Few will dispute that the Sharks as a team failed to do enough over 80 minutes to withstand the Crusaders’ onslaught on Sunday afternoon. I felt, though, that as individuals, many of our boys were actually pretty good, although others will feel they let themselves and the team down. Let’s look at my completely subjective ratings.
1) John Smit. The jury, it seems, is out when it comes to the captain’s scrumming. Certainly, the set piece looked messy when he was on, but Smit himself did seem to stand firm. You couldn’t compare his work rate with that of the Beast, though. 6/10
2) Bismarck du Plessis. A few messy lineouts remain the only blot on an otherwise superb copybook. Bissie’s discipline was much improved this week and he proved a real handful with ball in hand, as always. 8/10
3) Jannie du Plessis. Must also lose a point or two for his role in the first-half scrum fiasco, but seemed to really grow as the game progressed, putting in some big hits and lovely runs in the second half. 6/10
4) Steven Sykes. Sykesie was good, without being great. He did some yeoman work on defence and was typically abrasive, but he needs to share collective responsibility for the set piece woes that killed the Sharks in the first half. 6/10
5) Alistair Hargreaves. An incredibly skillful player who goes from strength to strength, but does occasionally get outmuscled in tighter games. His try was a thing of beauty, but the criticisms that apply to the rest of the tight five are valid here as well. 7/10
6) Keegan Daniel. I felt that Keegan was largely ineffective on Sunday, with his hands letting him down and his lack of physicality telling against the rampant Crusaders pack. He can only improve on this showing and I’m sure he will. 5/10
7) Willem Alberts. More of the same from the guy who is the pick of the Sharks forwards week after week. 9/10
8) Ryan Kankowski. Another strong, physical game from a guy who is determined to prove that he’s not just a free-running shw-pony. Hoff is a marked man these days and is not finding it as easy to get away as he once did, but he regularly crosses the advantage line and i always a handful, both on attack and defence. 8/10
9) Charl McLeod. Not his best game, from an execution or decision-making point of view. We know how good he can be, but he’ll be disappointed with Sunday’s showing. 5/10
10) Jacques-Louis Potgieter. A bit of a mixed bag – scored a superb solo try, but missed some regulation goalkicks, which hampered the team. Was a little suspect on defence at time too, but did look good with ball in hand. 6/10
11) Lwazi Mvovo. Looked quick and eager, but also battled to take one or two simple-seeming passes that might have proved telling. 6/10
12) Meyer Bosman. Had a busy game, which was capped off by a very encouraging cameo at flyhalf late in the second half. Took the ball up strongly on occasion and also showed more than a few really deft touches. This man had great hands and a lovely flat pass. 7/10
13) Stefan Terblanche. All the same comments apply, I guess, as did last week. Really solid in everything he did, but lacking a yard of pace, which makes all the difference. 5/10
14) Odwa Ndungane. The pick of the Sharks backs, looking alert and sharp with the highest work-rate of any back on the park. 8/10
15) Louis Ludik. Had a pretty quiet game and also slipped a few tackles. Can only improve. 5/10
16) Eugene van Staden. Not on long enough to be rated.
17) Beast Mtawarira. Back to his best… simply breathtaking! 9/10
18) Gerhard Mostert. A very busy cameo appearance, suggesting the big man’s best form might not be far off. 7/10
19) Jacques Botes. Not on long enough to be rated.
20) Conrad Hoffman. Looked pretty sharp, but not on long enough to be rated.
21) Adi Jacobs. A real livewire who looked to make things happen with his pace and unpredictability. Must be close to regaining a starting spot. 7/10
22) JP Pietersen. Struggled with his positioning and looked very rusty, as to be expected given his lack of recent game time. 6/10
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A bit harsh on most of them. Personally I think they played much better then how they played against the Rebels or Chiefs.
Don’t think the Hoff deserves an eight – he had a decent game but it’s far from his best. Agree with other ratings though.
WHO RATES THESE PLAYERS? JLP was terrible on defense as well as Mcload and Daniel…we never closed the inside channel…then suddenly second half we closed the inside channels and put pressure one there backs…Hoffman needs a game!!! Deysel….where is the man>>>I dont rate Jocobs but I take a bow…we gave them the invite to run at us and paid the price… we almost had a arrogant confidence in our defensive lines, and paid the price…
no mention of bosman being thoroughly outplayed by SBW? Did meyer even touch sonny bill once on defence?
@BoerSeun (Comment 3) : that would be me and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t shout.
Go look at the stats… Bosman and JLP missed one tackle each.
@Megatron (Comment 4) : you are aware that backline players generally drift one out on defence, aren’t you? So 12 doesn’t usually mark 12…
@robdylan (Comment 6) : is this what the sharks were doing? 😀
Keegan have a bad game?? :-(disappointing to hear,hope he comes back with gusto.
@Megatron (Comment 7) : 😆
How well did the loosies scrum? But if you are getting pommelled in the scrums,it does effect their cross_cover work.
Were we able to set up one rolling maul?
@Megatron (Comment 4) : Amateur Megatron, amateur…
@bergshark (Comment 10) : Nope, we didn’t even attempt a rolling maul. Not sure why not.
My Team for Stormers-
1.Beast
2.Bissie
3.Van Staden
4.Mostert
5.Hargreaves
6.Botes
7.Alberts
8.Kanko
9.Mcloed
10.Bosman
11.JPP
12.Jacobs
13.Stef (C)
14.Ndungane
15.Ludik
16.Smit
17.Jannie
18.Sykes
19.Keegs
20.Hoffman
21.JLP…if fit, if not then Swannie.
22.Mvovo.
I feel we need to freshen up a bit.
