Well, I never really thought it could happen – then again, neither did anyone else, really. Hell, my good mate Agent Orange was offered odds of 150-1 against a Cheetahs victory and he didn’t take the bet. A pretty freaky result all round – call it a perfect storm if you will.
So anyway – let me start by issuing a somewhat grovelling apology to the long-suffering Cheetahs and their fans (wherever the latter are these days).. I completely underestimated you guys and tempted fate in such a blatant way that it really isn’t surprising that the universe decided to give me a karmic p££sklap of note this weekend. I should never have slated the team so openly and so brazenly, despite the fact that, for SEVEN SODDING GAMES they looked NOTHING like a side that belonged in the Super 14. Let me be the first to down my slice of Le Pie H’umble and admit that the Cheetahs were flipping awesome on Saturday. They would have beaten any team in the Super 14 with that display. Bar none.
So, that begs the obvious question, doesn’t it? Excuse even more gratuitous capitals here, but WHY DON’T THEY PLAY THAT WAY EVERY WEEK? I mean, come on… if they are one of the best teams in the competition, or rather, if they are capable of producing one of the best team performances I’ve seen in this competition to date, then why the hell did they only manage to accumulate two log points in total from their last seven games? It beggars belief, is what it does.
All I ask of you, dear Cheetahs, is the following: DO IT SOME MORE (the caps are back – sorry guys). Having proven your point by beating the Sharks and (in the process) seriously stuffing up our home semi prospects, please, just do us a favour and produce the same sort of form against the Chiefs, Crusaders and Bulls. Yes, just those three will do – the others don’t matter. Thanks boys. All will then be forgiven.
Looking at the Sharks, though and it gets a little depressing. In fact, more than just a little. Over and above just not pitching for the game (which we didn’t really do) we were completely and utterly out-thought, out-muscled and out-played in virtually every facet of the game. This is a pretty shyte state of affairs for a team that has pretensions of winning the tournament – even being installed as the bookies’ favourite to do so.
It all starts up-front, as it always does and let’s be honest, the mysterious eleventh-hour withdrawal of Beast and Bismarck du Plessis (I still can’t get an answer about what happened to them) only served to drive the final nail into the coffin of a tight five already severely weakened through the withdrawal of Steven Sykes and (are we say) the injury to Jean Deysel. You can only remove so many players before the fabric starts to unravel and John Plumtree now surely has to concede that the balance is wrong – he needs to get some big beef back into the pack ASAP and prefereably in the back row. Keegan Daniel and Jacques Botes might be a dynamite combination on the counter but when the opposition has big men hitting the rucks in numbers and ensuring that there isn’t any turnover ball, they tend to be shown up for favouring flash over smash. It’s pretty cruel to blame the backs when the forwards are getting smashed (did anyone notice how bad our scrums and line outs were? Jeez!) but it was again patently obvious that creating opportunities on our own ball is not exactly a strength… Very concerning again, because the Cheetahs may just have (unwittingly or otherwise) provided every other team in the competition with a foolproof blueprint of how to beat the Sharks.
Let’s not be too hard on the newbies either. As I said in the immediate aftermath of the match, we should never have been in the situation that Skipper Badenhorst, Monty Dumond and Chris Jordaan were expected to overturn a 25-point deficit in the last ten minutes. Our subs didn’t look good, that’s for sure, but there had been a hell of a lot of very average play leading up to that point – coming from a lot of players who earn far more money and out to deliver more.
Maybe it was just a case of a game too far – in which case, I don’t really fancy our chances against the Crusaders this weekend. Fact is, I’m a pretty worried man and I hope Plummo has a plan up his sleeve to arrest the slide.
Tweet
there, I did it. It hurt like hell to write that
@robdylan (Comment 1) :
😆
Only a real man could Rob. 😉
Thankfully I never wrote the Cheetahs off, but this still hurt. Hopefully some lessons were learnt at least…
The Sharks will teach the Crusaders a rugby lesson this Saturday and the Sharks supporters will be back to their normal un-humble state.
If the Bulls then hold up their end of the bargain and beat the Brumbies we may all look forward to a serious revenge, playing for home-field advantage re-match in Durban.
The Sharks will teach the Crusaders a rugby lesson this Saturday and the Sharks supporters will be back to their normal un-humble state.
If the Bulls then hold up their end of the bargain and beat the Brumbies we may all look forward to a serious revenge, playing for home-field advantage re-match in Durban.
