The Sharks travel to Coca Cola Park this weekend in what is yet another must win match for the coastal team. (What I do not understand about that saying is which team will go into a game and allow themselves to lose it? But anyway) The Lions team, back from a better than expected tour of the Antipodes, are filled to the brim with ex Sharks players, much as the Sharks have their fair share of Lions in there. Should make for some interesting individual battles.
Starting in the front row, we have the small matter of John Smit vs Pat Cilliers, Cilliers will have more than a point to prove when he faces his old team mates. Smit hasn’t been in the greatest form at loosehead and I am sure Pat will take full advantage of that, having had an extended run of game time for the Lions.
It’s a shame Michael Rhodes is suspended for this game, as I can assure you he would have stepped up his already good form to show the Sharks exactly what they are missing, but that is an unfortunate non-event. Nevermind though, Warren Whiteley is in the mix of things, and as we all know, he also made his way through the Sharks academy before being shown the door. He should be up against Ryan Kankowski at the back of the scrum, which should be a good head to head.
Willem Alberts, despite Sharksworlders calling for a rest for the big man, will almost certainly start against the Lions and will face up to the bearded dragon himself, Josh Strauss. Strauss has been improving every game, as much as Alberts has been losing form on a game by game basis, but Alberts himself has a point or two to prove against the Lions, his ex employers, and should man up for this game.
The starting scrumhalf will most definitely be Jano Vermaak, so Kockett will only come on later in the game, but he is yet another player that will want to show up Charl McLeod who, lets be honest here, has been in some pretty poor form lately, and if my conclusions are to be taken seriously, it is in this position that the Sharks will get a bit of a hiding.
The battle royale in this match will be young flyhalf vs young flyhalf as incumbent Springbok flyhalves battle it out as Lambie takes on Jantjies in what I am hoping to be a good match up. Lambie will have to bring his kicking boots as Jantjies has been in great goal kicking form, as well as being fantastic on attack lately, but we all know Lambie can tackle a bit.
We are not done yet, as the next match up should rattle a few bones, as Bosman faces up to Butch in a battle of the big tackling inside centres. Which of the two will be left standing at the end of the game? Will Butch be able to keep his reputation off the radar not see yellow? All will be revealed this weekend.
Last, but not least, we see the battle of the fullbacks, as yet another Lion in a Sharks jersey Ludik, faces off with young up and coming Jaco Taute. Taute has been in good form lately, scoring two excellent tries last weekend, whereas Ludik seems to be a bit tired of late. It should be an interesting duel nonetheless.
So where will the Sharks win this match? Where will the Lions make their individual brilliance count and end the Sharks’ play off hopes? We will have to wait and see, but it sure is interesting to speculate…
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Although the Sharks have been unconvincing, we have to admit that in some ways the Sharks have the easiest match this weekend of the top 6 contenders. The Lions are playing better rugby and are at home, but if you had to ask any of the contenders what team they would most like to have to face to qualify for the playoffs, 99.9% would choose the Lions. Whether the Sharks win or not is a different issue, but they have been handed a golden opportunity to take a giant leap towards qualification. If they lose to the Lions, then a playoff match was a pipedream anyway. I back the Sharks to gain 4 points. Not sure about the bonus…
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 1) : Agreed. If the Sharks lose they deserve their fate. You and I don’t get a trophy if the Sharks win the tournament, they do. So if they want it they must earn it.
Stop worrying,easy 5 pointer for the Sharks with our poor form.
I reckon our two wings will make the difference
@Honey Badger (Comment 3) : On the bright side, the Lions will have done all the travelling and Easy off Bang Park is hardly the most intimidating away venue to play right now… in fact there will probably be more Sharks than Lions supporters there, but the Sharks actually still have to win, and far better Sharks teams have tripped up at the final hurdle…
note to anyone wanting to advertise on my site without my permission.
DON’T
@robdylan (Comment 6) : Is that referring to one of us??
@robdylan (Comment 6) : That seemed like a good offer, pity they didnt go through the right channels.
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 7) :
No, we had a comment deleted..
@robdylan (Comment 6) : My comment about Easy Off Bang wasnt ambush advertising I promise. I have no links or ties with that company. Nike on the other hand…
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 9) : Shameless, the nerve of some people!!
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 10) :
Hahaha!!
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 5) : That’s what I like about the sharks,they are the best team that can play the worst rugby on the day 🙄
@Honey Badger (Comment 13) : Dude, being a sharks supporter is like being married to a porn star. There are times when its thrilling and you have a fantastic experience, but there are a large number of times when its painful to watch…
@Salmonoid (Comment 8) : we know those people… they seem to think that they have a right to spam their ads anywhere and everywhere that takes their fancy.
