The Lions and Sharks kick off the afternoon rugby viewing by taking each other on in Johannesburg in the first of two South African derbies.
The Lions are back from their unsuccessful four week tour in which they lost four from four, but showed glimpses of brilliance in between moments of ridicule. Two Lions teams can show up this afternoon, the one being a team hungry for victory and playing well, or a team tired after a long season, rolling over for the Sharks to take an easy victory.
The Sharks are on a roll and must be one of the form teams of the competition at the moment, and can take a win into the break in Super Rugby, knowing that a play-off spot is all but secured. The men from Durban will be pushing for the all important four try bonus, which could see them closing in on the two top South African teams, as they tackle each other later today, with there being a loser between the two.
Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Butch James, 11 Anthonie Volminck, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Joshua Strauss (captain), 7 Grant Hattingh, 6 Derick Minnie, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Patric Cilliers, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 CJ van der Linde
Replacements: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Etienne Oosthuizen, 19 Cobus Grobbelaar, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Waylon Murray, 22 Ruan Combrinck
Sharks: 1. Tendai Mtawarira , 2. Bismarck du Plessis , 3. Jannie du Plessis , 4. Steven Sykes , 5. Anton Bresler , 6. Marcell Coetzee , 7. Willem Alberts , 8. Keegan Daniel (Captain) , 9. Charl McLeod , 10. Frederic Michalak , 11. Lwazi Mvovo , 12. Meyer Bosman , 13. JP Pietersen , 14. Odwa Ndungane , 15. Patrick Lambie
Replacements: 16. Craig Burden , 17. Wiehahn Herbst , 18. Jandre Marais , 19. Ryan Kankowski , 20. Jacques Botes , 21. Marius Joubert , 22. Louis Ludik
Referee: Garratt Williamson
Assistant Ref 1:Jason Jatha
Assistant Ref 2:Stefan Breytenbach
TMO : Gerrie Coetzee
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Come on Sharks ! Five or niks!! We need all u have today!
@Ice (Comment 1) : marcell to score the bonus point try
Sharks are going down today …downtown Joburg 🙂
@csb (Comment 3) : 😆
Goooooooooooooooooo Sharkssssssssssssssss
Good luck boys, give it stick. 100% accuracy, focus, determination to succeed. These guys want to embarraas us, don’t let that happen and don’t underestimate them.
Rough estimate….3 Sharks fans for every Lions fan. Probably a bit on the conservative side. 😈
Can we get 2 bonus points if we score 8 tries…. 😉
This is gonna be a killer… 50 up Sharks…
butch james to get carded within the first 20 minutes i reckon…
@CapeShark (Comment 10) : 💡
Go Sharks Go Sharks spread the ball wide, spread the ball wide this is Sharks high tide…………………
Fokus boys Fokus….
I think the Sharks need to watch the breakdown and apply the same strategies they implemented against the Western Force and Cheetahs . They should not become complacent in this area as this where the Lions have dominated us before. I would have selected Botes and given Marcel a bit of a break. Luckily Meyer Bosman is on the field as he acts like a loose forward in the breakdown. Hope we get a good lead and the subs come on early and extend that lead.
I’m Soooo!!! Worked up…
5weeks before we play again…
Feels like a final…
Hattingh on the team sheet for the Lions dressed in a Sharks outfit 😯
Keegan better be in that bok squad tonight…
This is it…
bismark you beauty
@Franshark (Comment 16) : Was a pic of Alberts
Nooooo Bismarck down..
Bissi OK
Lambi gets the first points…
Lions 0 – 3 Sharks
2min
@Die Kriek (Comment 20) : That makes sense 😉
And Huttingh score for the Lions…
Is it just me or was Hattingh offside there?
Janjies converts
Lions 7 – 3 Sharks
5min
@Die Kriek (Comment 25) : had the same thought
Wtf is wrong with the Sharks today?