Plumtree being shown up for never having a plan ‘B’…
Quit bitching and moaning,you got a pak,its over.The Stormers even beat The Saders in 06 and look how that season ended
@Claytie (Comment 6) :
‘n pak is not a strong enough word for what happened to us last weekend. 😉
Maybe if we left the A out and made it “we got a PK” 😛
@fyndraai (Comment 3) : we learn from the best, mate 🙂
By the way Robbo this was a noice piece.
The entire match was just a ” series of undesirable events.”
I really don’t want to read anything from this match – cos there’s actually nothing to read. I don’t know those guys who masqueraded as the Sharks on Saturday.
I’m just looking forward to the next game…and hopefully the Sharks will be back so we can hurt the Crusaders.
I could say :
Adi passes a second too early…or a second too late.
Chris Jordaan can’t tackle a pole…
Smit is a terrible hooker…
Muller sucks as a lock and maybe as a captain as well…
Monty is just another Steyn…only less experienced and less talented…
…but then I would only be setting myself up for egg on my face…because all these guys (and the entire team) are probably just as disgusted with their performance and will do themselves some justice in the next game.
These guys need to rest…they were flippin exhausted…
Oh…and before I forget…
Well done to the Cheetahs!
Apart from the fact that we really sucked…they on the other hand actually played well. The tries were lovely to watch.
more more.
I can’t help thinking that it would be better if plum sent a B side to Bloem. Result couldn’t have been worse. At least the first choicers would get some rest and the guys who want to play would play.
@blackshark (Comment 12) : ya – well done to cheetahs – let’s hope they can do it again .
@rekinek (Comment 13) :
I have a feeling that is what he did anyway. 😕
@Claytie (Comment 9) : ag fanks
@KSA Shark © (Comment 15) : you mean that may be why Bissie and Beast didn’t go?
@blackshark (Comment 10) : I know Chris Jordaan is a little miffed with himself
@blackshark (Comment 10) : 😯 😯 😯
@robdylan (Comment 17) :
Precisely.
And another one is JPP, Last week he was almsot going to be ready to play against the Hurricanes and he then didn’t. What happened after the Canes game? did his injury get so bad that he wasn’t even considered for the Cheetahs?
they were saying on All Out Rugby that the Sharks only arrived in Bloem on Sat. isn’t that just plain arrogant ❓
@robdylan (Comment 17) : poor Jordan – he was the only shark to get they try
@KSA Shark © (Comment 19) : they wanted to spare him some horror 😈
@rekinek (Comment 20) : We’re allowed to arrive on the day?
@rekinek (Comment 20) :
No it isn’t arrogant.
The Sharks travel to quite a few of their local games ON the day as far as I am aware.
Thanks for link in Facebook.
Do you really believe the Sharks will learn from this humbling spanking?
They did not from the Red-spanking earlier !!! 😯
Sorry if I am gloating – I am because the limitations in the Sharks Mental Skills were SOOOOOOO obvious.
I am gloating – because this spanking and the red-spanking earlier were completely unnecessary – the Sharks had one of the BEST Mental Skills coaches in SA – they decided not to renew his contract in ’09.
Any sympathy from me – NONE !!! 😈
Sorry for the supporters though.
But that sorry feeling is also – balanced – by the jubilation of the Cheethas supporters 😉
Eish, rugby – most sport – is such a leveller – have to love it !!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 23) : serias 😯
and what about settling down, getting used to altitude etc. never a problem.
@The Brand (Comment 24) :
Brand you are misrepresenting the facts a little.
The mental skills coach left the Sharks around the same time that Dick Muir did. Not in ’09. i.e. we won the ’08 CC without a mental skills coach.
I place great value on a skills coach, but you almost make it sound like he left in ’09 and now we have lost two games. We won the CC without a Skills coach. I wouldn’t blame this loss, on the lack of having a skills coach.
@The Brand (Comment 24) :
Sorry for the supporters though.
But that sorry feeling is also – balanced – by the jubilation of the Cheethas supporters
I have only seen ONE Cheetah supporter. 😆
@rekinek (Comment 25) :
There are all sorts of theories on the altitude issue. Some say get there WELL in advance to aclimatise, others say get there on the day and be exposed to the altitude for as short a period before hand as possible.
Quite a few of the overseas teams base themselves in Dbn or CT and travel up the night before or on the morning of the match as well.
I have no particular preference with either school of thought, I just know that it happens. 🙂
@KSA Shark © (Comment 28) : the way it was said on the programme sounded more like one of the things that vastly contributed to sharks loss. plus the guys really did not look like any urgency – it truly looked like they popped to bloem to collect the 5pointer
@The Brand (Comment 24) : cheetahs supporters were in shock – they must still be punching one another
@KSA Shark © (Comment 27) : You’ve seen one 😯 What do they look like ❓
@rekinek (Comment 30) : i meant pinching … 😳
must still have some violent thoughts 😈
@KSA Shark © (Comment 28) : It is, as far as I know, both of those theories. They both work.
