With the Sharks forced to make 208 tackles against the Blue Bulls last week, while their hosts had to pull of just over a third as many, Sharks coach John Plumtree is right to be worried about the amount of defending his side is doing.
“We still feel we’ve got a lot to do,” said Plumtree of the Sharks’ campaign to date. “We’re still seeking that game that we really want to play and saw good touches last week which was great, but we’re not quite there yet.”
With the team having found out during the Super Rugby tournament, to their detriment, that making a huge number of tackles week in and week out tends to result in broken bodies and flagging spirits towards the end of the campaign, it is vital that they now find ways to spend more of their time doing the attacking. That, of course, implies more time with ball in hand, which in turn suggests better execution at the set pieces, better retention at the breakdown, fewer handing errors and improved discipline. All of these things appear to be on an upward curve, if the Bulls game is anything to go by, but are a long way from perfect.
One aspect of the Sharks’ play against the Bulls that was impressive, though, was the use of the counter ruck to secure turnover ball and this is a tactic that should definitely be refined further against the Pumas this weekend, who pride themselves on getting numbers to the point of breakdown and spoiling possession. The tactic of picking two lock forwards on the bench worked well and Plumtree should look to repeat this tactic in order to keep the tight five fresh and able to hit rucks in numbers for the full 80 minutes.
The Sharks will need to overcome a more fundamental problem this weekend, though – the one that has seen them turn in woeful performances in all three games against the supposed “minnow” teams to date. A last-gasp away win against the Pumas in round two was followed by a bad loss to Griquas in Kimberley and a poor performance in beating the Leopards at home. They’ll want to make some ground on the log this weekend and put those ghosts to rest against the Pumas.
“It’s really up to the players now, we haven’t talked about it at all this week,” Plumtree said of the complacency issue. “They’re growing as a group, hopefully they’ll show some maturity and respect for the opposition and come with the right attitude.”
“Plumtree seeks improved attack”…Somebody’s on drugs…
Rob, where is the FL wrap for this past weekend
A bonus point in this game is not negotiable. We haven’t scored a bonus point againt the Leopard or Pumas….that is just not good enough.
208 tackles????
Serioulsy???
@Greg (Comment 2) : Why you did good?
@Ice Ice Bokkie (Comment 4) : we did not even get a Sharks vs Bulls by the numbers this week.. The new blog keeping the guys bussy
@Pokkel (Comment 3) : In fact, you have only scored 2 bonus points all season so far, not really good enough.
@Franshark (Comment 5) : Reasonably well
@Franshark (Comment 6) : Now whats wrong with you?? get your ass into gear!
@Greg (Comment 7) :
Not good enough by a long shot!
@Pokkel (Comment 10) : Nope, bulls also got 2, leopards got 1, everyone else got 4 or more!
@Pokkel (Comment 3) : @Greg (Comment 7) : Consider the fact that Bulls teams of recent years had at least 4 players (Matfield, Botha, Du Preez, Habana) who were considered the best in the world in their positions, with another few (Steenkamp, Rossouw, Spies) who could probably lay claim to be among the elite in their positions. Add to that a flyhalf, who, although limited is possibly the world’s best at kicking for poles, and a game plan that plays to their strengths. Now consider the current Bulls crop, where with the (possible) exception of Jano Vermaak no player can even lay claim to being the best in their respective position in the current weakened Currie Cup.
So sure, an away win at Loftus is not to be dismissed, but the fact that we completely dominated a poor Bulls outfit and still could not score 4 tries shows (for me) how far we are off the pace if we want to be competitive in the Super 15.
Okai Greg just rub it in
@Franshark (Comment 6) : no – the reason for that is because Ruggastats haven’t pulled finger out of arse and put up the stats yet…
I have to have something to work with
@Greg (Comment 2) : ask Richard
@Culling Song (Comment 12) : Add to that the fact that they scored 4 tries against you!
@Greg (Comment 16) :
Oh,OK enough already. Thanks we got the message
@Greg (Comment 16) : Two of which were by that irritating Basson prat! Does not sit well with me, I can tell you.
@Culling Song (Comment 18) :
Feeling better yet?
@Culling Song (Comment 18) : Yeah, he does have a bit of an attitude that rubs one up the wrong way.
@Greg (Comment 16) : No sweat, they could have scored 5 against us they would still have been losers.
@Pokkel (Comment 19) : Define “better”. The coffin’s gone back into storage, but that’s about it so far.
@Culling Song (Comment 22) :
More alive than dead?
@Pokkel (Comment 23) : See previous comment, now edited.
@Pokkel (Comment 23) : I feel more or less how my avatars tend to look.
@Culling Song (Comment 25) :
You must be ill because else you would have timed it better to watch more rugby
Same shit different day.
I thought whisky was good for you?
@Salmonoid (Comment 28) : In moderation!
But rum is better. 
Our backs just go through the motions and get the ball outwide rather than play what they see infront of them ,michalak and lambie are great becuase they can play what unfolds infront of them ,which to me is the most important aspect of a backs game ,something overlooked in sa
jantjies does this so well ,having him and lambie in the same team would be fantastic
@Dancing Bear (Comment 29) : Culling Song seems like the type that would do everything in moderation.
Personally, Im seen as a heathen / barbarian, I live in the winelands but love beer.
@Salmonoid (Comment 28) : @Dancing Bear (Comment 29) : When I’m ill, alcohol is my kryptonite. Bummer.
@Salmonoid (Comment 32) : Beer is good!
@Culling Song (Comment 33) : Sorry you aren’t feeling well CS, hope you get better very soon.
@Dancing Bear (Comment 35) : Thanks, DB.
The Pumas will be very tough to beat, just ask the Lions! So before we worry about bonus points I think Plum is more concerned about getting a win! Ball retention was one of the Sharks strong points last year but seems to have become a weakness this year! Its hard to tell if the defense was better against the Bulls as they not exactly the front runners in the Currie Cup yet managed 4 tries!
Solution to sharks center problem … Frans Steyn .. Comments from an interview…
“The 24-year-old with 43 Test caps also hinted that he might consider a return to South Africa once his contract at Racing expires next June”
“centre is now his preferred position”
@byron (Comment 38) :
The only thing Frans Steyn is a solution to, is the shortage of good hairdressers in the country.
@byron (Comment 38) : He is the first choice Bok fullback, how is centre now his position?
@war1 (Comment 40) :
Its rubbish, hey?
@war1 (Comment 40) : guys – before we shoot down the messenger here (and remember he’s new, so we’re supposed to be nice to him)
Byron is just quoting an article on Sport24 where Steyn himself says that he’s mostly playing centre at Racing.
@byron (Comment 38) : apologies, Byron… some of our senior posters are clearly feeling the nerves this morning
Welcome to the site!
looks like my “2 locks on the bench” theory is wrong for this week… no Marais in the 22.
I wonder who the 3rd back on the bench will be? Dare we hope that it’s Gouws Prinsloo?
@byron (Comment 38) : Sorry boet, Steyn is not exactly my favourite player. Welcome to the site.
@robdylan (Comment 43) :
Thats strange..
Maybe there is another loose forward or front ranker on the bench?
@robdylan (Comment 43) : Gouws was a real handful this weekend, it would be a well-deserved call up. Dare I suggest it could JLP or Jouba returning to the side?
@war1 (Comment 46) : uh. I’ve forgotten about Joubert already
@robdylan (Comment 47) :
He must be fit, so can we expect him for 5 minutes at full tilt?
@robdylan (Comment 47) : So far, he’s been very forgettable…
@Culling Song (Comment 49) : We’d do better to go and look up Joos Joubert.