The Crusaders arrive in Durban to face the Sharks.
The Sharks went to Bloemfontein to fetch their points last week and had to return home as victims rather than victors.
The Crusaders welcome back Richie McCaw while the Sharks welcome back a host of stalwarts. Which will have the greater impact.
Venue: ABSA Stadium Durban
Kick-off: 17:05 SA Time.
Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
ARs: Phillip Bosch (South Africa), Cobus Wessels (South Africa)
TMO: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)
The Sharks:
15 Stefan Terblanche, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Adrian Jacobs, 12 Riaan Swanepoel, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Francois Steyn, 9 Rory Kockott, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Keegan Daniel, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Johann Muller (captain), 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Deon Carstens.
Replacements:
16 John Smit, 17 Tendai Mtawarira, 18 Albert van den Berg, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Monty Dumond, 22 Waylon Murray.
Crusaders:
15 Leon MacDonald, 14 Jared Payne, 13 Tim Bateman, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Colin Slade, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Andy Ellis/Kahn Fotuali’i, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Kieran Read, 5 Isaac Ross, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Bronson Murray, 2 Jason Macdonald, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements:
16 Daniel Perrin, 17 Owen Franks, 18 Ross Filipo, 19 Michael Paterson, 20 Kahn Fotuali’i/Tyson Keats, 21 Adam Whitelock, 22 Kade Poki
Tweet
Go Sharks!!!!!!!!
A win crucial for both teams here.
I expect a HUGE game.
How badly do we want a bonus point? Should we play more attacking or focus more on defense?
i have faith that the sharks will win, cummon guys, pleeeeze!
missing the game, once again my shift coincides with the sharks game, ai, night shift tonight. was happy that i missed last weeks game though.
c’mon Sharks
my 68year old mother is at her FIRST ever Sharks game – puhlease don’t disappoint her 😎
Okes are looking psyched in the dressing room!! 😎 Johan giving them the pep talk.
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 5) : 😎
JP back. yessssss
@klempie (Comment 3) :
More attacking.
GO SHARKS!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 9) : Loose is how the Saders like it though.
Saders driving all the way up to the 22.
McCaw bleeding already 😯
Error by Steyn as he thumps a ball into touch that was passed back into the 22.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 13) : What a girl.
Riaan Swanepoel looks like a Tighthead Center 😯
Awesome stuff here by the boys with great hands and interchange between drives and width. Takes us all the way to the 5m before the Saders infringe.
Pushover scrum for the sharks.
lawrence very cleverly asks to check if there was an infringement by the scrummed team in which case it will be a penalty try.
Crusaders all unbound and offside at the scrum.
Crusaders all play that from the wrong side.
TRicky decision for the TMO here. Has to decide if Kanko has got the ball down (unlikely) or if it should be a penalty try for the Saders not holding the bind.
No try.
Crusaders scrum must be worried now. 😎
Shit. The TMO has ruled that the ball was in goal and therefore there is no offside so the Saders are allowed to play it.
@klempie (Comment 20) :
And he took the easy but correct option.
Andy Capostagno at the next scrum “Well the Sharks tight 5 must be looking forward to this…” 😉
😯 Saders scrum 70kg heavier than ours. 😯
SYKES TRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sykes!!
Lots of soccer dribbling takes play up to the 5m line and it goes into a ruck. I think Saders were blown up for not releasing. Quick tap by Bis goes left and Sykes takes over.
Kockott slots the conversion from 2m in from touch.
Sharks 7 – 0 Crusaders
12min
Converted.
7-0. This is more like it Sharkies!
The Number 8 for the Saders is also a little on the WIDE side.
Keegs gives away a penalty for a high tackle.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 30) : HAHA, I just said to myself 5 minutes ago “tackle fatty!”
Brett going at goal after a High tackle by Daniel
@klempie (Comment 31) : Missed. 🙂
Brett misses.
Sharks 7 – 0 Crusaders
16min
Missed tackles
Sharks 5
Saders 7
17min
Kockott cocked that up from the back of that “rolling” maul.
concentrate sharks
Stefan saves a certain try.