You cannot go two days before the game because then your body is trying to acclimatize an you get tired to quickly.
Get there early and let your body recover or get there on the day before your body knows what is going on.
@rekinek (Comment 29) :
What do you expect from Kobus and Co. 😉
@Rahul (Comment 31) :
Rare breed. Usually come in dayglo colours. 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 34) : that was garth – he is usually good to us.
@The Brand (Comment 24) : “They did not from the Red-spanking earlier.” We won against the Force, Hurricanes and Brumbies after that, 3 tough games.
“I am gloating” – that is very mature, especially from a self-confessed mental coach’.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 34) : Has Kobus got a lisp?
im worried about saders, tahs, bulls and Highlanders
Good day all.
Wow what a hiding. Well done Cheetahs, keep it up – even though we know you wont but at least try.
Good to see that the previous Sharks mind bender managed to get a job at the Cheetahs, even if it was only on a one game basis.
@Rahul (Comment 38) :
HUH? ❓ Who was on SuperRugby this week? I KNOW it wasn’t Nando’s vd Westhuizen
@KSA Shark © (Comment 41) : I was just thinking , maybe thats why he never mentions the sharks.
Or he wistles like the all gold dude – sssirty sssiksss 😀
@rekinek (Comment 25) : We frequently win on the highveld. Don’t really think fitness was to blame.
@JarsonX (Comment 39) : me too, but some of the injured ones will be back – and it will strenghten the team
@blackshark (Comment 10) : ” series of undesirable events.”
Did you watch a movie called Duets last night.
@Rahul (Comment 42) :
@Salmonoid (Comment 45) : Hey, if we can’t talk football here then MM is definitely not on!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 26) :
I dont know KSA; I agree with Brand.
Losing twice in a season to teams that we are clearly capable of beating is more than an anomaly; its a pattern. What causes this? Its not talent or fitness, neither is it conventional coaching – compare previous and following week’s performances.
I think it can only be a mental preparation and fitness issue, and this is much less likely to occur if we had a mental coach.
Maybe we do have a new one, and maybe the boys simply didn’t pay heed, but undeniably we lost this game in our heads.
@Rahul (Comment 47) :
Wont talk movies, but I watched that last night and the quote rings a bell, enjoyed the movie plenty.
@Big Fish (Comment 48) :
Cast your mind back to a Currie Cup game against Griguas 2 or 3 seasons ago. Deja Vu.
@Salmonoid (Comment 50) :
And that was WITH a mind coach.
@Big Fish (Comment 48) :
compare previous and following week’s performances
Also comapre previous and following weeks players though. The difference between A and B team at the Sharks is not very big, we have a very limited bench and IMO that was a B side in Bloem.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 51) : 😯 there were too many first choicers for my liking. the only ones from B team would be vulindlu, swannie and maybe daniel and van den bergh.
i do not think we can pull out Bteam excuse
@KSA Shark © (Comment 26) :
The Mental Skills coach was employed for only the Super 14 – as I remember –
Not CC.
CC is sooo obvious a lower level competition – teams and players can still get away with lower level mental skills. 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 27) :
He he he – I have only heard from ONE –
but o boy – what a sound. 😆
@rekinek (Comment 30) :
The ONE Cheetha supporter alluded to such “shock” – but he said is was nice ripples 😈
@Baldrick (Comment 37) :
And the “problem” was and still is not against the – obvious – opposition.
The “problem” become pronounced against the so-called weaker teams
and uhummm urrrrr dear I mentions uhug hugh cho . . ng 😳
@The Brand (Comment 55) :
I suspect you are refering to OO but if I include him then it is two supporters. 🙂
I must say though my friend who was glad his side beat ours was a little hesitant in his celebrations knowing that next week he would have to be in hiding again.
I hope OO has also been as hesitant. 😛
@Baldrick (Comment 37) :
He he he – I am sooo pissed off that the Sharks
unlike other teams 👿
had this mental coach in their midst
but failed to value and
failed to realise
that it takes the rugby coaches sometimes a year or more to install rugby-skills AT THE LEVEL they want the players to execute those rugby-skills
but somehow expect to have instantaneous results in metal-skills
a far more “difficult” coaching job.
So yes – I am now “gloating” that the Sharks received a spanking 😈
If only that they may realise their – slip-up !!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 57) :
OO have been his gentlemanly self – very objective about the future.
