For years, the above slogan was featured on all Sharks merchandise which was sold – flags, mugs, diaries, etc. Lately it has been changed to the more neutral Sharks Forever. But it seems as though none of our competitors have forgotten the slogan.
The truth of the matter though seems as though it should be “Sharks… Love them or hate them”. If one goes to other websites like rugby365, planetrugby or even the official Stormers website otherwise known as keo, you’ll find several trolls who live to try and insult the Sharks. Some of these trolls profess to be fans of the Bulls, Stormers, Cheetahs or Lions but never post on any articles directly related to their own teams.
The funniest thing about these trolls is that they always only have one arrow which they try to fire again and again against the Sharks. We don’t develop players, we buy players. Which is rather ironic considering the fact that rugby is now a professional sport and players were go where they get the most money. Unfortunately, the days of provincial loyalty are far in the past and it’s only rarely that you get a player who will stick with their original province.
Something else to consider is when was the last time that we signed a player who was an established Springbok from another province? We brought Meyer Bosman in this year but he is hardly an established Springbok. Maybe the last time that we ‘bought’ a Springbok was Brent Russell who played Springbok Rugby before he played Currie Cup or Super Rugby. But let’s be honest, he was playing for the Pumas so we didn’t ‘buy’ him then another union would have.
We have several high profile Springboks (or used to) who don’t come from Natal but then who doesn’t. Even the Bulls posterboy Victor Matfield doesn’t hail from Pretoria originally, he was born in Pietersburg, now Polokwane before he started to play in the Vodacom Cup for Griquas along with our own Albert van den Berg. The distinction though is that almost all these players who were brought into the team were second or third choice players in their original unions and came to Natal to be first choice players. Where would players like Bismarck du Plessis, Jean Deysel or Ruan Pienaar be if they hadn’t shifted over to the Sharks? But for every player like Bismarck or Willem Alberts who might’ve been developed a little at another union, we have players like Beast Mtwarira, Keegan Daniel and Ryan Kankowski.
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Good stuff dude is this your 1st article?
I must say I’m not one to complain about those other teams’ behaviour. Just look at how we speak about the lions and me myself how I hate the bulls. Just love giving them kak!
Playing most of my rugby in stellenbosch I just laugh at keo…and all these rugby gurus opinions…for a start, a player comes to his own then he is established as a sure pick on any Saturday- a pretty logicle assumption…looking at this can’t still be held as the talent robbers of SA rugby…the fact is WP and the Bulls don’t always keep a good eye or hand on there own youngsters…hougard and dipenaar did not have a contract with province, the went and bought des founten from the bulls(the latter a gim boy-but none the less) the sharks have over the years been able to eye upcoming talent like deysel and must receive credit not criticism for establishing not only sharks but boks like. JPP, bisness even a jannie became a bok with the sharks…not even to mention kanko, pienaar steyn, murry…he’ll the more I think about it they are all idiots if this is there biggest critic against the sharks…
Alberts in one season with us became a bok!!!!!!
Jeez. Paranoia. Relax. Not everyone hates the Sharks. Only half-wits who don’t see the bigger picture.
@BoerSeun (Comment 4) : Yeah, he was really useless before he moved, a real no hoper 😆
Alberts was so close to the Bok set-up a year before he got to the Sharks. Ludiks rugby hasn’t kicked on though.
Hey Greg shhh your Lions have a veritable black and white tinge to them lately 😉
I love the Sharks
I just think hate is a big word, maybe not one really to be used when speaking about sport. Don’t get me wrong i have not a lot of love for the opposition, but don’t hate them. I work in an environment where, with the exception of the lions, we have supporters of all SA’s superugby teams. Believe me we don’t hold back, sledging, down running the oppositions players, clothes and playing ability’s. But when the dust settles we can sit down and discus the weekends games with no hate involved.
Players are drawn to Durban and The Sharks cos they know it will benefit them. Sharks very often take players to their full potential and thus often get their first Bok Caps shortly after joining us. Sharks develop a crap load of awesome players through the academy…our system is fully in place now. Best youth system you will find anywhere in the world. We have built a very very solid squad and we have a very good amount of talented youth coming through the academy…Sharks and The union are in great shape at the moment. Sharks also showed that they back those coming through the academy…J. Engelbrecht is a soild player, but rather they opted to back the system. I am very happy with how The Sharks recruit and their great ability to keep them happy and retain their services for many many years.It just shows that once you put on The Black and White u stay Black and White. The family culture and great Professionalism at the union is also why players from all over the country want to make Durban their home…not just for Rugby, but also for their families. The Sharks r awesome!!! Those guys gunning at the Sharks are only really jealous and they know it is True. Sharks Forever!!! What a Union!!! I can go on…would never wish anyone to be forced to support any other team than The Mighty Sharks!!! C’Mon!!!! ❗ ❗
Also Sharks have awesome loyal Sponsors…thank you Mr.Price!!!!
Whooa. Should you not be in bed by now ?
@Speed7 (Comment 13) : Who you on about? 🙂
@Speed7 (Comment 13) : U go 2 sleep or wot? 😉
are sharks fans so arrogant these days that they can’t take banter? 2 currie cup wins in 3 years and now hare gat articles like this surface on the daily hehe.. 🙄
@Megatron (Comment 16) : Its a matter of opinion and this isn’t all shark supporters opinions! But you knew that already didn’t you!?
@JJR (Comment 11) : well said mate! sharks forever
Yeah, Sharks did have more “outsiders” than most during the developing years of professional rugby, it is what it is, we adapted better… Victor Matfield also played for The Lions before The Bulls in SupeRugby – but anyway… We have a fantastic academy that breeds top class talent and a lot of other unions benefit… Sharks Forever!
@Greg (Comment 6) : Funny how it happened then isn’t it….. From close for a couple of seasons… To the real thing in one season… Now, you don’t think a better team, better team spirit, better management and all that shiberaz has got anything to do with it? Cmon mate. Give credit where its due, the Sharks have got what it takes for the players to take that xtra step into the Bok setup.
@Ben (Comment 1) : Thanks Ben, it is my first article. Seems like I’ve stirred up a little bit of a bee’s nest.
@franshark (Comment 10) : Hate is a strong word. I can take the banter as well as I can give it I believe, but the kind of people I’m talking about are some of the trolls on some websites who only ever seem to log on to post s#@!t about the Sharks and don’t have anything to say about their own team’s articles.
@DarkDestroyer (Comment 19) : Our Academy is doing a fantastic job and really creating professional and great players, who contribute not only to the Sharks but to the Springboks as well.
It’s great to see.
@Butchie34 (Comment 22) : We were the pioneers in setting up an academy, and we still have the best structures… It is indeed great to see… Sharks systems are world class…
@DarkDestroyer (Comment 23) : Our Acadeny is really one of our strengths. Say what people will but we will carry on developing great players through the Academy.
Dark destroyer aka Dan odjambo!!