Fuck these Lions!!! Play shit the entire year and last minute they want to beat us…
Oooh donne…
Minnie score’s
Elton converts
Lions 14 – 3 Sharks
8min
@Die Kriek (Comment 28) : not focused… Yet
Good play by the Sharks brings them into lions 22
these F*ing officials are blind, CJ is now on a 2nd should attack on a Sharks player and they do nothing
Come ooooon…
CLEARLY the Sharks took this game for granted. 5 points? Even a win looks shaky here.
this game is physical, how deysel is not playing i dont know. Man i have no words for plum
Playing like crap!! Come on Sharks!!
Hate these Lions…wouldn’t mind if they had played well all year.
Sharks just plain rubbish today
Another penalty kick…
Elton
Lions 17 – 3 Sharks
19min
Lambi PK
Lions 17 – 6 Sharks
21min
thats the sharks season done and dusted
Ons is in die kak nou. 😡
bosman back to his useless best
WTF Sharks?!?
Mapoe score the Luons 3rd…
Pathetic defense from the Sharks…
Can’t hate the Lions for playing well.
Can just laugh at the mental frailty of the Sharks. No sympathy available here.
I’m getting pissed off! We underestimated these fools.
Lions 24 – 6 Sharks
26min
our backline is costing us this match
Get it together now FFS!
I HATE these Lions. One game..ONE game and they have to try and stuff it for us?! Boxes!
yellow card against the Sharks
Oh Shit, Yellow for Sykes 😯
ROAR!!!!!!!!
As l said above before the game starts this game will be won or lost in the breakdown
sharks will come back…
Elton PK
Lions 27 – 6 Sharks
31min
Oh, dear ……
This is all my fault, I picked the Sharks in LMS this week. A thousand apologies!
Pietersen tackled without the ball…
Fokkit!!!
Mampoer gets a yellow
@vanmartin (Comment 59) : 😛
Mvovo in for the Sharks first try in their comeback…
Lambie must move to 10, play ludik at 15
Lambi miss the convesion
Lions 27 – 11 Sharks
36min
@Megatron (Comment 56) :
We can only hope. But even if we do, I’m actually disgusted at the lack of commitment from the team.
try lions
Deon score the Lions bonus point try…
How f#cking pathetic is this??
sorry but this kind of play proves the sharks do not deserve a place in the final stages
@Big Fish (Comment 67) : agree…
Elton miss the conversion
Lions 32 – 11 Sharks
HALF TIME
@sharks_lover (Comment 65) :
Even though Lambie has been shit so far, that the only logical call.
Wow! The Lions are on fire! 😯
not one players can say he is playing a good game not one
Plum to pull a rabbit out the bag and win this one, no one drops deysel without an ace us their sleeve.
@sharks_lover (Comment 65) : agree
charl is kak
odwa is kak
Lambie kak at 15
This just f#cking kills me!
Pissed of with the Sharks AND the Lions. Why the f*#k do the Lions wait for THIS game to play decent rugby. 👿
@Big Fish (Comment 74) : agreed fish, to me it’s about getting the backline defence right
Keegan again showing his leadership under pressure is nowhere
Bloody useless Sharks. FFS !!!!
I blame the Stormers for this. Playing a team that can’t score tries is unhealthy for any team. Darn u stormers
I cant see the Sharks coming back from this, and they can blame only themselves, our looseforwards are being swept aside like powder puffs
Holy crap! What’s going on here?? Where’s our forwards? We are not playing close to the game we did last week? No commitment at all at the rucks etc!
Go Lions!!!!
Go Bulls!!!!
Go Cheetahs!!!!
We should try a different gameplan agiants the lions on Ellispark. Clearly this one has not worked the last 3 times including this game. I bet Mitchell has our entire playbook by now.
Sharks forwards are saving themselves for the Bok game. l knew this is going to happen. Its pretty obvious
Let’s see if we can pull the comeback of the year. Come on sharkies you can do it
Oh, oh, dear ……. Wat gaat hier aan?
