For the Sharks to burgle a victory in Nelson tomorrow morning, the dual mantras of “keep it simple, keep it tight” and “scrum! scrum! scrum!” are the ones they should be repeating over and over to themselves as they sleep.
The Crusaders’ ultimately comfortable victory at Twickenham a few months back was built far more on scrum dominance than it was on the freakish talents of their playmakers in midfield. Simply put, the Crusaders 8 pulled together that day to hand out a lesson to the Sharks boys upfront and as any backline player worth his salt will tell you, it’s just so much easier to do clever things with the ball when you get it moving forwards. The Sharks had defensive issues in midfield – there’s no disputing that fact – and these may partially have been caused by the sudden change in flyhalf during a week that didn’t allow for a huge number of practice opportunities, given the travel involved.
The simplest way to avoid being found wanting on defence, though, is not to have to tackle. And that means two things – winning the ball and retaining it. Hence the necessary focus on set-piece dominance and a possession-oriented game plan to starve the hosts of the pill, frustrate them and then capitalise on whatever results from that frustration.
It’s all rather simple, I guess and with the massive pack that John Plumtree has picked, together with the anticipated inclement weather that’s likely to cause a wet game, devoid of any fancy stuff, the Sharks actually look reasonably well-placed to sneak an upset here. Accuracy will be key, at the set piece and in terms of handling, as well as discipline, given the fact that they’re unlikely to get any advantage from Bryce Lawrence’s interpretations. Kicks are going to be inevitable, since territory is going to be key as well, but it is crucial once again that these are executed well and find touch when intended (and are well chased when they don’t) in order to avoid giving the home side ball with which to attack. The relative inexperience of fullback Tom Marshall might also play into the kickers’ hands in this regard.
The Sharks, in short, have the personnel up-front to hand the Crusaders a bloody nose in the tight exchanges. Whether they will be able to actually effect that dominance after the challenges of the last week, though, should ultimately decide this encounter.
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Sharks have no chance. Now everyone repeat after me. 😆
add to that
Pressure, pressure, pressure…….terrier like pressure on Carter!
I used to have some nifty tricks in my prop days. If my opposite prop was kinda short like the Frank brothers, I used to bind with a longarm onto their shorts. No prop can scrum with an atomic wedgie 😉
Much has changed since that defeat at Twickenham : our midfield’s defence has improved, the front row has improved and we have Lambie in our backline. I reckon we will see a better performance from Jannie du plessis this week.
Go Sharks!!!!!!!
You forgot to mention how jet-lagged they are!
@nimalen316 (Comment 4) : amen to that
How are we supposed to win if we are not allowed to tackle Dan Carter? 😛
@Dancing Bear (Comment 7) : Are we allowed to shoulder charge him then? 🙂
at twickers you had a hooker at loosehead.
should go far better this time.
@Ben (Comment 8) : Nope, but you won’t get penalized for a shoulder charge, but rather a late tackle. 😆
Dan Carter will be wearing one of those training vests so he will be distinguishable from other players and all Sharks will be expected to avoid any contact with him. Any contact with Dan Carter will be considered very bad form on the part of the Sharks! 😉
And when we do kick for touch, then kick for TOUCH not the touchline. Forget about distance, rather make sure that they can’t use the same ball for quick throwins.
kick it into row 8
@grant10 (Comment 9) : Your point has been made, over and over and over and over and over and over and over. Are you really a one trick pony or can you actually come up with something else to post once in a while? 👿 👿
@KSA Shark © (Comment 11) : Oh now you’ve done it, Lambie will kick it into row 9 and PdV will consider that an error! 😉
@Dancing Bear (Comment 10) : Hi DB, did you hear that B, the smaller of the twins that we know, became a father 2 days ago. 😎
@Dancing Bear (Comment 10) : The NZ refs must be thinking that he will bring a WC home. He is sacred. 🙂
@Salmonoid (Comment 14) : I did, I have been friends with him on facebook, so have been able to keep up on that. Very cool news for an old guy! 😉
@grant10 (Comment 9) : Did you watch Shaka Zulu. I liked that song, can’t remember the name, something like this.
Bayete Nkosi, Boom..Boom..Boom..BoomBoom Boom..Boom..Boom..BoomBoom.
😉
@Ben (Comment 15) : 😆 didn’t you hear the NZ commentators after the comment by Hore? One repeated what Hore said (so we’re not allowed to tackle Dan Carter then?) and the other said, “that’s right, not until the World Cup.”
@Dancing Bear (Comment 12) : 🙂
@KSA Shark © (Comment 17) : We are growing…I think.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 17) :
I think Henry ‘black cat’ cele played Shaka!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 17) : Still love that tune dude
We are growing, growing higher and higher 😎
Heres the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMQnYRTUikk
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 22) : So do I and Grant10 it seems. 😆
I have the Shaka Zulu DVD. awesome miniseries.
@nimalen316 (Comment 21) : He did.
@Salmonoid (Comment 24) : Will check it out at home. 😎
@Salmonoid (Comment 24) : goosies!
@Salmonoid (Comment 26) : I think passed away just recently. 🙁
@nimalen316 (Comment 21) : Do you have fond memories of Gordon Igesund?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 29) : Thats sad, my one cousin was besotted with him and actually bumped into him at the Musgrave Centre one day. He made her day and she said he was a really nice guy.
@Salmonoid (Comment 30) : Yes,coach of the inaugural winners of the PSL 🙂
Igesund, the best coach never to have coached Bafana.
@nimalen316 (Comment 32) : You can say that again. How may different teams has he taken to the PSL championship title. A real pity that he could never be utilised anywhere in SA national football.
@Salmonoid (Comment 33) : I reckon the safa regime does not like him. It’s sad, as he has this ability to sum up a team’s strengths & weaknesses quikcly and get the best out of them!
Guys I think all safas should be supporting the sharks regardless of your team..this is the a lot of the all blacks who will be doing service later in the world cup and if the sharks can beat them I can see them having a mental disadvantage come world cup time…even if it was the bulls or stormers playing tomorrow I would support just to show these kiwis that south african rugby is strong..SHARKS forever!!!!
@shaniboi (Comment 35) : TRUE.
HOWEVER, losing will give them two weeks more rest than the rest of us. 😛
@KSA Shark © (Comment 36) : two more weeks to contemplate their snotting at the hands of the Sharks! 😆
@Dancing Bear (Comment 37) : LIKE