Another performance that was patchy at beast and another loss – the sixth in the last seven outings, in case anyone is still counting. While we must applaud the heart shown, the Sharks were poor in the execution of virtually everything they did. Let’s see how the individuals rate in a team performance that barely scrapes a 5/10.
1) Beat Mtawarira. Given that it was his first outing in a month, did very well to last 80 minutes. Wasn’t quite his old self in the loose, but scrummed destructively. Concede the penalty, though, that ultimately lost the Sharks the game. 6/10
2) Kyle Cooper. Was again a terrier in the loose, but unfortunately his usually-reliable lineout throwing let him down, with the Bulls poaching Sharks ball seemingly at will. 4/10
3) Jannie du Pessis. Bested his opponents at scrum time, but was otherwise nowhere to be seen all game long. 5/10
4) Pieter-Steph du Toit. This kid is superb and sticks out like a sore thumb against the backdrop of such a mediocre team showing. I only hope the Sharks can keep him. 8/10
5) Franco van der Merwe. Not sure what was worse, the missed lineouts, the conceded turnovers, the penalties, or the silly yellow card. All in all, a rather forgettable outing. 2/10
6) Marcell Coetzee. Made the most tackles and was his physical self in the tight-loose. Still looks unsure of himself as a carrier, but did far better than the other loosies on display. 6/10
7) Willem Alberts. Completely anonymous. Had to double-check the team sheet at half time to reassure myself that he was indeed on the field. 3/10
8) Keegan Daniel. At least the captain is consistent this season. One wonders exactly how poor Ryan Kankowski would have to be to turn in a worse performance than this. Conceded half of the penalties that sunk the team all on his own – more galling was his single-handed butchering of the try that could have won the match. 1/10
9) Charl McLeod. A real up-and-down performance. Did very well to score the only try, but also committed a slew of unforced errors to rob the team of momentum. 5/10
10) Pat Lambie. Defended well and attacked the line with gusto on occasion. I still question his alignment, though, as he’s regularly taking the ball far too deep to do anything meaningful with it. Still regularly stands out as one of the better players in the side. 6/10
11) Lwazi Mvovo. Few opportunities, yet always looked to be the danger-man that the Sharks so sorely needed. 6/10
12) Meyer Bosman. Not sure whether the schnozz is still worrying him, but Meyer did a good impression of the nowhere man in this game. 4/10
13) Piet Lindeque. I thought he had a very encouraging game, now that he’s finally been allowed to play his preferred position. Hands looked much better and he took the ball up nicely on occasion. 6/10
14) Odwa Ndungane. Continues to look just a little off the pace at wing, although I thought he did some nice things on attack when he was moved closer in. Perhaps there’s a future at centre? 5/10
15) Riaan Viljoen. Once again, the clear pick of the backs. If he was playing to make his new son proud, then he certainly did just that. 7/10
16) Monde Hadebe. Unused. Bloody criminal.
17) Wiehahn Herbst. His hands let him down, which is unusual. Strong scrumming as always. 5/10
18) Jandre Marais. Unused
19) Jean Deysel. A marked increase in intensity when he came on. 6/10
20) Tera Mtembu. Ten minutes on the field, one lovely break and almost a try, if only the captain had been awake. 6/10
21) Tian Meyer. Unused again. What a waste
22) Sean Robinson. Not on long enough to rate
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Even though we lost, that tackle by Pieter-Steph almost single handedly made my weekend.
At least for the next 5 weeks us Sharks fans know our team can’t be beaten
Rob, seriously, McLeod was allot better than you suggest. Ja, I think he had two knocked but seriously the momentum that you are on about is non existent with the “other” guy.
One fact is KD, needs to be replaced as Captain as well as No8.
@KingRiaan (Comment 2) : HA HA the Sharks might lose their bye this weekend……
Think some of the ratings are mean. Kyle can never be a 4!! A 1 for KD…hehehe!! Guys don’t know the rules of the game.
