The second playoff match sees our beloved Sharks travel to Brisbane to take on the Reds, who snuck into the playoffs in the final week of the regular season, ahead of the Brumbies who were leading all season.
The Reds have lost Quade Cooper for this clash, after a dangerous tackle in the match against the Waratahs last week, with Ben Lucas stepping into his position. That is the only change to the side that beat the Waratahs.
The Sharks had a bit of extra travelling to do after assuming that they will be facing the Brumbies, and with a shortened week of training, should be either a little undercooked or a bit fresher for this match. The Sharks were forced into a few changes with injuries ruling out Pat Lambie and Pieter-Steph du Toit, and with Frans Steyn not being available for the playoffs. Paul Jordaan joins Tim Whitehead in midfield, hoping to make an impact in his first appearance in playoff rugby.
Reds: 1. Greg Holmes, 2. Saia Faingaa, 3. James Slipper, 4. Rob Simmons, 5. Adam Wallace-Harrison (vc), 6. Jake Schatz, 7. Liam Gill, 8. Scott Higginbotham, 9. Will Genia (c)
10. Ben Lucas, 11. Digby Ioane, 12. Mike Harris, 13. Anthony Faingaa, 14. Dom Shipperley, 15. Luke Morahan.
Replacements: i16. James Hanson, 17. Ben Daley, 18. Radike Samo, 19. Beau Robinson, 20. Jarrad Butler, 21. Nick Frisby, 22. Ben Tapuai.
Sharks: 15. Louis Ludik, 14. JP Pietersen, 13. Paul Jordaan, 12. Tim Whitehead, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Frederic Michalak, 9. Charl McLeod, 8. Ryan Kankowski, 7. Marcell Coetzee, 6. Keegan Daniel (Captain), 5. Anton Bresler, 4. Willem Alberts, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. Bismarck du Plessis, 1. Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: 16. Craig Burden, 17. Wiehahn Herbst, 18. Steven Sykes, 19. Jacques Botes, 20. Cobus Reinach, 21. Meyer Bosman, 22. Odwa Ndungane
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Go SHARKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So undecided if I should watch..I know how the guys play when they motivated and when they not..eish n by this bulls display I hope the sharks are watching and taking notice..
You can do it boys. We Believe. Go SHARKS
Believe guys, believe.
Gooooo Shaaaaaaaaaaaarksssss
Trounce them ozzies
Almost time
COME ON!!!!
GO SHARKS!!!
This is it…
GO SHARKIES!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SHARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Bissie looks pumped!
Go Sharks!
I see Reunion (NZ rugby show) picks Basson and JPP as the best wings for this year…
With Bizzy, Beast, Etsabeth and Coetzee…
Come on Sharks!!!
Mcleod not having a good start,
Jannie is down…
Shhhh that was close
Jannie must have gotten a massive hit cause he ran through a gap…lol
That was a deliberate knock down and should have been a yellow…
Fred PK
Reds 0 – 3 Sharks
10 min
JjjjjjjjPpppppp….
Keep them updates coming…. in detail
Fred converts
Reds 0 – 10 Sharks
13 min
Sharks looking good…
Great defense by Sharks…
Sharks line out, own 22
So far so good!!
Looks like the boys want to play some rugby. They do look hungry. Go SHARKS
Kanko fielding the ball…don’t think he could have done better than that to keep the ball in…
Reds loosing their 2nd line out…
Sharkies!!!!!!
I don’t see how’s that forward….
Reds 10 down
Beast outsprinting 2 Rerds and Mvovo…GO Beast…
Simmons warned for interfering… Should have been penalized…
Lucas off… Injured
@Hmmm (Comment 33) : that was a great run
Genia playing 10
Jordaaaaaaaannnnnnn
Tryyyyyyyyyyy!!!
Jordaan is a talent…and he is only 19…
Should I have recorded this?
Swing swing swing and Jordaan in under the sticks…
Reds 0 – 17 Sharks
23 min
@JarsonX (Comment 40) : I’m watching and recording…
@Franshark (Comment 43) : Working here
I know alberts misses a good deal of tackles…but when he tackles the other player stays tackled…and most times with interest…
Sharks defense is enormous….
Harris PK
Reds 3 – 17 Sharks
27 min
Don’t loose it now Sharks … Focus…
Mich drop goal…
Reds 3 – 20 Sharks
29 min
Freddy you good thing!!
JPP is a monster in defense today…
Fainga off injured…
Reds will comeback firing in the 2nd half so we better keep our focus for 80+ mins
Reds knock in Sharks 22…
@Franshark (Comment 52) : Which one?