But enjoying this moment in time 😈
@The Brand (Comment 56) :
Hey, you’re not a SHarks supporter howcome YOU are choking. 😉
@The Brand (Comment 59) :
I read that as “hesitant to celebrate” 😛
@KSA Shark © (Comment 57) :
I was soooo pissed off with the Sharks Saturday
It was sooo unnecessary !!!
Arghhhh I am still pissed off with them.
If it was the first time like with the Reds – fine
But
not TWICE in the same season FFS 👿
@KSA Shark © (Comment 61) :
He he he OO alluded to as much.
HE is not even gloating !!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 60) :
Bwahahahaahaaaa – skerp
I never used THAT word – I chocked just thinking about using THAT word. 😉
@The Brand (Comment 55) : i saw it myself – “with my own eyes” though being in quite a different shock
@The Brand (Comment 58) : i’ve heard Naka somewhere sometime saying that cheetahs got a mental coach this year – should we wait till round 14 to judge the results 🙄
@The Brand (Comment 62) :
I am pissed at both teams.
Sharks – WhatTF were you doing? Did you think that they would just email you the log points?
Cheetahs – WhereTF has that style of play and commitment been hiding all season?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 67) : maybe they though Fransie could fetch it when visiting parents.
why would you be upset with cheetahs – the poor bugers are made to look like they committed treason or so
@rekinek (Comment 66) :
The Cheethas – as per usual for SA teams – bar Sharks S14 ’08
Only used this mental skills coach pre-season.
ANd then when the shit hit the fan down-under called for the “kop-dokter”.
As long as teams view their Mental Skills coaches as “kop-dokters” nothing much will change.
A Mental Skills coach can only do limited work in the group environment – I think astute rugby-coaches can sometimes be more effective in group environment.
The real difference happens with 1-1 work with the individuals.
Pretty much the same as to coach a new passing skills to the team – and then expect each individual to be proficient.
It is only when the coach work with each individual on this passing skill that the accelerated improvement happen.
The real improvement is in the nuances of execution – in real time.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 67) :
Yes and Yes
How can the Cheethas be so kak for so long and then produce such a performance ???
The inverse same for the Sharks !!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 67) : grrrrr I’m pissed at you!
😈
@Dancing Bear (Comment 71) : for two reasons! 😛
@Charlie (Comment 18) :
Dude, it wasn’t a game he’d like to remember…
@The Brand (Comment 58) :
Ok, we’ll try and get the Sharks to give you your job back…
guys – TG is a regular reader and contributor here. I for one don’t think it’s fair to speculate about personal matters involving his employment with the Sharks.
If you want his perspective on why we lost, though, which makes excellent reading, go and have a look here: http://mentaltoughness.blog.rugbyiq.com/
@robdylan (Comment 75) :
Thanks Rob… it was an interesting read…
@Dancing Bear (Comment 71) :
Can i add you to the list of people pissed at me? 😆
What’d I do THIS time? 😉
@blackshark – YNWA (Comment 74) :
Bwahahahaaaaaa
@blackshark – YNWA (Comment 73) : you reckon Charlie should tape over it? 🙂
@KSA Shark © (Comment 77) : Let’s see, when I said I was pissed the Cheetahs played like crap against every one else, and raise their game just for us, and was scolded by Morne, you supported him. And now, you post exactly what I posted. Why the sudden change of attitude?
@robdylan (Comment 75) :
“speculate about personal matters involving his employment with the Sharks.”
I was not – personal – at all Rob.
Fact is – Sharks had one of the best Mental Skills coaches in ’08.
As an outsider – I evaluate what happened Saturday – as well as against Reds and I know it should not have happened.
Any Mental Skills coach worth his salt would have made the adjustments after Reds
IF
the Reds ever happened – which it never should have – with worthy Mental Skills coach.
I have ZERO info on TG’s employment detail.
I repeat – ZERO.
I do know TG’s skills sets
I see what happened with Sharks
The rest is baby calculating – really.
@Dancing Bear (Comment 80) :
I DID?????????? NO WAY!!!!!!!!!
If I did I musta been drunk. And knowing where I live, I don’t think I was drunk.
Which thread was it on let me go look.
@The Brand (Comment 78) : Brand – please can we have your thoughts here after THIS weekend’s matches as well? I’d be particularly interested to see you around here when your motive is something other than schädenfreude 🙂
@KSA Shark © (Comment 82) : The Cheetahs Shatter Sharks Dreams thread. Here, I can cut and paste. 😆
#
It still pisses me off that they play like that against the Sharks but have not played anything like that in any other game
I dont get this part?
Is it not the Sharks 1st XV and 2nd XV playing against each other?