@TheLegend (Comment 4) : Hahahaha thats also not entirely impossible the way they have been playing. In other news, only a couple of days until Barney takes over at the Sharks. Lets hope he truly is the savior we want/need him to be…
@TheLegend (Comment 4) : The struggling Bye is due to break their duck at some point.
@KingRiaan (Comment 6) : I wont pin my hopes on it…
With Keegan’s captaincy so badly showed up this year, it makes me wonder if our good run last year didn’t have more to do with Bissie’s influence as vice-captain last year? I mean, when Bissie speaks, who would try and not listen to him? I think even Chuck Norris will take out his pen and notepad.
@KingRiaan (Comment 9) : Very true 😀
Pat gets 6…..still a protected species around here, and Shaz has not even been seen for months.
I’m undecided about this game. We really dominated the Bulls in many areas of the game but a couple of brainfarts cost us the game. I’m pretty sure general ratings would have been better had that last penalty not been awarded.
Having said that it was disappointing as hell to lose like that. Keegan had a shocker once again and surely cannot justify his place in the team any longer.
I’d be worried if I was a Bulls supporter because they are not going to win the competition playing like that.
I think you’re being hard on Franco – he was certainly more than a single point better than Daniel.
Tera Mthembu, hated and loved that oke at school. He was such a pleasure to watch, big, strong, physical and skillful as well. On the other hand he was always so much trouble, Queen’s always struggled to contain him. For the Sharks, I think he’s growing into a really good player
I’ve had my say on a previous subject. We destroyed the Bull scrum, something very few teams have managed to do……and lets not forget this is one of the cornerstones of the Bulls strength and the * get an average 4,5% average, sorry Rob don’t buy into that one.
I read and article on rugby 365 regarding how the Lineouts are supposed to be managed. Hand on heart I believe the Sharks are the only team the play it to the book. The lifted player may not pass the ball back until he has touched the ground and then and only then may the maul begin. So IMHO I believe JK was very hard on the lineouts. 😯
Another question I raise….. how can a side be so dominant in the scrums only be awarded three penalties…MMMMMMmmmmmm…..and how the Bulls loosies broke away from the scrum at will with zero sanction….MMMmmmmm again 👿
@Uli (Comment 3) : No way…mcloed makes soo many errors…and when we get in good attacking positions he always seem to pass to the side where there is no support. We were hot on attack and Deysel is setup for the carry and he decides to go the other way where Wors had no support and didn’t expect the pass and ended up knocking the ball. Charl often goes the wrong way on attack…he doesn’t have great vision.
My team for the next game-
1.Beast
2.Bissie (C)
3.Jannie
4.Bresler
5.PSDT
6.Coetzee
7.Alberts
8.Tera (I enjoy it so much seeing a youngster take his chance)
9.Reinach
10.Lambie
11.Mvovo
12.Bosman
13.Whitehead
14.Ludik
15.Viljoen
16.Cooper
17.Wors
18.Peet Marais
19.Deysel
20.Kanko
21.Mcloed
22.James
We needed to play a good old game of rugga, instead we played Naas Botha’s idea of rugby from back in the 80’s.
I love accurate tactical kicking, putting the ball in behind the opposition and aiming for the corners. That way you keep the opposition pinned in their half and force errors.
What the Sharks sadly did for most of the game was aimless kicking.
I might be a very one-eyed Sharks supporter, but when last did the Sharks when a game that JK reffed?
@KingRiaan Comment 19: Glad you raised the point here as well. I mentioned it on another subject
@Uli (Comment 3) : AGAIN Uli – this is not an attack on Charl, nor is it a comparison to whoever. Its what he did and how he did it on the day….sheeeshlikit…
I said it on twitter and i’ll say it here. Ek wil my beste panty beskyt as hy sy handjies so in die lug gooi en bitch en nog meer tyd mors.
Ek stem ICE, ek stem 😛
@Bayshark (Comment 20) : I honestly try to remember but I can’t seem to.
