The Sharks should beat the Lions. It really is that simple, but how they go about doing that will undoubtedly be the most important aspect of all.
The time when lacklustre performances can be overlooked has come and gone. The Sharks now need to start hitting their straps and there is little doubt in my mind that they will do just that when they take to the Absa Stadium field tomorrow.
Yes, Brad Barritt has been ruled out with a hamstring injury and yes Frederic Michalak is highly unlikely to start but the return of four Springboks as well as up-and-coming Jean Deysel should provide the Sharks with more than enough firepower to be able dispose of the injury-riddled Lions with consummate ease.
But before we get to their injury woes, let’s take a moment to analyse that latest development from the Sharks camp, namely the loss of Barritt to a hamstring injury. Barritt has had terrible misfortune thus far this season, injuries from his back to his quad to his groin and now to his hamstring have meant his Currie Cup is yet to really get started.
In addition, French international Frederic Michalak was still being put through the paces late Thursday afternoon to see if he has sufficiently recovered from a hip injury sustained last weekend.
The loss of these two players would be a major setback for the Sharks but ironically, the Lions’ first choice centre, Jacque Fourie, and first choice flyhalf, Louis Strydom, have also suffered injuries which have forced coach Eugene Eloff to completely reshuffle his backline.
As a result Jaco Pretorius will replace Fourie at outside centre while Earl Rose moves from fullback to fulfill the flyhalf berth. Louis Ludik goes from left wing to fullback, while Rayno Benjamin and new-kid-on-the-block Heini Gordon will be on the wings.
Therefore, a depleted Lions side, playing away from home against a Sharks outfit that contains a host of Boks should really be no match for the coastal franchise.
Tweet
And Second choice fly-half (JacovSchalkwyk) and first choice inside centre…And first choice 14 (Jannie Boshoff) and the loss of our first choice 15 who plays out of position in 10 where he is a below par player status which changes from an exciting fullback….
Ludik is good…but he is not Rose at 15 and Benjamin is no Ludik at 11…
So the LIONS have lost more than 2 backline players….
@Hmmm (Comment 1) :
In actual fact…all but Vermaak is first choice in position in the LIONS backline…
Thanks for the contribution Crlew
@Hmmm (Comment 1) :
Keep the excuses for afterwards please? 🙄 😉
go Sharks and stuff
@KSA Shark © (Comment 4) :
No excuses…correcting the information…
Whether the LIONS win or lose the facts are still the facts…
Not even the Sharks had to makeshift a backline to that extent this season…
@Hmmm (Comment 6) :
At least you guys have a second and 3rd choice flyhalf. Our flyhalves are non-existent once Michalak is injured.
And I still think we can do it…
Yes Franco is no Joe nor does he play as good as Cappy…but he gells well enough with the other two loose forwards…
Both the locks are looking good in lineout and tight play…
Front row has looked good the whole CC season…
If the backline at least tackles well…we have a pretty good chance of winning…
Kanko is going to try and over achieve and it is going to backfire…Deysel is going to be hard and bring much needed grunt to the Sharks game but he is going to be a bit rusty and not make his usual impact (and I don’t mean 1 run or 1 tackle) nor last the full 80 minutes…
Both your locks have been pretty poor in all the games they played…
So if the game is kept tight and the LIONS backline tackles well…the LIONS should take this…
But the Sharks are out to prove something…and it is going to be a hard game either way…and a mostly closely contested one even if the score is more than one converted try apart….
Aaah, drat! We get the Hoff and JD back, and lose Barrit again… :/
The Witness was saying there was a possibility he may still play, is there?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 7) :
Well Strydom who is first choice (and first choice only cozz I don’t believe that Andre is still a rugby player…when I see him on a grass pitch with rugby boots on I’ll believe that again)…is not real good to start off with…
So let’s not go there with the 2nd and 3rd choices….(well technically 3rd and 4th)…
I think Kanko and Deysel are going to target Roses channel…
So our loosies will have to be VERY alive and cover it!??!
Vermaak should also wake up from his deep sleep…even sleeping beauty only slept 100 years….
KSA…
Do you trust the collective average of your bloggers here?
@MerckZ (Comment 9) :
I think not, I would take that article as breaking news that barrit is NOT playing.