Mocho
You are not serious? 🙄
Plumtree and the other 2 stooges have NO place in SupeRugby. Keep the Lions SARU and drop the sharks.
2nd Half… Let do it SHARKS!!!
try jp
Yes JP…
Sharks try..
@wpw (Comment 91) : someone said in an email somewhere that we’d played our final last weekend. 😆 😆 😆 😆
try odwa
Lambi conversion
Lions 32 – 18 Sharks
44 min
And odwa is happy it was a 5 lock and a prop chasing him. 😉
Yebo Odwa….
I love the faky Sharks fans here among us ….. It’s cool to get pissed at your team but to put them down and shout for other teams, you’re a lamer, bugger off.
Go Sharks!
*cough* fickle supporters *cough cough* 😈
Lambi conversion
Lions 32 – 25 Sharks
46 min
@Mephy (Comment 101) : faky? WTH is that?
Elton PK
Lions 35 – 25 Sharks
48 min
Without the FANS their aint NO Sharks. Service only improves when their is complaints.
Lol, I forgot the ‘e’ ….. there is beer mkay 😀
@JarsonX (Comment 106) : 😆
Trying to justify your fickleness huh Jarson …… 😉
Sharks need to score another try very quickly
The Lions all of a sudden getting penalized for what they have been doing wrong all game long…
@Mephy (Comment 107) : 😛
Lambi PK
Lions 35 – 28 Sharks
5w min
nope Jarson we all angry with out play, but we never turn against our team
The food and service at the Prunetree really sucked. Let’s go back there next week.
no try
Forget about everything else and give applause to Jason Jaftha for the decisive way in which he spoke to Williamson. 😎
Daniel get’s blown up for a carbon copy of the Peyper blindschool pass and is Like “WTF!?!?!?!?!? That was allowed last week??????? and that ref was in the same position” 😛
@Mephy (Comment 109) : And you are supportive of the crap only they can dish up against weaker opponents 🙄
@KSA Shark © (Comment 117) : agreed i said it last week , he is a damn good ref
C’mon Lions!! 😎
Why do we insist on playing the game in our half?
Isn’t Ludik on the bench? Move Lambie to 10 FFS!
Elton PK
Lions 38 – 28 Sharks
56 min
Thought this would be a walk in the park…typical!
@JarsonX (Comment 119) : Show me where I said that please. You saying what you did in post #86 is pathetic and not something a supporter would say. Nothing wrong with it, just don’t pretend you shout for the Sharks or support them only when they win (which I’ve seen)
That waaaaassssss interfeerance reeeeeefgf
Kanko on for Alberts…
Go Lions!! 😈
Clearly changing his line to block ……
And the Lions now being allowed to do anything they want at the breakdown, with the refs blessing.
@wpw (Comment 128) : hehe 😆
GO SHARKS!!!
Die ref is so kak soos die sharks
@Mephy (Comment 125) : You dont know me so rather keep your assumptions to yourself. I have nothing against you and I’ll like to keep it that way.
Burden gets 16min of game time….
The ref is kak!
I’m out untill I’ve calmed down.
14min, 10 points come boys…
Off th Loftus, scores please guys…can’t believe this.
66 min – who predicted a yellow for Butch within 10min? Steven S …… Ring a bell
Score please.
Sharks only got themselve to blame for this shit they dished up!!!
When we lost our promising new midfield and put Odwa on the wing, we were never going to have a comfy game. Add to that the lacklustre interest shown from the forwards ……
Score or time please!
God our lineouts are soooooo shit. Why the hell do we wait so long at the damm throw-in.
@GreatSharksays (Comment 142) : same score, 6 min to go
38-28 to the Lions, 5 mins left
TMO for Sharks try…
0fficiating of the worst order
No try…
4min
@Franshark (Comment 144) : Thanks…I thought our boys had matured, clearly not. Another season down the drain.