LMAO. Jaques Botes runs 70m to score but the ref has blown for a knock.
Kockott you doos. He’s always pushing the envelope.
7-3
My DSTV signal keeps going for a ball of sh1t.
7-3
@KSA Shark © (Comment 39) : Tell TT.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 43) : KSA. It doesn’t matter how you spell it, it’s still swearing. 😉
okay I have no signal now 🙁
@klempie (Comment 46) :
Swearing is acceptable. 😉
TRy McCaw. The pressure of the last 15 minutes has finally paid off. Fatty breaks the line in the 22 and hands off to McCaw.
Converted.
7-10.
oh great. Here we go
@KSA Shark © (Comment 48) : Some might say that they are one and the same.
@klempie (Comment 49) :
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Sharks trying to be cute and it’s causing errors.
Steyn gets caught trying a right footed drop and instead of cancelling tries it with his left. Gets booed for his effort.
@klempie (Comment 54) :
I can’t see. 😡
@KSA Shark © (Comment 55) : You didn’t want to see that. Trust me.
finishing is woeful
@robdylan (Comment 57) : support is worse.
@klempie (Comment 58) :
commentary is even worse. 😆
FIGJAM OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lost forward on the Saders line. 🙄
Johan is limping…
@KSA Shark © (Comment 59) : cheeky.
HT 7-10
I just realised. The Lions don’t feature in the Player 23 add. 😆
this is not looking good, fans. We are devoid of any ideas at the back
@robdylan (Comment 66) :
Stop being a worrier and be a warrior! 😉
Lawrence is having a bit of a shocker at the breakdown – saying that – the Sharks are not committing enough numbers to the breakdown and thats where they are losing it currently.
There and in the line-outs and the ineffectiveness of their 9 and 10 who cannot get the line away.
Kanko is also having a disappointing game – or rather let me say, being very ineffective and running laterally more than anything else.
@robdylan (Comment 66) :
Frans Steyn’s angles in receiving the ball at 10 is all wrong. He stops any momentum the Sharks build up.
Also, Rory’s clearing is slow.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 67) : It doesn’t matter how you spell it, it means the same thing. 🙂
Seems like NOTHING is working in this country 👿 I had a whole 6 seconds of RSG stream. 👿
@Morné (Comment 69) : Fraid I have to agree.
@klempie (Comment 70) : 😛
Need I even say it… You cant play rugby with a 9 and 10 who cant do the basics right, but want to pull all sort of superhero shit on their own.
The forwards must be pissed that no matter how often they defend the line, 9 and 10 cant kick the ball more than 15 metres to clear the lines, or pass to someone in space.
Second half on.
@klempie (Comment 75) : So is Beast incidentally.
@Morné (Comment 69) :
Aaah, so I am not alone in believing our halfbacks are toilet.
That makes it all better now. 😥
@Big Fish (Comment 77) :
Been saying for about a month now as much as Rory played himself into Bok contention last year, he is playing himself out of it currently.
I HAVE PICTURE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kockott lining up a kick
Penalty to the Sharks for advancing after the kick.
Missed.
waylon Murray on
Scrum on the Sader 10m after Brett kick went dead in goal.
Beast has had a stonking 3 drives in a row. But it comes to nought as the Saders drive over the ruck and win the ball.
Drop goal Ellis. Bit anticlimactical.
7-13
Ellis Drop Goal
Sharks 7 – 13 Crusaders
47min
FKs conceded
Sharks 3
Saders 10
Great interplay by Steyn and Murray gets an overlap but the pass to Botes is forward with the tryline beckoning.
I want to cry. Everytime we make a break we get caught and the release pass gets knocked on. Just happened again with Odd one.
Adi is down after Bis kicks him in the face.
sharks wouldn’t be able to score if the opposition left the field
Jannie off. JS on. Perhaps JS can spur the guys on.
I have also noticed something else.
With Frans now playing at 10, the Sharks are desperately short of strike runners straigtening the line and running onto the ball at pace.