Comment 12, posted at 12.04.09 19:33:08 by Morné Reply Morné
#
@Morné (Comment 12) : 😆
This week it seems the roles of 1st and 2nd XV were switched. 😛
Comment 13, posted at 12.04.09 20:08:55 by KSA Shark © Reply KSA Shark ©
#
@Morné (Comment 12) : Come on Morne, I’m not the first nor will I be the last person to ask that SA teams do well against foreign opposition in the hopes it helps the SA teams that might be competing for a playoff spot. If the Cheetahs had played half this well against foreign opposition, I would have nothing to say, but they were complete and utter shyte for 7 games, then against the Sharks all of a sudden they are world beaters. No, sorry mate, I support SA teams ahead of any foreign team, and would hope most SA supporters feel the same way, but not you apparently?
Comment 14, posted at 12.04.09 21:46:48 by Dancing Bear Reply
@robdylan (Comment 83) :
“your motive is something other than schädenfreude”
schädenfreude
explain 😳
@The Brand (Comment 81) : Brand – I trust you know that I too have the utmost respect for TG, both as a friend and as a professional. I know that he does not wish for any “dirty laundry” regarding his time with the Sharks (should their be any) to be aired on a public forum because that’s just not his style. It’s from this perspective that I would like to steer clear of the issue altogether, as these are his wishes. It’s one thing for someone to idly speculate – but if that person clearly knows the individual concerned on a personal level, the lines can become very blurred.
As an outsider reading this, I might wonder if you weren’t here as TG himself in disguise trying to blow your own trumpet. That’s certainly how at least one poster interpreted your comments…
@The Brand (Comment 85) : taking delight in the discomfort of others
@robdylan (Comment 86) :
Rob – both of us know people will interpret how they want.
He he he – don’t we both know that 😉
I pissed with the Sharks for such an unprofessional performance.
To me – it is soooo obvious WHY.
To comment on anything else and ignoring the blatant fact – would be lying from my own perspective.
TG – does not discus professional work related information !!!
(somedays wished he would – hmmmmm juicy I imagine)
To comment thinking about every possible – “negative” permutation – eish, do you – does anyone – should we ???
Maybe that one blogger should – front up – and apologise to TG – for making such an outrageous and un-factual jump of logic !!! 😉
@robdylan (Comment 87) :
Nope
it is moer funny to think that somebody can possibly imagine I’m TG
or
that TG would EVER do this 😆 😆 😆
TG would crap on me for these comments – if I know him at all.
TG does not need to toot his own horn. His expertise in his field is quite apparent.
@The Brand (Comment 81) :
@The Brand (Comment 88) :
I for one dont havfe any hesitation in admitting that the Sharks lost this game in their heads, but we lost more games while TG was with us, as memory serves.
Does this mean he was a bad sangoma? No it doesnt, but it does indicate that any simplified correlation between his employment at the Sharks and the losses to the Reds and Cheetahs might be spurious.
Wow, lots of commentary today about the game. Firstly let me say I think the Sharks are a great team, with hard working players and management, and that they had a bad day on Saturday is obvious.
Unfortunately in sport it is a reality that you often need to lose to improve, make mistakes to learn lessons, and I think a super Cheetah performance and an average Sharks performance will allow the guys to learn from those experiences.
Human beings very seldom learn from experiences the first time, or sometimes even the second – we all know this, so why should we assume that players under extreme pressure should be any different. As they develop and move into the world class bracket, perhaps they will, but for now they will remain a very good team, with fantastic possibilities.
Personally I think if I was there still, there is no reason to think that the result would have been any different, sport is a team game, and winning and losing is a team function. Knowing the character of the guys and the management says to me they will learn from this and move on. I respectfully suggest we the fans and supporters do the same.
@Big Fish (Comment 91) :
Please read my comments
firstly as a very pissed-off Sharks supporter
secondly – that teams / players still view mental skills coaches as once-off (that includes one-season) “sangomas” 😉 or “kop-dokters”
Mental skills development is a long term process – yes some changes can seem to be “magic – instantaneous” yet most are – as in any new/changed physical skill – a slow process of coaching+testing+feedback+correction+testing etc etc etc
One season alone – eish
@TG (Comment 92) : Finally… a post I dont need a dictionary for
@TG (Comment 92) :
Hey TG.
I have a question that i was gonna ask Brand but now that i have the “real thing” available to answer it for me, I’ll ask you. 😉
How vital is the coach’s atitude to a game like this in the players performing to their potential?
What I am leaning towards is, If Plumtree had had a more relaxed atitude to this game than others and was less “demanding” (for want of a better word) in the week preceding this game, how much of that would have rubbed off on the players?