“– more galling was his single-handed butchering of the try that could have won the match”
I will remember this for the rest of my life!
It was a try begging to happen and ooops, I fall over a silly bulls player!
BTW, who was the guy on the outside left who had such a clear line to the chalk? The camera wasn’t on him long enough – but looked like Viljoen?
But seriously though – @Pokkel (Comment 12) :
I gotta agree with you, there were times when it felt the sharls were doing brilliantly, getting steam and looking dangerous.
Then there’d be a ruk and McLeaod would fumble (like the knock on in the one instance) or there’d be a fumbled pass or possession was kicked away.
It’s almost like we had the form to win, but we were shocked to be in that position and determined not to take it!
I would dock one point from Pat for the brain dead decision to kick the ball out with 30 seconds to go! 😈
@KingRiaan (Comment 6) : “only a couple of days until Barney takes over”. Actually, he’ll only be shadowing Brian van Zyl until March next year. It might seem pedantic but it’s a very important distinction to make, especially here on Sharksworld where some are likely to bemoan his incompetence before he’s actually taken the reigns.
Minus 1 for Keegan Daniel. Simply horrible from the supposed captain 👿
I actually think we should have won that game. We could have and would have if it weren’t for a few week links. One of which was Keegan Daniel, who somehow managed to outdo previous efforts and succeeded in having his worst match this year. He made countless errors and gave away countless penalties. I seriously hope that he either finds his form over the break, or Plum finally goes for Kanko based on possible good Bok performances.
With regard to the Steyn-Lambie battle, I actually think Lambie was better. Steyn offered nothing on attack, while Lambie actually got his backline going. The both made more or less the same mistakes when it comes to kicking out of hand. Steyn was better with the goal kicking, but only marginally. Lambie missed one because he hurt himself. Unfortunately, Meyer probably won’t see it that way and will go for Steyn. On the bright side though, as Steyn is France-bound, Meyer is likely to pick Lambie for the Rugby Championship.
Overall, we really did dominate the game. Line-outs could have been better, and we left a lot of opportunities unfinished, which comes down to the week points mentioned earlier.
@Sharksmad – The Blog’s Dudette (Comment 26) : He didn’t have any other option.
@David12246 (Comment 30) : Nevermind, he did.
@vanmartin (Comment 27) : 😆
@David12246 (Comment 29) : Steyn’s up and unders were spot on (Bulls chasers recovered about 75% of them) whereas Lambie kicked his way too far.
BTW Steyn also missed 1 kick so they were evens on goal kicking.
Lambie did attack the line a lot more in this game, but the Sharks backline plays were mostly awful.
I would say for the type of game HM plays with the Boks, Steyn probably still is the better bet at the moment. Lambie’s confidence seem shot right now.
I dont care what anyone says .I will never accept Steyn as anything more than a bench warmer for the Boks .He doesn’t posses an ounce of heart. He is screamish under the high ball( I imagine him flapping his hands up and down like Cam from modern family whenever he is forced to take contact, which he more often than not bails on)
Lambie made some cockups ,but with the backline he had he should be commended for his play. Tackled like a looseforward ,even covering Daniel/Bosman pathetic attempt which saved a try and ran at the line with conviction. We need some one to get his alignment right ,he still plays a little off. I would like to see Edie Jones or some one like that involved in helping him.
@Salmonoid (Comment 11) : I am still here… alive and, um, well. Protected species? More like rhino, methinks – open season on the poor chap.
@Shaz (Comment 35) : She breaths (glad to hear/see 🙂 )
Not open season here, not by a long shot, where have you been hanging out?
@Salmonoid (Comment 36) : Working my behind off… And to be honest I get a little jaded with rugby sometimes.
There’s a lot more to life. And most of it a lot more positive! 😆
@Shaz (Comment 37) : Hi Shaz. Hope you well! I feel the same way. Not investing too much emotionally into rugby at the moment.
Ek is rugbyvoos.