A Jaque Fourie type player.
@robdylan (Comment 90) :
Hey TT, where did you find Rob’s login details?
Bismark’s throwing is atrocious.
no try. How are we going to win this game?
@klempie (Comment 94) : Nearly cost us a try. Thankfully a JP “Tonga” tackle gets the wing in touch on the other side.
Muller off. vd Berg on. To be honest I think this might be a good thing…
Saders maul the new Sharks scrum.
What’s the bet TT comments on how kak Stefan is for knocking that ball on? 😆
Now again.
If Steyn continues to receive the ball as first receiver standing still he will continue to put his whole backline under pressure and never allow them to cross the advantage line.
It is way too easy to defend that.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 93) : he uses the same password for everything
Sharks 7 – 13 Crusaders
60min
How many fucking knockons have we made tonight?? 👿
@robdylan (Comment 101) :
Adi try saving tackle
Last gasp tackled by Adi saves a try in the corner.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO000000000ooooooooooooooooooooo
Knock on by odwa as he tries to pick up a loose ball. 😛
There’s another one. 3 Sharks on 2 Saders with the Saders nowhere near in a position to stop him and Ndungane knocks another one one.
Deysel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a tackle!!!!!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 109) : ?
Penalty for a scrum infringement. JS takes the penalty.
PK Sharks
Kockott going at goal 10m in from touch 22m out.
Please Rory…
@klempie (Comment 113) : YESSSSS
OVER!!!!!!!!!!
Sharks 10 – 13 Crusaders
69min
10 mins to go.
10-13
Come on boys…
Missed tackle by Steyn in the mid field almost sees the Saders score. 👿
PK Saders for offside.
10-16
@klempie (Comment 119) : OK.
Make that 10-13.
Sharks 10 – 13 Crusaders
73min
@klempie (Comment 119) :
Hahahahaha
Presumption is the mother of all … … ups.
I think the game’s gone guys.
Absolutely nothing is going to hand.
Fuck off Lawrence!! That knock came off a Sader!
Sharks took a leaf out of the Stormers attacking play coaching manual tonight…
This is laughable now.
Full Time
Sharks 10 – 13 Crusaders
Game over.
What a fucking joke. I want to see the number of handling errors. That is probably home semi gone…again.
@klempie (Comment 125) :
It was the touchie call.
But Lawrence, as I said, had a shocker at the breakdown today.
He allowed Saders to continually dive over the ball and ruck and play from off-side positions.
@klempie (Comment 127) : sorry but I can’t find a loss laughable and definitely not within a minute of the end 👿 😥 😕
@klempie (Comment 129) : correct. Might be semi gone altogether
Now just have a look at Deysel when he came on and my point about strike runners and what the Sharks are missing.
we SHOULD have won this – did we peak too early, thought last week was just a serious off week but now …… 😯 🙄
@Morné (Comment 133) :
It is also what the Stormers are missing and what the Lions and Bulls have in Spies, Mossie, Mentz etc.
@Morné (Comment 133) : he was awesome, just what we needed…. but a little too late 😐
Tough luck boys – but if you do not do the basics right like line-out and rucks you cannot expect to win games.
Okay. All I can say is the Bye couldn’t have come at a better time.
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 136) :
There is a difference between a ball carrier and strike runner – I think the Sharks like the Stormers are confusing the two.
you guys realise we’ll probably be in 5th spot after the bye? Blues, Canes and Bulls will all overtake us… Chiefs are already ahead of us.
We’ve just handed the Bulls first spot with this disaster of a performance. We’ll be lucky to end 4th and face them at Loftus.
@robdylan (Comment 132) : Johan just admitted that you’re right. His words were “You know, RobDylan was right. Our finishing was terrible.”
I’m just a little pissed off at this point, just in case you guys can’t tell.
Can someone please buy Waylon Murray a plane ticket? Destination: anywhere.
Log updated
Sharks go 2nd
Crusaders go 8th
And it pisses me off how McCaw can get away with such blatent cheating.
I wish the SA media will take him out like the Kiwi’s and Aussies does Schalk.