Which then leads me to another question.
Do you guys only work with the players or the coaching staff as well?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 95) :
Very very tempting . . .
but I will wait for the “real thing” to do his ‘magic’ 😉
@The Brand (Comment 96) :
😆
No I would like your views on it as well. 🙂
Glad to see you had a nibble at the hook though. 😉
@The Brand (Comment 93) :
Don’t be mistaken – I agree with you fully on this!
I know that despite all my own studies in a variety of fields relating to mental and emotional mechanics, I still struggle to produce my training ground form on the match field – in pretty much any situation.
In other words, being able to perform at the level that elite athletes (and businessmen etc) consistently do is a difficult task, and one that I am still trying to master.
So I agree that ALL sports teams should ALWAYS have a full time mental coach who is able to keep players at the optimal or Alpha level. I know from my own experience how hard it is to maintain that level.
I am merely pointing out that linking the 2 factors as you have done it assuming much. For the rest, no dispute on my part.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 97) : To change the subject while we wait…. did you see there is someone with 6 default picks on LMS so far and still has his name in green ❓ 😯
@Big Fish (Comment 98) :
He he he – and TG – agrees with you 😉
@TG (Comment 92) : “Human beings very seldom learn from experiences the first time, or sometimes even the second ” – scary 🙄
Fortunately sharks wont be playing any more bottom dwellers this season only the difficult teams 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 97) :
You should remember I have default bait that I can’t swim past 😈
But respectfully – I will give over to TG.
The article link on Facebook grabbed me hook-line-and-sinker – hence my visit.
@Rahul (Comment 99) : crazy, isn’t it?
KSA
For me whilst the question is simple, the answer is not. 1st prize for me is to to work on 3 levels. The coaches and the players 1-1, and the team as a whole. In some teams you have that opportunity, in others you don’t. Our company are just starting to plan an exciting 2 year project with SA hockey, to work with those 3 levels, more details of that are here: http://www.coachingunity.co.za/sahockeymediarelease.html if you are interested.
Coaches have a challenge now, as they know it is incredibly difficult to ‘psyche’ or amp their teams up every week, and so some choose to ‘go easy’ with a view to ‘saving’ that energy for a more important game. Other coaches, will make the same noises, but the little cues, and what is not said will tell a story to the players on how important the game is to the players.
Whether the coach says it directly or not, he always tells a story to his players on how important he thinks the match is. Always.
The other problem is that even if the coach was 100% in terms of his comms and work with the players – there ‘institutional thinking’, or how this team thinks about this game, or this event could interfere with that. ‘Institutional thinking’ is the stuff that gives you bogey sides, bad touring and so forth. The team has given a significant meaning to events that have happened once or more than once and now they have been taken on as part of the teams culture. Undoing ‘institutional thinking’ is a very direct and challenging process, but can be done.
It is impossible (and unfair) to speculate what happened this week being on the outside, but what I do know is one of Plums outstanding characteristics as a coach is his ability to speak the truth and handle tough conversations head on. Now it’s just a process of having those conversations, implementing the learning, and moving on.
Dont forget the number of key players not involved in that game through injury, a couple more of those guys in the mix could have swayed things, but the guys who were there now have a fantastic oppertunity to significantly improve their abilities.
@rekinek (Comment 101) : I thought the Highlanders was meant to be a gimme… 🙂
@Rahul (Comment 99) : that’s kinda strange considering that cheetahc starts with C – so many B teams ?
@The Brand (Comment 102) : so it was the prospect of me being humble that got you… I can understand why that would appeal.
I like to think being able to admit my mistakes is a strength. Various others of our mutual acquaintance could never do that. Still, it’s ironic that I have many of them to thank, indirectly, for the existence of Sharksworld. It’s an ill wind as blows nobody any luck, as they say.
@robdylan (Comment 105) : don’t even think that 😉
Vodacom Cheetahs… Still coming up
‘Institutional thinking’ gave the Sharks ‘Chokers” tag, well in WeePee country anyway, but we proved them all wrong!
BTW, Beast and Bismarck both pulled up injured shortly before the match. There was nothing sinister about them not being there.
It HAS to have disrupted the team. You can’t tell me that Beast and Bissie wouldn’t have added hugely to the forward exchanges in the second half.
That said, I was hugely encouraged to see Pat come on and get through a good 25 minutes work unscathed. A big ask for him, given that he hasn’t even started a game for the Sharks XV since coming back from injury.
@Rahul (Comment 99) :
Yeah rob pointed it out on Sunday. 😯
No worrie we will fix that for the next comp. Something like, after 2 deafaults you lose a life line and after two more you are eliminated or something like that might work.