@Salmonoid (Comment 11) : Im afraid you are right…Lambie has been off for some time and that was simply the worst performance from SuperPat I have ever witnessed!!!
Kicking from hand – terrible, ran twice all game, and stupid decision making. a 4 or a 5 in my mind…And that against a dull Morne Steyn who gets man of the match for the Sharks high error count?? LAME.
Disagree with many ratings..here are mine for what its worth:
1. Beast 6/10
2. Cooper 5/10
3. Jannie 5/10
4. PSDT 8/10 – If he isnt our no1 lock then EISH
5. vd Merwe 4/10 – expected more from him this season
6. Marcell 5/10 – always big on D, goes nowhere on A and never steals ball…
7. Alberts 4/10 – Always big on D, easy to defend what you know is coming.
8. ****** 1/10 – Its actually a joke, considering how well he played last year. Always questioned his leadership though and it showed.
9. McLeod 4/10 – Im sorry but how this clown ever got a bok cap ahead of Vermaak BOGGLES MY MIND.
10. Lambie 5/10 – Simply the worst performance I have seen from SuperPat. Terrible kicking from hand, deep on attack, poor decision making. Showed some bite and BMT near the end though…
11. Mvovo 6/10 – only his dealing with the high ball set him back
12. Bosman 5/10 – Wasnt awful, but nothing spectacular
13. Lindeque 6/10 – I think he is a talent…NOT ON THE WING
14. Ndungane 5/10 – still avg, cannot justify keeping him ahead of Sithole(if he has issues, work with him)
15. Viljoen 7/10 – Still expecting the odd brain fart in the near future but strong performances over the past month
@Bokhoring (Comment 33) : Steyn had more attempts so he technically was more successful. Lambie however only missed the one because he hurt himself in the process of kicking so…
I will give you the up and unders, but you have to feel that Steyn reached his potential last night, while Lambie, we know can do so much more.
@David12246 (Comment 41) : I fully agree.
I dare you…Try convincing Uli of that fact
@David12246 (Comment 41) : I think his confidence is a bit shot at the moment. The poor Sharks season has done no favours to any of the Sharks Boks – Lambie included.
Unless HM deviates from his kick-chase-penalties game plan, at this stage Steyn is a better bet at Bok 10 than Lambie.
A fully confident Lambie will kick Steyn’s butt any day, but at the moment I don’t think he is suited to the Bok kick-chase plan as his kicking out of hand has become worse as the season progressed.
@Bokhoring (Comment 43) : That affects consistency though, which Meyer loves. While Steyn will be available for the Boks, Meyer will want to pick local players first. I know he isn’t leaving yet, but surely sticking with Lambie from the start would be better.
I might get band for this but I think on current form Steyn is beter than Lambie and I would pick him for the Bokke.
I am not sure if the penalty you are blaming Beast for was the second last penalty kick Steyn took. The supporter lost his lock after lifting him at an angle so naturally he came crashing down, no Shark player anywhere near him. Kaplan was in lala land saw the fall and obviously nothing else, result a penalty to the Bulls and 3 points. Now that I have thought about it a bit its a very good trick to use 3 or 4 times in the match when you are in a kickable position. Most referees will not pick it up including Kaplan. A nice 12 points. Although on the TV replay it is as clear as day. That ultimately won the Bulls the match.
@JD (Comment 45) : SKANDE!
Hey Rob it may be a “skande” but it’s how I feel.
But we all know Steyn has nothing more to offer and at international level that could find us wanting. Lambie on the other hand if he is kicking as well as Steyn can lift us far more than Steyn’s game ever could. Meyer has to allow that with the game plan though and Lambie has to lift his game. Even though he is playing in a weaker Sharks team he hasn’t exactly set the field on fire. Tough choice for Meyer but there is only one choice if he is serious about building for the future.
@markp (Comment 46) : I think that was the one Franco got yellow-carded for.
Beast got penalized close to the end which allowed Steyn to kick the match winning penalty.