@klempie (Comment 141) : I take no pleasure
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 5) : hehehe maybe the pressure was too much – no worries, don’t think she’ll be going to The stadium again 😆 😉
@Morné (Comment 130) :
Agree with you on Lawrence – normally really good, but today he was poor.
Still, Sharks wouldn’t have won even if Plumtree himself had the whistle.
I think Frans needs some play time in (drum roll) France.
Rory needs to watch FDP play… far away from Kings Park.
Murray was twice as bad as last season, which is saying a lot, but it was a come-back game; I’ll give him another chance and just be content with bemoaning our nitwit halfbacks – Batman and Robin, the heroes of Gotham.
Oh, and you can expect problems in the lineout if you have a different hooker every week…
@robdylan (Comment 142) :
With his lateral running, I can guarrantee you he is on the Stormers shopping list because that is their main attacking weapon. 🙄
I am off. The site might still be here on Monday, or it might not.
At the start of this weekend on Last Man Standing
8 alive with a lifeline.
22 alive with no lifeline.
49 out of the game.
After this weekend
1 alive with a lifeline.
14 alive with no lifeline.
64 are out of the game.
@Morné (Comment 133) :
Agree with that; but we have JP and even Murray who are pretty big and quick, but strike runners need to be set up by play-makers (like Adi, or in normal teams, your flyhalf), and its impossible to do that when your 9 is incapable of flat passing, and your 10 cramps his outside backs every @#$*^ time!!! 👿
@robdylan (Comment 149) :
We will open after the Bye weekend is past. 😛
@Big Fish (Comment 151) :
Agreed and I also agree with you how Rory (AND STEYN) can have a look at Du Preez and Steyn (Morne) on how to clear from rucks and first phases where the 10 RUNS ONTO the ball.
Steyn has his angles all wrong and positions himself in the ‘pocket’ 90% of the time and tries to send his backs away from there…
Impossible.
Surely the backline coach should pick up on this?
I understand your frustration with Rory but most of his passing game is dependent on where the first receiver positions himself.
Well done Klempie, another win by an overseas team – trust you enjoyed it as much as you did yesterday’s Ausie win!!!
In fact, I reckon the Sharks will do well to buy a 10 in SA who is looking to move in anycase – he will fit in perfectly with the Sharks.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Peter Grant.
@diablo (Comment 154) : The Bulls ARE a foreign team. 😛
@diablo (Comment 154) :
Yeah but that was cricket! 🙄 😆
Pardon, I thought u were a South African ❓
@Morné (Comment 153) :
I have had serious doubts about Bashford since he began… coached me in cricket waay back, and an awfully nice guy, but when last did the Sharks score structured backline tries regularly? About 3 years ago…
You are probably right about the positioning of the first receiver, but that is not the only issue with Kockott – his decision-making and directing of the forwards is weak, and even normal passes are missign their mark. I am really not impressed at the moment.
@Morné (Comment 155) :
I have never been a big Grant fan, as I think he is a limited player. However, he might be just the kind of non-glory boy that is needed in the crucial 10 position to set up the runners we have amongst the outside backs.
All of the above being said, I suppose that we should also keep perspective and remember that playing for 4/5 weeks without Ruan AND Deysel was gonna always be hard.
Hopefully at least one good result will be that Fran realises he is not a 10. 🙄
@Morné (Comment 155) :
I agree even though i am not sure if you are being sarcastic or not. 🙂
@Big Fish (Comment 159) :
Well I think that is quite obvious now. He is not a 10.
Next year he should take over from Oupa Stef.
@diablo (Comment 158) : I am. 😎
@Big Fish (Comment 159) :
I think Grant will be perfect for the Sharks.
Loves taking the ball at first receiver going forward, and you have plenty of talented big guys that can run off him.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 160) :
Not being sarcastic at all.
I am cruel but not that cruel. Will not muck around after you guys suffered a disappointing loss.