Reds with a move to through in front of line out but mess it up…
Sharks turn the ball 2meters from their try line… Geez boys hold on…
Genia over…
@JarsonX (Comment 55) : hooker
Harris converts
Reds 10 – 20 Sharks
39 min
Ppoor defense by Freddie….not having JPP’s inside in that Ginia score…
HALF TIME
Reds 10 – 20 Sharks
Reds with a dangerous run to start the 2nd half…
Penalty Reds
Harris PK missed
Reds 10 – 20 Sharks
42 min
Mcleod intersept….
Under the sticks…
Kaplan is the Red’s bitch
What an intercept…
Sweet justice try for that missed forward pass!!
Fred converts
Reds 10 – 27 Sharks
44 min
Another forward pass by the Reds…
@Franshark (Comment 71) : not called
Jordaan off, Jannie off…
Jordaan injury prone…
Higgenbottom just looking for trouble all the time…
Great turn over by the Sharks 5 meter out
Reds win the ball on the floor… 5meter scrum… Sharks under presure…
Sharks must not go to sleep…the lead is just about gone should the Reds score 2 tries…
Again 5meter scrum..
Defend boys defend…
Penalty off side….
Quick tap
Sharks warned….
Shaaaaarks turn over…
Great defense
Mcleod’s pass goes over the dead ball line… 5 meter scrum… Again
Mcload does great to win the ball then gives 1 of the worst passes I ever seen from a 5 meter defensive scrum…
TMO
why?
?
No try 5 meter scrum
At last… Penalty to the Sharks… 10 min of attacking by Reds and we have relieve…
Put in not straight by Sharks
19min to go
And the reds come again
Mvovo down
Bosman knock’s 1meter from the try line
Great and lucky play from the Sharks…but Bosman having a Bosman moment trips over himself and knocks on…
Come on Sharks. Keep it up!
So close… No arms tackle from digby and the Aus commentators say there’s nothing wrong with that tackle…
Must mention…great composure by Bizzy…steps inside…holds and then a 1 handed 15 meter toss to Bosman…who should have scored if he had not tripped over himself…
14min to go
Kanko has a great step for a big guy…
Alberts off…
Congratulations Sharks
10 to play
Reds take a quick penalty.. Knocks it over the line…
@Mutley (Comment 100) : hey that’s to soon
Grunt and some luck geeping the Sharks ahead in this game…
7 to go… Still 17 points…
Thought JP was getting a yellow….
And the Reds come again….
Great tackle Ludik….
Great defense by Ludik…I say again…even though Lambie is a much better player than Ludik…the Sharks are a better team with Ludik in the back 3…
Bosman intercept.. Kick ahead..
Fred PK
OVERrrrrrr
Fred PK
Reds 10 – 30 Sharks
77 min
Go Sharks! Woohoo!
Sharks are on fire (pun intended)
Try for Samo…
I love you SHARKS!!
FULL TIME
Reds 17 – 30 Sharks
Great win by the Sharks
I’m certain there was a knock on before that try, Kappie missing plenty!!!Great win though Sharks!!!
Two wins two margin points…
And that, Australia, is how you play rugby
Well done boys!!!
Reds croud booing….
Hahahahahaha!!!
Go home!!!
Hope Paul will be fine for next weekend.
@JarsonX (Comment 121) :
Crown booing Kappie, not right!!
Great win Sharkies!!!
Now go for the kill in Cape Town.
I have peace in my heart
Kaplan kept the Reds in the game SHARKS
As a nutral South African I am in 2 minds…Stormers to win final in SA or Sharks to win who are looking good…but are they good enough to cross the Indian 3 times in as many weeks?
Stormers here we come….
Kaplan getting revenge for Bryce Lawrence. We were lucky to not get carded way earlier. Suck that up Aussies!!
@Franshark (Comment 123) : Reds CROWD. Go back to school!
I take back whatever bad thing I have ever said about Plum. I take my hat off to you. Well done.
@Ben (Comment 133) : thanks
croud or crowd still go and weep at home 
If the Sharks can keep playing like this, Plum is set for life…
What a game, what a team performance.
@GreatSharksays (Comment 134) :
Hi Guys, on a sad note: Schoolbus of Cradock primary was in an accident with another bus. 16 people killed. The headmaster and 2 kids so far has passed away. If you are so inclined, please keep themin your prayers.
On a happier note. Well done Sharks, for heart, grunt and playing for the team. Thats was simply the best! (pun intended)
@Ice (Comment 138) : Always a sad thing