This is so typical of the Sharks. PLay a few good games and then chuck it away on the crappest team in the history of the competition.
mcledod just throws the match away
what an idiot
And that’s the game as the lions clear the ball from a Sharks knock….
@sharks_lover (Comment 147) : HOW?
and to top ot no bonus point
SO the TMO overstepping his bounds now and making calls not asked for. And dumbfk ref just goes with it.
This should have been a walk in the park. Even the Blues beat the Lions. FFS Sharks.
Only 2min to play…
@KSA Shark © (Comment 154) : by trying to go on his own
no clear thinking
That was a try! The ref asked any reason not to, they saw a grounding, so the TMO had no right to call that ‘no try’ unless he saw foul play leading to the grounding!! F#CK!!
Ok, well done Lions.
Just one request from me: whatever happens by the end of this season, Plumtree and company; please do the honourable thing and resign.
Let’s not just look at this game – its been 5 Super Rugby seasons of mediocrity. Time for change.
Sharks needs a try for two bonus points….
well done lions, deserved to win
@sharks_lover (Comment 159) : My How was in reference to your ” officiating of the worst order” comment
@KSA Shark © (Comment 154) :
Well, he over-stepped the mark by making a call on something he wasn’t asked.
Just topped off another very poor reffing performance against the Sharks.
Plum thank your pal John for costing u a job!
Lions 38 – 28 Shark
FULL shocking TIME
There goes my LMS lifeline. 🙁
5 picks for the Sharks in LMS.
After this game.
175 teams entered the game:
2 still alive with a lifeline.
12 still alive with no lifeline.
161 out of the game.
@KILLER SHARK (Comment 166) : I hope this piss poor coaching team is shown the door but I have a nagging feeling they won’t be :/
ROAR!!!!!
I thought that was a grounding – think the TMO looked at the wrong part of the movement. But Ja. Thanx Lions..well played. But thanks.
LET THE BITCHIN BEGIN. 😈
Whatever we love to say about the Stormers; we can´t be too windgat. Well done Lions . Absolutely stunning display of intelligence over pretention. Some reputations got owned big time in Jhb. Got to love SA derbies 😀
Thank god I gave up giving a shit for the season, otherwise I might have been surprised.
FFS. I can’t believe this shit. Another ass kicking by die helpless Lions. O well there goes our season !!!!!b
We know the team had the potential to put 50 over the Lions, so I won’t blame the boys, it was the mental game that cost us, and for that the blame lies squarely at the foot of our coaching staff
@Megatron (Comment 170) : Can´t wait for your lot to slither into the fray. 😉
I’m speechless…
My phone is going mad with all Bull-storm supporters….
Now can we please show Plum the fucking door???
lol
the team was as complacent as the bloggers on this site the WHOLE week! 🙂
And Michalak proves he’s the most inconsistent player in the world! Why the heck wasn’t Lambie moved to 10? 😕
@Big Fish (Comment 165) : I’d rather he oversteps and makes the right call than play dumb.
The important thing is that the result should be 100% correct, the way of getting there should be of minimal significance IMO.
It was not a try and that is what the TMO should be allowed to say. Just becasue he doesn’t have the intellect to word it properly doesn’t make it a bad dicision. A simple “A reason not to award the try is that it did not cross the line” would have been the correct answer. He just cocked up the wording.
@Die Kriek (Comment 175) : Does that go for the games we won as well?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 168) : haha, that just put a smile on my face…
@KSA Shark © (Comment 182) : Totally agree. No matter how the moron words it, rugby needs it.
I must admit, even I thought the ref was on our side. But I’m dam happy the Lions won
Come-on KSA can you say for certain that he didn’t score the try from those replays.
You’re pushing your ref love too far now.
Well done Lions. Currie Cup final all over again!
Megatron ‘the team was as complacent as
the bloggers on this site the
WHOLE week’ NOT EVERY ONE MY MAN, NOT EVERY ONE.