@Morné (Comment 163) :
I will till at least Tuesday before I piss on your batteries 😈
@klempie (Comment 162) :
yeah but you are a soutie, so the Bulls consider you a foreigner. 😛
What a fuck up!
@Morné (Comment 164) :
😀
@Pokkel (Comment 166) : 😯 😯 😯 😯
You feel strongly about it then. 😛
@Morné (Comment 161) :
I dont know Morne – Steyn’s self-belief let him advance so far so fast – and it quite likely to limit his further progress now; same as Look. He may be too arrogant to accept that he cant cut the mustard there. I hope not though.
@Morné (Comment 163) :
Exactly right – does the basics well; not really cut out for the fancy stuff.
Unbelievable how bad positioning and option-taking can stifle a prodigiously talented backline. If only the Sharks could secure an Aussie backline coach…
Heres what i think: the sharks has got a huge problem with their lineouts, steyn has got to move away from flyhalf and never return, all the guys has got to work on their ball handling, that was pathetic. Losing to a strong team is acceptable, IF the ref is up to standard. Enjoy the rest guys and good luck.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 165) : That’s what I’m saying…
@Pokkel (Comment 166) : Ditto! 👿
get campese back?
the coaching staff has to go visit jake at his winning way thingy
@Big Fish (Comment 169) :
I also said he must go to France – but he will get his confidence and form back at 15 imo.
@JarsonX (Comment 173) : Not a bad shout that. Not a bad shout at all.
we have Chris Boyd, innit?
@JarsonX (Comment 173) :
They should never have let him go.
Waylon, JP, Steyn, Ruan all became Boks under him if I am not mistaken…
@JarsonX (Comment 173) :
Don’t ask bryce’s opinion on that. 🙂
Campese went to Northwood after the Sharks and their team was getting thumped by most schools.
@robdylan (Comment 177) : OMG. “innit” Dude you really need to come back to SA before you turn into Lauren Cooper… 😛
@KSA Shark © (Comment 179) :
Backline coach vs. Head coach
There is a moer of a difference believe me – even at school level.
Same argument I have with Rassie.
Great rugby man, an asset to any management team – just not as a head coach.
@klempie (Comment 180) :
Bwahahaha.
Too true.
Well i hope we come back firing after the bye bcoz we’re gonna need some BPs if we wanna make the play-offs. Where is the consistency in the front row??
at least my blood pressure and heart will have a rest as well 😆
@Morné (Comment 181) :
Makes sense, that.
@JarsonX (Comment 183) :
How can you expect consistency if you change it every week.
He should have played his best:
Beast, Smit, Jannie most of the time (using the others as impact players) and rotated them every 4th or 5th game as starters (let the subs start with the 1st choice on the bench).
@Morné (Comment 186) : exacty
@JarsonX (Comment 187) : exactly
@KSA Shark © (Comment 179) :
Exactly two seasons later they have finally undone the shambles Campese created and now are only getting 40pt drubbings…
Sharks and PLumtree shown up as one trick wonders with no plan B… Plummo has only built on Dick Muir’s ‘counter-attack style’ and hardly improved it… too little work done on skills and backline moves… this is exactly what happened to Wellington under PLummo… he’s a great forwards coach and nothing else…
No pack that gives away 70kgs will be able to withstand the likes of McCaw, Messam and Waldrom for 80mins… they were awesome… so too the tight five…
No man management as alluded to all season… a multitude of the Shark’s players could barely swing their arms to pass in the last 10…
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 189) :
Just a further example of his lack of man management… blind Freddy could see from the run-out that Muller could hardly jog without wincing…
Sharks are the only team in the comp other than the Bulls that expect their 9 to play every single game for 70mins plus from start to finish…
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 191) : maybe if he tried to do less on his own, he wouldn’t get so tired…
@robdylan (Comment 192) :
You never watched much PLumtree 9 man pack rugby in the NPC then?
What happened to the Kiwi coach that Plum brought over to coach the backline?
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 193) : no – can’t say I did
@Loosehead (Comment 194) : Chris Boyd is the backline coach… not too sure what he’s up to 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 196) : Free holiday in Deben