..and I predict another snoozfest of typical Currie Cup rugby.
@Hmmm (Comment 13) :
In what sense?
@Predawn (Comment 15) :
You think?
I think this will be a whole lot different to the CC Semi from last year.
@Hmmm (Comment 11) :
I second that. Rose is gonna have to tackle his heart out IMO.
I can only hope with the tears welling up in my bay blues cos the quality of rugby since the Super 14 has been shocking. The Bulls may not be firing right now but I can see them in the final. I even supported the Valke against my beloved Sharks purely because they were playing attractive running rugby.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 16) :
Well I do….
Poll
Will the Sharks beat the Lions this weekend?
Yes – returning Boks means we’ll stuff em – 32.50%
Yes – we’ll win a tight one – 12.50%
No – their rhythm is far better – 40.00%
I’ve stopped watching and caring – 15.00%
Total Votes: 40
@Hmmm (Comment 20) :
😯
last I looked they believed we would win.
Just remember….the Sharks are not the only team with first choice players in positions…
We even have our 3rd choice 7 on the field…
And starting with Joe and bringing Alberts off the bench (or visa versa) was a dream for the LIONS….
Although Senekal is not fisrt choice either…I think he is playing like a first choice….
@Hmmm (Comment 20) : Hmmm found a way to cheat in the poll
@Predawn (Comment 19) :
The Bulls will certainly be in the final, They had a kak start (what’s new) but turned that around chop chop and considering a LOT of their tries have been scored by their wings i am even MORE surprised.
Oh and our quality of rugby in the S14 wasn’t to great either 😳 😉
i was at the Sharks valke match in DBN and they were super impressive. They changed my opinion of them in that match.
@robdylan (Comment 23) :
I’m thinking the same thing 😆
@KSA Shark © (Comment 21) :
I guess that was when all the Sharks were online…LoL
@Hmmm (Comment 26) :
And then the ONE Lion “voted” 😉
@robdylan (Comment 23) :
I can’t even find a way to get my phone to send mms’ so how am I gonna cheat the poll…
I in any event think you admin ou’s vote more than once…there is no way that 13 people will think teh Sharks will stuff the LIONS….
@KSA Shark © (Comment 27) :
LoL
And then all the Cheetahs/Bulls/Double U P’s/Valke/Griekwas/Bolanders voted….and guess who they backed….LoL
@KSA Shark © (Comment 24) : I hate the Bulls.
@Hmmm (Comment 29) :
The wrong team? 😛
@Hmmm (Comment 28) : you okes will be lucky to score 0 against us
@robdylan (Comment 32) :
I wouldn’t be THAT confident though. 🙂 😯
@KSA Shark © (Comment 31) :
LoL
So you don’t value the collective average opinion of the bloggers here….
@robdylan (Comment 32) :
Yeh…
But will would be VERY unlucky if you scare anything against us if any of the previous matched are anything to go by…
@KSA Shark © (Comment 33) :
Do you really think it is confidence…sure it is not hopeful 😆
Rather a few people STILL to make their SB picks for the Weekends games.
Less than 2 hours to the first game.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 37) :
22 to be exact
@Hmmm (Comment 36) :
He is being influenced by liquids in his system at the moment 😆
@KSA Shark © (Comment 33) : i didn’t say I don’t think they’re a lucky team 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 39) :
Are there such a thing as commonsense liquids?
@Hmmm (Comment 41) :
Not in Tswane!!!!!! 😀
@KSA Shark © (Comment 42) :
If there is, none of the locals have found it yet.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 42) :
Well then I am SAFE….
you guys are funny today
@Predawn (Comment 19) :
Predawn..not to worry the Lions should dish up an extravaganza of good flowing, running rugby to down he coastal minnows 😀
Ok guys…I am off like a foreskin
See you guys some other time….
@robdylan (Comment 45) :
Robd by the way I share your hate for treadmills.
I see I am on my lonesome in the 3000 club!??!
How and when did that happen…the other day Racheal was 200 ahead of me….
@Hmmm (Comment 47) :
Disclaimer: That was a joke only meant for Jewish people and no one else should try and understand that Please don’t try
@Hmmm (Comment 51) :
Hehehehehe
robdylan + ksa shark
I wonder who can be a good historian who can help me to know more about Peter Taylor the famous Natal back rower who also captained the Gazelles if I am not wrong in 1958 but who never donned the Bok jersey.