@Jackal: disappointing to hear . But it also sounds like our line outs were a bit of a hit and miss .
a bit harsh i think my friend but it was still good rugga from the side and yes they could of done better and we could of won but we are going home and now is the real test is to win all our games from now on and we will still make it to the semi’s have faith and the team will win with us all behind them
Also disappointing to hear that ludik missed some tackles-he needed to show his talents (I think the bok selectors were having a good look at his play).
@robdylan (Comment 5) :
@Megatron (Comment 4) : i see you are ur old self again
@chaz: dunno who can replace sykes at sharks..maybe a 25 yearold bakkies botha lol
Glad that sykes hasn’t left sharks for another sa team ,though.. All the best with making the irish team:-)
@bergshark (Comment 19) : no thanks he can stay with the bulls don’t want him at the sharks unless he starts to play clean and if to play dirting don’t let the camera and ref catch you 🙂
but the RWC is another thing we need strong guys to keep our Cup
Smit 2 Bissie 3 Janine 1 😆
JLP 4 Bosman 2
😕
Beast 9 😯
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 23) : don’t worry HH these are Robdylan’s delusional player ratings, if Beast gets a 9 then Carter & SBW would 100 hahaha 😉
@Megatron (Comment 24) :
I imagine that it was the first real chance for many Sharks and London based fans to see SBW playing and what a display he put on give him 6 months and he could be hard to ignore for the AB selectors.
Your boys were certainly very impressive….I thought the front row was outstanding, Wyatt Crockett is really putting his hand up !
Good luck for the rest of the season ! 😉
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 25) : “your boys”… what a laugh
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 25) : thanks HH, jamie joseph has really done wonders with your lot too, i think their bye came at an opportune time cos thomson who was stellar in the first 3 games…all the best to your boys too 😀
Guys I think SBW was more of a surprise package than anything else,granted he was sublime ,BUT I don’t think he will have the same effect on us next time or against any of the better SA teams..I still say let’s sign Juan de Jong ASAP!!!
How has Willem Alberts’ perforemance been so far this year? This guy is playing the rugby of his life. Week in week out he delivers. Cannot see the Springbok selectors not taking him to the WC, especially now that Juan Smith is in dount he should get a starting position.
@robdylan (Comment 26) : 😉
@Megatron (Comment 27) :
You are not wrong about Jamie, has a real understanding about rugby down here !
Plus a good bloke !
Personally, i think it was a mistake playing Keegan against the might of the Crusaders. I’m afraid to say he was out-muscled, even for a guy who punches above his weight. Mostert brought some steel back to the pack which raises questions about our current locks. John Smit, well, he has become the awkward ‘hot potato’ of the Sharks team hasn’t he? It’s becoming really obvious that when he leaves the field our scrum kicks up a a gear. 🙄
On the plus side, I was encouraged by Meyer Bosman’s flyhalf outing, Adi’s running and of course the Beast!
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 22) : I would put my scores half-way between your ratings and Rob’s ratings 😉
@CapeShark (Comment 33) :
Rob knows more what he is talking about than me when it comes to rating the ‘Black and Whites’ ! 😉
A bit harsh on keegs… but otherwise spot on 😉
@robdylan (Comment 5) : a missed tackle means that you attempted a tackle…what stats don’t show is how many channels you didn’t close down or how many channels you let slip…they are both not direct defenders like strauss…a confrontation with Strauss is a collusion…causing the player he collides with not to distribute as freely as he might like…Bosman and Jlp both ride tackles…in other words they don’t challenge the aufense with defense…but allow momentum…for the attacking side…we need a swannie for these games…drift defense will never work against the allblack or sader attack, they will simply feed the inside gap from the deep, we need a rush defense with some serious impact on the one on one…joubert would make a huge difference in this regard…he is a master at tackling in, and creating awareness of defense on the pitch…I would have started my game with a very solid defense. Like swannie at 12, just to knock them back…with some very fast inside defense to rush there inside channels…
@Rob: Too generous with Meyer. Should not have got more than 5 IMO. 😉
@SharksRTB (Comment 37) : go watch the game again. The oke was involved in everything… Also made 16 tackles!
Dunno if swannie wouldve been the answer @12 vs saders.. Bit slow,handling suspect 🙁
Any news on deysel’s return?
@robdylan: I know these”when is deysel playing again” questions must be making u crazy lol
I promise as soon as I have any info about Deysel, I will share it 🙂
Thanks 🙂
Even if Deysel is fit to play they will probably start him in the vodacom cup a couple of times before bringing him back ti Super Rugby. Need to manage him carefully after such a big layoff. At best he will be back after our bye 🙁
@robdylan: any news on ronnie cooke?
@bergshark (Comment 45) : Cooke isn’t coming to the Sharks as far as I know
@bergshark (Comment 45) : No Cooke is not coming…he is coming back to SA but not to SHARKS AT this stage>>> but I know he will want to…THE sharks can also consider JP DU PLESSIS…playing with the rebels now…I heard the commentators talking about him turning his back on SA to play for Aus one day!!! big KAK storie…he loves sa, he just got a awesome contract with the roosters as a youngster…he also wants to return to his Family in SA…a AWESOME OAK is [email protected]robdylan (Comment 42) : 3 du plessis can’t be that bad for the team…
why have I lost a star how does that [email protected]robdylan (Comment 38) :
@SharksRTB (Comment 37) : Agreed, I think Meyer can tackle better than what we saw on Sunday.
Maybe the communication between him and JLP or maybe just the defensive line organisation is a mess but we need to step it up there. Allister would`ve taken note, if not then Rassie would definately whisper in his ear.
@Original Champion (Comment 49) : I love this… go find any other game where the inside centre has pulled of 16 tackles (with only one miss) where people say his defence is shit…
@robdylan (Comment 50) : Not saying Adi will defend better, but I feel Adi will offer more on attack.
Besides, we`re fresh out of options.