Allowing a guy to crawl to a try and then going above ref protocol?? We’ll Gerrie??
@Megatron (Comment 180) : At last, an accurate observation.
So nothing changes, we still in six position…
GO Stormers…..
I blame no one for the loss. The Lions played well. But please Plum, if they dont fire you, please do the honorable thing and quit. The Sharks supporters will appreciate it 😈
@Ben (Comment 181) : Exactly! If my wife hadn´´t hogged the laptop to catch up on German school buddies from the bloody 80´s I would have shouted on here that Fred should be off, Lambie to 10 and Ludik to fullback. I give up.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 182) : The linesman said he’s happy with the grounding. The TV Ref had to check for a knock before that grounding. There was none. Try should have been awarded under the current laws of the game.
@Pokkel (Comment 187) : 🙂 You’re upset, as you should be.
I have in my opinion (maybe it’s unique 😉 ) a pretty good ability at staying objective when it comes to decisions on the field and I believe 100% that that ball didn’t touch the line.
@cody007 (Comment 189) : You must be chuffed with the result.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 182) : I agree
Sharks had one eye on the game against England next week. Plus losing the WhiteHead Jordaan combo cost us. When they combined our team looked more balanced. Also the lions killed us with those chip kicks behind the defensive lines. It was always Mvovos weakness and Butch and the Lions took advantage of this. Also l may be wrong but Michalak didn’t look like he played such a bad game. Lambie was okay at full back but Ludik looked likable was sharper when he came on. Plus not starting Botes cost us in the breakdown.
The mental prep, yes, but it’s easier to get up for a close game, so I’m not praising the coaches for the mental edge we had in those, they did good, but this game proves they are less than great
@Ben (Comment 195) : The AR stuffed up (how’s that for ref love? 😉 ) That ball was not grounded properly over the line.
@cody007 (Comment 179) : Say what you´´ve been practicing all week: ´Ì told you so`…….
Would love to hear the comebacks, although I didn´´t agree with your scepticism either. 😐
@Franshark (Comment 192) : now we’re not. We’ve dropped to 7th
@Franshark (Comment 192) : @Franshark (Comment 192) : ok not 😳 Hurricanes passed us….
Well played Lions.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 196) : as do I. It wasn’t a try and we didn’t deserve to be awarded it
@Salmonoid (Comment 205) : yes – well played Lions.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 201) : Well imo it was clearly grounded on the line. That is besides the fact that it doesn’t matter. The AR said he was happy with the grounding. The rest is history.
As pleased as I am that the Lions got a victory…its sad that the Sharks did not get log points…I was backing them as my SA side to go all the way…
@KSA Shark © (Comment 196) : And to think by a long shot that the decision cost us the game is a moot point anyway. Lions had the game plan, we had the cocktails.
@Mocho (Comment 199) : Regardless of how mediocre Pat plays Michalak will always be the guy that gets a worse rap around here.
@Hmmm (Comment 209) : You serious? 😯
The Sharks have a guaranteed 4 points for a bye…and the NZ sides in the top 6 still have to play each other…
So there is still a chance Sharkies…a tough but good chance…
@cody007 (Comment 189) : Did you predict a Lions win or were you just being misserable. I remember the miserable bit.
Oh geez KSA, get of your high horse. YOU believe that the ball wasn’t grounded? Well, the AR conclusively said that it was. Hence the question.
I didn’t see the ball grounded, but I didn’t see the ball lost, so the way that I see it, the AR’s call stands.
@robdylan (Comment 203) : I see 😳
@Salmonoid (Comment 211) : So true. 🙂
@Big Fish (Comment 215) : c’mon…. let’s not get stuck into each other dude.
@rhineshark (Comment 212) :
Yeh…
The Cheetahs and Lions are out…I am finding it very tough to support a PINK wearing Bull…and the Stormers play me to sleep…
I’m outta here.