He was also an icon of Berea Rovers nowadays College Rovers.
In particular it would be interesting to know the reasons for he never was picked for the Bokke (“guilty” to be an English speaking man?)
if you can help let me know via email.
dankie! 😯
@CoffeeShopBok;-) (Comment 46) :
CSB
If Rose/Benjamin can actually hang onto balls…and JacoP can actually pass anywhere near the receiving player…we should win by 20…LoL
@Hmmm (Comment 54) :
Where does Rose’ hands go when he plays 10…he seems to catch a ball pretty well when at 15!??!
Hmmm u guys r getting excited over nothing. U won all ur games against the minnows + now all of a sudden ur the cats wiskers… I doubt u will beat any of the top teams + b4 u get all uppity. Yes i know my team is useless at the moment but im sure we ll kick ur asses in both games home + away
@H.O. (Comment 53) :
isn’t there a Peter Taylor Trophy in KZN? If so the KZNRU should have info available on the person the trophy was named after.
@Hmmm (Comment 55) :
At #10 he uses his hand to try and fend off the approaching players i.e. he is shit scared
@wpw (Comment 56) :
We’ll have to wait and see….
I will even back ourselves to beat you with our aangeplakte backline….
@KSA Shark © (Comment 58) :
LoL…he does not seem scared of those same players at 15…jinne what’s up with the ou….
@Hmmm (Comment 59) :
I know the game will not have been won when we lead you into halftime….cozz when Bobo is done with his half time WoooooooooW…..WooooooW pep talk Double U P is fired up like a rocket launcher….
Especially if he claps those hands….then the LIONS can all just as well go sit on the bench and wait for you to score at will…
Well that is if Bobo passes the ball and does not grubber it into touch or over the dead-ball line….
@Hmmm (Comment 60) :
Those players are further away at 15. 😛
@Hmmm (Comment 60) :
At 15 he can’t hear the opposition player saying “your girlfriend sent us to pay you back” 😈
@wpw (Comment 56) : @Hmmm (Comment 59) : @Hmmm (Comment 61) :
Or if they don’t run into their own stripes…of cozz
@wpw (Comment 56) : @Hmmm (Comment 59) : @Hmmm (Comment 61) : @Hmmm (Comment 64) :
I blame you for their bad form….since you find someone to type you comments for you you can eat 24/7 and the Double U P players are left with the scraps only….
How DO you expect a rugby man to play 80 minutes on an empty stomach…
@KSA Shark © (Comment 63) :
Ha-Ha….
LoL
That is blowing it low hey…… 😳
Good article here, the writer is so positive and lets hope THE TEAM
does not dish up a disapointing display on the morrow.This story has
gone and put me in a good mood before the match.
It is as clear as daylight the Sharks are lacking certain players to
lift the team to greater heights.Gutsy diminutive Rory Kokott is one
such inspiration and that lacking link has been evident. Mathie is
not the answer at No 9 and I do not know why Charl MacLeod who plays
more like a general has to play second fiddle to Mathie who is no longer the lively player he was in the past.
Brad Barritt is a great defensive centre and I predict he too will go
on to don the green and gold jersey next year. The Sharks need him back while he is still freely available and hope his fit to travel to
Kimberley in a weeks time.
@rugby brain (Comment 67) :
Agree with all you say especially with regard to the piece, except that barrit will be a bok 12.
He is to far down the line and there will have to be a virtual catastrophe of injuries before he gets the call.
JDV
Steyn
Fourie?
Jacobs?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 68) :
And all are still young….
@Hmmm (Comment 69) :
yip
@wpw (Comment 56) :
And what exactly did you mean by “at the moment”
I would prefer Bobo ahead of the great Doppies le Grange… Bwaaaahahahaha
Hmmm. I meant dont get too windgat cos after u face the bigger unions u will more than likely drop down the log…
Hi all. Another tired and lame performance by the Sharks in the CC. To all you Dick Muir detractors like TT, I hope you’re hanging your heads…
@wpw (Comment 72) :
Duh…I’ll take you over Doppies…