@robdylan (Comment 111) :
And the extra players JUST HAPPENED to be there????????????
@rekinek (Comment 101) : Consider how many times you make the same kind of mistake in your life? Sometimes small things like forgetting keys, leaving things behind, sometimes bigger things like losing your temper, procrastinating, not saying what is important to you. Taking the bait on a rugby blog …. 😉
It happens all the time.
Normally change is initiated through experiencing a significant event, something ‘hectic’ happens so I have to *finally* do something to improve! But occasionally change is initiated through someone wanting to improve and grow, on their terms. They want to improve whilst succesful, not because of a disaster – to be more consistently who they want to be, and those kinds of clients are awesome to work with, as they achieve an incredible amount for themselves.
I always say to my clients, that for most Change requires a story, is the story happening to you, or do you want to create your own?
@rekinek (Comment 108) : tell you what – we need a 200% improvement on our scrummaging effort this weekend or the Highlanders will KILL us in that phase at least.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 113) : work with me… they only flew down on the Saturday morning, remember? The captain’s practice was in Durban on Friday
@The Brand (Comment 59) :
If this OO is the same person that likes the $$$$$$ key then here is a taste of what The Brand regards as gentlemanly….
“Was met by a huge lot of Mr Price clad aRRogant a$$holes- whether they are Bloembased or visitors hardly maTTers. Uncouth and unmaNNered- totaly inflated”
Perceptions, perceptions.
@Rahul (Comment 109) : so may they last
@KSA Shark © (Comment 112) : Im not complaining at all… I just think its amazing how he\she happened to make a pick on the right weekend and the rest was all alphebetical
@Salmonoid (Comment 117) : biting a hole through my tongue at this point.
@TG (Comment 104) :
Thanks. Good read.
Dont forget the number of key players not involved in that game through injury, a couple more of those guys in the mix could have swayed things
My thoughts exactly as mentioned above (Comment 51) where I say the gap between making the A side a B side is not very big for the Sharks.
@rekinek (Comment 118) : They’ll win it if its the last pick against the Stormers 😈
@robdylan (Comment 120) : Hey Rob, read my post to you in the Bakkies thread. We can always agree to disagree any time mate. I always have and will respect yours (and KSA) opinions, even when I get all uppity and think you are wrong. 😉
@robdylan (Comment 116) :
When you said shortly before the match i read it as an hour or so, not a day or so. 🙂
@TG (Comment 114) : and I’m sure that the answer is: to create your own and that you would expect from professionals of various fields but my guess is that shake up probably works better. just why not with the first time.
unless you get into it happened once maybe will not happen again mentality.
.. taking a bait on a rugby blog – i wouldn’t even notice
@TG (Comment 114) :
Pretty much sums up what I am busy ith in one of my MBA Leadership courses right now.
Good advice as well.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 124) : We’re also deciding what kind of pickup you’re getting when you become an ‘merican! 😆
@KSA Shark © (Comment 121) : after doing reasonably well after we lost diesel and ruan I almost started to believe that its a team work and not falling apart because someone is missing.
I am truly not convinced about this Bteam thing and against the Cheetahs…
not that your goal was to convince me 😛
@Big Fish (Comment 126) : well aren’t you just a captain of industry these days…
@Dancing Bear (Comment 123) : that’s just the bit that the other crowd couldn’t get. I got to the stage where I felt I wasn’t allowed to have my own opinion on things – I wasn’t given the opportunity to be proved wrong and retract or apologise as necessary.
Remember the Shosholoza discussion? You and I disagreed quite fundamentally about that, yet I feel our debate around it was far more civil than the one I had with a certain other blogger.
@rekinek (Comment 128) : like the article said – “perfect storm”… I didn’t elaborate on that point as much as I should have (I wrote this very late last night). It was the combination of
1) injuries
2) player fatigue
3) lack of mental focus
and
4) Cheetahs playing out of their skins
that undid the Sharks this weekend.
@Dancing Bear (Comment 127) : That’ll be a F250 (Unless he can afford a hummer)
@robdylan (Comment 129) : Rob, our debate was so civil, I don’t even remember we had a disagreement, honestly. As I said in the other thread, I don’t know why I feel so optimistic this season, that is not my usual MO. For some reason I just feel it this season.
@Rahul (Comment 131) : Nope, we have him in a F-350 dualie. 😆 (four door!)
@Dancing Bear (Comment 132) : It’s lining up for the Sharks perfectly this season. We will be rested with a late bye, our hurt boys will be back, and we will go into the semis with a four game winning streak, and quite possibly top of the log position (Chiefs are my only worry).