Lambie is the best flyhalf but an average fullback and this just proved it
@Big Fish (Comment 215) : The TMO saw it MY 😉 way. 😛
@Mocho (Comment 199) : This was certainly not the way to impress HM for a Bok spot.
@Big Fish (Comment 215) : I´m glad that common sense actually came out on top for a change. No ways was that a try. I don´t give a shit what the assistant ref ( who have collectively proven throughout the S15 that they´re less than excellent) thaught they saw.
Hat Ludok sattempt was in no way grounded…and Elton’s knee struck it while still short and struck it back…so Sharks 5 meter scrum was good a good call…
@Mutley (Comment 221) : He is a great FB aswell, but a FB can only be great if the team in front of him is doing there job, he tried too hard to fix the buggerup. At FH he would’ve had a bigger influence on the game, and that is why he should be FH, he can win us games, so that is why he should be as close to the action as possible
@Hmmm (Comment 219) : Did we really strike you as a S15 Champion side? 😯
@Big Fish (Comment 215) :
Impressed!!! Good on you guy!!!
@rhineshark (Comment 224) : Whether you and I think the ball was grounded is irrelevant. The AR was happy with the grounding and the try should have been awarded.
I’m not saying it cost us the game at all. Sharks were nowhere and only have themselves to blame.
@robdylan (Comment 220) : Shudn´t U B hr 2 nsr we don do sum bad anti site rulz kinda shit??
@Ben (Comment 229) : Well in that case we shouldn’t be complaining about the forward pass try last week. it doesn’t matter what we think, the Ref was happy with the pass so the try was fine.
😉
@rhineshark (Comment 227) :
The last couple of weeks you guys really stepped up…
If you sort out your lineout and keep JPP out of the midfield you can beat any side…
@Ben (Comment 229) : You said you thought the ball was grounded on the line. It clearly wasn´t. Facts won. I´m happy, whether for or against us, because I love rugby first, Boks second and Sharks third. I won´t pretend that it doesn´t hurt when it goes against any of my teams, but it´s worse when we win because of it. 😥
http://www.sharksworld.co.za/2012/05/23/another-meeting-more-darkness/
@KSA Shark © (Comment 32) :
And with that I’m off.
Cheers (speak soon hopefully)
Was I the only one who enjoyed how Butch ran down Mvovo…
Lions backline had too much pace for the Sharks…
@Hmmm (Comment 228) : again I say that I still think it was grounded, pushed back and that is from where the try was re-looked. It looked on the line and from that movement on forward no one could see shit.
@rhineshark (Comment 233) : Yes I did say that because the ball was grounded. The ball was on the line with downward pressure. My point is it’s irrelevant.
I am at Loftu and blogging from my phone…have the Lions passed the Blues on the log?
@Ice (Comment 236) :
Never saw the ball touch the line in any angle…
By the way…I was rooting for a try cause the Sharks would have gotten 2 bonus points with that score…but it was not unfortunately…no clear evidence in any way…
@Ice (Comment 236) : Maybe these guys were watching a different game? 😕
@Hmmm (Comment 232) : A champion side would have taking these Lions to the cleaners. We obviously fell slightly short and have for the last 15 years. A Currie Cup mentality will never win a Super Rugby title. At least you guys have one. Do we?
@Hmmm (Comment 239) : Seriously dude! The AR was happy with the grounding. No clear evidence was needed!
@Ben (Comment 237) : It was short.
@Ben (Comment 240) :
Send a pic where the ball touch the line…then I’ll be convinced…
Would have bee great if it were given cause that would have meant 2 log points for Sharks…
I’ve got no complaints about the loss – congratulated them above; but officiating has to be consistent. I’m not going to applaud a TMO for overstepping the call unless this kind of action (which I agree is bringing commonsense in) is consistently applied.
So, was the right call made? Yes – the “try” didn’t look convincing. Was the TMO’s behaviour consistent with previous officiating? Hell no! And that’s my gripe.
