me.
Gri 25
Leo 18
…rushes in…
Ekskuus mense. Jammer ek’s laat. Het laat by die gym uitgekom.
See see @Mclovin
@Franshark (Comment 112) : WP frontrow booring them looks like to me.
13mins
Brok Harris se moer man.
Sharks need to score. Now. That is all.
PK over
WP 19 – 18 SHARKS
67min
Van Staden straight down slipping his bind again. The last 4 penalties courtesy of Eugene. FFS!!!
Sharks no.3 clearly dropping his bind there.
Province just got a penalty courtesy of Brok Harris taking some licence at the scrum.
Mountaineers 19 – 18 Sharks
68 mins
@McLovin (Comment 123) : Province number 1 clearly engaging too high there.
nice lambi
Clever Lambie!
@klempie (Comment 125) : Not according to the ref. And what he says is all that counts.
Has Lambie just come on?
Who’s Marcelle Coetzee?
WHAT THE HELL IS HOFMAN DOING KICKING EVERYTHING
Sharks lineout just inside our half,
This is beyond ridiculous now.
This is way too tense now.
Het Hoffman in kak geval?
7min
@Franshark (Comment 131) : Everyone’s kicking everything. If the kicking was good it would still be OK, but it’s pathetic.
C’mon WP!!!!
HA!!! The Sharks turned the ball over in the scrum. Haven’t seen any team do that for yonks.
Gri 32
Leo 18
AND HOFMAN KICKS AGAIN… Somebody shoot him
Sharks penalty 40m out in front!
Steenkamp didn’t roll away.
Match altering???
OK, now it’s OK to kick boys!
PK over Miiiiiich
WP 19 – 21 SHARKS
76min
Mooi baie mooi sharks is voooooor
Oh well.
WP actually fortunate to get so close.
Sharks played the conditions much better.
OVVEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!
Mountaineers 19 – 21 Sharks
77 mins.
And Jantjes puts the restart out on the full.
Now weve got to play in WP’s half.
jantjies is seriously rubbish
@McLovin (Comment 148) : Suck it, bitch!
Fulltime
Griquas 32
Leopards 18
@klempie (Comment 152) :
Sies. 
79 mins….and the Sharks are picking and going like crazy.
79:30…
Ah crap. Accidental obstruction. Province have a scrum after the hooter.
Last effort Sharks. Give it your all.
Sharks tackling like monsters in the Province 22.
Bonus Point!!!!!!!!!!
Well done Sharks.
Deserved winners today.
FULL TIME
WP 19 – 21 SHARKS
They turn it over and scramble it into touch!
FT Brokeback Mountaineers 19 – 21 Sharks
Well done Sharkies!!! Bit tense this one.
@JarsonX (Comment 160) : For my SB
I need clean pants…
Shew that was nerve wracking
phew much closer than it should have been! Well done sharks showed a lot of BMT there
Player rating Hofman -100, slap him silly before putting him close to a rugby field again
Ag mooi gespeel nice played
@Franshark (Comment 166) : You and Me both
Marcell Coetzee must have scored the perfect 10 rating
Sharks only missed 4 tackles all night.
Freddie MOTM
Well done Sharks
Well done Sharks……
Starting XV Captain Fred scored the match altering kick. Plenty FL points for me
yey, we have our own Morne Steyn. He just have accent.
@rekinek (Comment 178) : oops. He has, of course. Trying to post from my phone- really not used to it.
@rekinek (Comment 179) : great win tonight
MArcel Coetzee was absolutely brilliant , what a talen , and on voldy they wanna argue Kolisi is better???
Kolisi whooooooo?????????????????????
@sharks_lover (Comment 181) : Both are really good players. Although Coetzee probably won the “battle” of the young no. 7s tonight. He had a really good game.
Coetzee was very impressive tonight.well done!
Province forwards(scrums,mauls) improved when liebenberg and his extra bulk came on.their line outs were also better.
Wouldve been interesting if they started with him in the wet?
Skeate had one nice run down the right hand touch line- now if only he had a side step
. Skeate had a monster of a game,I think.very committed on defence and at rucks.seemed like he was up for the game at his former paddock against his former team.well done!
Catrikilis has some cool.well done to him as well.wonder how his contract is like?.. Just dunno if he can side step a tap..? Hmm..?
Keegan with a much improved performance tonight as well.can remember at least weepee maul he disrupted completely and ensured turn over ball to the sharks.
And could be seen competing courageously at many more..well done!
This game was utterly boring. Don’t know if it was the Ref or the Rain that caused it.
@rekinek (Comment 179) : Don’t you DARE ever compare a great player with flair and attitude to a player with only attitude.
We are lucky to have walked away with a win here. With that ref it was a lottery as to who would win.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 192) :
@KSA Shark © (Comment 191) : you know I meant kicking
the Sharks players are known for flair and not for this “boring” point -producing displays 
@KSA Shark © (Comment 192) : yip – the scrums were weird to say the least plus also Province was much better the second half.
Well done to all my Sharks buddies!!
You guys deserved the win.
@wpw (Comment 196) : That`s why I love going to newlands. The sharks can get a win and we get a pat on the back.
If it was loftus it could`ve turned ugly
That put a smile on my face ,and my new favourite played like a machine (MC), by far the best young flank out. Just so much more abrasive and aggresive than the next. Cross between Deysel and Alberts with a bit of keegs thrown in the mix ,like this kid.
@rekinek (Comment 195) : The best comment of the evening on Twitter was by SW. “Van Staden explaining how the scrum works to the Ref.”
@KSA Shark © (Comment 199) : He does seem dof. The Ref that is..
@wpw (Comment 196) : Thanks Wes, hard luck.
Did marius joubert get game time?can’t recall if he did.jaques botes?
Anyway,was nice seeing the two have a nice friendly chat-shows that mj is blending in nicely with the team.
@bergshark (Comment 202) : Nope Adi wasn’t used either.
So only change in backline was hoffman on for macleod?