@Dancing Bear (Comment 134) : Chiefs always find a way to shoot themselves in the foot. They won’t win all 3 on tour – that’s for sure.
Watch THAT come back to bite me 🙂
@Dancing Bear (Comment 133) : 😳 The family pickup
@robdylan (Comment 135) : hehehehehe
@robdylan (Comment 135) : ‘Institutional thinking’ 😆
@robdylan (Comment 107) :
He he he – nope – was my first reaction.
Then you had me going back to Facebook to re-look what captured me 😉
I have zero idea what triggered it this morning.
Oh – there is zero indication that you wrote arti 😉 on Facebook.
I am glad that I visited :respek:
He he he – it even got TG – to be active – and that is always valuable !!!
@Dancing Bear (Comment 132) : I was accused of a lack of patriotism because I backed my employer’s boat over my countrymen’s…
@The Brand (Comment 139) : indeed… I am quite the effective spammer these days
@Rahul (Comment 138) : whoops! Hook, line and sinker
@Dancing Bear (Comment 127) : japaneese 😉
@robdylan (Comment 140) : 😆 Oh yeah…I remember now. You know that my dislike for that boat had nothing to do with your employer but rather with the arsehole kiwi he decided to make his skipper! The legal battles between Larry and Ernesto over the AC have been ridiculous, and expect a pseudo-America’s Cup defense before the end of the year. Between Oracle and Alinghi, probably in big ass trimarans. My opinion, Alinghi has no chance with the defense, Oracle will take it because they have the greatest match race helmsman of all time Russel Coutts (I can’t believe I have known him since we were both 18….another damn kiwi!) 😆
@rekinek (Comment 143) : Toyota makes a really nice full size pickup. Actually has one of the best transmissions for towing in the field. It is a 6 speed transmission really nice, but GM is once again putting Alison transmissions in all their pickups, so I would say they edge the Toyota now.
@Rahul (Comment 136) : Oh, it will pickup the family alright! 😆
@Salmonoid (Comment 117) :
And when you read that – out – of context you get a completely different perspective
than
when you read it even in the context of the specific article’ comments
than
when you read it in the context of Cheethas supporters history in ’09
than
when you read it knowing the person
sooooo many perspectives hmmmmmmmm
@Dancing Bear (Comment 145) : I’m not a specialist in the field – I just happen to watch Clarkson & Co and was quite convincing
@rekinek (Comment 148) : I tow too many boats too many miles to not have to know that stuff. I can even tell you about the various diesel engines available. 😆
@Dancing Bear (Comment 149) : wow 😎
that could be too much info for me
apparently people nowadays suffer from too much information – newspapers for which you need a backpack to carry them – that sort of stuff 🙄 information too easily accessible, google is killing us
@robdylan (Comment 129) :
Captain Fantastic is I. 😎
@Big Fish (Comment 151) : you wear your undies on the outside?
@The Brand (Comment 147) :
I first read it as a post on a quasi rugby/political site and had one perception, I then read your post where you mentioned the writer$ good manners, and then went and re-read to see what constitutes those good manners, (something obviously stuck in my mind regarding that post and manners) I now know, but Im sure that that will not be a universal perception.
@robdylan (Comment 152) :
Only when no-one is looking.
@Dancing Bear (Comment 127) :
Am getting my first American car in a few weeks time before I change to my new job.
Chevy Tahoe. 😎
@Rahul (Comment 131) :
Am DEAD keen on the H3T but where would I put the kids. 😳
@Dancing Bear (Comment 133) :
Only if I can have it as a SuperDuty version. 😆
@Dancing Bear (Comment 145) :
Was dead keen on the Seqouia also but it doesn’t come in 4 x 4. 🙁
The new land Cruiser has about 4 inches of clearance between the floor and the base of the 3rd row seat. 🙁
Ford Expidition had nice clearance and leg room but was to nice to drive.
Tahoe has good 3rd row leg room with REASONABLE floor clearance and is pretty damn nice to drive.
and now who is responsible for getting him started ❓ 🙄
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 159) :
It Was DB my babe! He got me started. I’ll stop now. 😉
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 159) :
I am not very passionate about cars – much less so the more I watch their depreciation.
I will always love my first car (’94 Honda Ballade) though. Aaah, good times… 😉
Whatever happened to Len Olivier? Why has he not been given a chance at a higher level? Frans is really not cutting it at 10, will do much better inside Jacobs.
@Silver Fox (Comment 162) :
HayHo Silver! Long time????
Len is marshalling the VC side to 6 from and hopefully 9 from 9.