I offered them the opportunity to pay for advertising like everybody else and they declined.
@robdylan (Comment 15) :
Then they do not deserve any more airtime than they have already received..
@robdylan (Comment 15) : Then its their problem. I briefly saw the offering and it did not look bad at the price. They must realise that they have to spend something to make something and what place is better to start the ball rolling than where Sharks fans hang out. Their loss.
@Salmonoid (Comment 17) : Of course now you have us all wondering who “they” are and what “they” offered. Come on, either tell us or if you dont want them to get the publicity… lets drop the issue.
Agreed.. Let’s drop the issue..
So, what that Lambie vs Jantjies battle.. Who is more rounded, who has more flair and who kicks better?
jantjies have been good the past few rounds, but i still rate pat as a better flyhalf. he just have all the things you want from good flyhalf. just wish he had an inform charl mcleod inside him and he will be even more destructing.
@jovner (Comment 20) : Call me old fashioned, but I dont care how well they are playing, I wouldnt want either one of them “inside me” 😈
the thing with charl is that he is trying to much on his own. he must go back to the basic principle of a 9 and pass the ball as soos as possible. that is one of the reasons we struggle to score tries.
@jovner (Comment 22) : That and the fact that when you only have 40% of the possession and you drop the ball 90% of the time, it doesnt leave much opportunity to put the bloody thing over the whitewash
thats true, but do we really have a better scrumhalf at the moment. it would be risky to play fred at 9.
@jovner (Comment 24) : What do we have to lose by rsking? Right now you could play the victim from “Boxing Helena” at 9 and she’d so a better job than Charl…
Charl should watch some George Gregan videos; the thing that made him and Larkham such a potent combination was that George focussed on getting to breakdowns double-quick, and on passing accurately and without delay, releasing his 10 into space.
We are going to have to earn the right to run out wide against this Lions team. Our forwards need to lay the platform in the early stages – we cannot afford to start as we did against the Cheetahs.
@Culling Song (Comment 25) : I dont want a flashy 9, I want a simple situation as you describe, quick front foot ball to our backs. Let Lambie do the tactical kicking.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 19) : Ill take Pat every single time.
That being said I think it comes down to the form of 9 and 12 this weekend. McLeod needs to keep it simple, and bosman needs to play exactly like he did last weekend..
I personally would not chance much to the team that played the cheetahs except for McLeod… Other than that we should be up there man for man within the battle’s of the battle…
@jovner (Comment 20) : Over all I think Lambie is the better player, but Elton is in better shape at the moment.
Also Elton is in the priveleged position of having better players around him at the moment, which might make some difference.
I feel our Fwds, if we go with the tried and trusted, should be too much for the Lions.
Then again, they managed to pull through against us last year and that was without Butch! 😯
Rob, any comment on the keo article claiming the Sharks are making another move on Robert Ebersohn? Do you have any inside info that could give the fans some hope, or is this just more keo shite stirring?
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 30) : I don’t really know if there’s any truth to it… don’t really want to comment much until I’m sure
@robdylan (Comment 31) : Fair enough. Let us know if you receive any good news… pretty please.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 19) : I think Januarie is the most rounded then Jantjies and then a distant 3rd would be Lambie if he HAD to be considered as one of the rounded 🙂
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 21) : That Pornstar gag has derailed your mind it seems 🙂
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 18) : Just somebody offering park and ride facilities plus tickets to the Lions game.
@Salmonoid (Comment 35) : But no security? 🙄
Hey Rich, you forgot another battle. Plumtree v Mitchell for that trophy of theirs. 🙂
@KSA Shark © (Comment 33) :
Can’t argue there..
Its between McJanuarie and McWeepu for most rounded..
@KSA Shark © (Comment 37) :
Finally someone has spotted it.. I realised it after posting it, but left it out there.. Well done KSA, you win!! lol
@Original Pierre (Comment 36) : They cant make it too easy for the paying customer, plus too much security detracts from the “experience”.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 39) : Can I pass my win on to the Sharks? What do I need to do to get the BP? 🙂
@KSA Shark © (Comment 34) : Yes… well.. its been one of those weeks. Sorry, my mind is out the gutter now.
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 42) : Want me to post some pics to get your mind back where it should be? 😉 (in the gutter)
@KSA Shark © (Comment 43) : Cool, as long as it isnt Charl Macleod inside Patrick Lambie 😆
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 44) : Heheheheheehehe
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 19) : Do I really HAVE to answer that question, Rich???
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 44) : My mind’s spent a lifetime in the gutter. Inside, outside, upside down or from behind, any which way you play it – Pat’s the canine’s gonads… 😆