@rhineshark (Comment 241) : Who do you see as championship sides this year?
@Ben (Comment 242) : Common sense won. Isn´t that what you want for rugby???? Jeez man, we´re trying to build an international game. The international audience is used to clear cut rules and decisions. Without it rugby is stuffed.
@Salmonoid (Comment 246) : Chiefs and Crusaders.
@rhineshark (Comment 247) : This is true but Ben and aIce and the AR saw a legit try, you and a few others didnt so who is right, remembering that the guy within 10 metres said (without doibt) that he saw the grounding.
@Ben (Comment 240) : I agree Ben10. And I will find that footage. Not that it matters.
@rhineshark (Comment 248) : The same Crusaders that got a hiding from the Rebels?
@rhineshark (Comment 247) : I understand what you are trying to say. I do. If the Ref asked try or no try I would have understood if the TMO didn’t give the try. I think it was grounded but clearly there is doubt. There is one set of laws for all teams and it’s not being applied consistently. That’s my gripe. Did you see the Try from the Bulls now? 🙄
@Ice (Comment 250) :
Please do…I watched every replay and never saw the ball touch the line…
@Salmonoid (Comment 249) :
Exactly!
And fate has a sense of humour!
Spies scores a try that seems to be grounded on Carstens’ foot – Kaplan asks “any reason that I can’t award a try” and even though the TMO probably suspects its not grounded, he merely said he couldn’t give a reason not to award – try given.
So, where is the consistency? 🙄
@Big Fish (Comment 254) : EXACTLY!!!!
@Salmonoid (Comment 251) : Yes.
@Salmonoid (Comment 246) : Crusaders gonna win it… if the Sharks don’t 🙂
@Salmonoid (Comment 249) : The guy within 10 meters is obviously in need of a pair of glasses, but that isn´t necessarily his fault. Players don´t choose themaelves and neither do officials. TBH the standard of officiating in rugby has been shocking of late. I don´t care what that AR saw, he saw WRONG.
Congrats Lions
@Big Fish (Comment 254) : @Ben (Comment 255) : We all agree that we want consistency. There should be only ONE question: Try or no no try. If there is no conclusive evidence, then revert to League dogma and give the benefit of the doubt to the attacking team.
@rhineshark (Comment 258) : So you are saying he, Ice, Ben and others are lying….heavy.
Do agree that the reffing has been shocking this year though.
@Franshark (Comment 257) : Ek hou van jou `blind optimism`. Jammer, ek kan nie nou dink wat is dit in die Moedertaal nie.
@Salmonoid (Comment 261) : Not lying, dude. Just wrong. Or inaccurate if you want the PC version. Rugby has the potential to become a world game, but we need to take out the inconsistencies, ie. the interprative factor. The sooner we reduce the rules to a clear black or white rugby will gain ground.
@rhineshark (Comment 263) : Have to agree on the rules stuffing up the game as a spectacle.
BTW Im only stirring, I think its my defence mechanism to deal with huge disappoinment.
Ice, Ben en AR, hou op lieg asseblief!
@rhineshark (Comment 263) : @wpw (Comment 265) : I’m pretty sure the ball was on the line. I will look at the footage again and if it was short I will sincerely apologize.
@Ben (Comment 266) :
Its beside the point though. Despite what any of us think, the AR said it was grounded. That is supposed to be enough for the TMO.
@Big Fish (Comment 267) : I know. Like I said earlier it’s irrelevant. But I did say I saw a grounding on the line and I will apoligize if it was indeed short.
But the try should have been awarded.
@Salmonoid (Comment 264) : I share your pain dude. 🙁 Big time.
@rhineshark (Comment 241) :
The Lions have dominated a few sides this year…Crusaders / Canes / Stormers…but just could not make a full game of any of those…and tonight they made a full game of it…
Why do we always lose to the crapist team on the log?