To Melbourne we go for the first tour match for the Sharks.
Kick-off is at 11h40 SA time.
Rebels: 15 Jason Woodward, 14 Male Sau, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Mitch Inman, 11 Tom English, 10 Bryce Hegarty, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Scott Higginbotham (captain), 7 Scott Fuglistaller, 6 Colby Faingaโa, 5 Luke Jones, 4 Cadeyrn Neville, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Shota Horie, 1 Cruze Ah-Nau.
Replacements: 16 Pat Leafa, 17 Max Lahiff, 18 Paul Alo-Emilie, 19 Hugh Pyle, 20 Sean McMahon, 21 Nic Stirzaker, 22 Tom Kingston, 23 Angus Roberts.
Cell C Sharks: 15 Lwazi Mvovo, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Heimar Williams, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Francois Steyn, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Willem Alberts, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis (captain), 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Dale Chadwick, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Etienne Oosthuizen, 20 Keegan Daniel, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Fred Zeilinga, 23 SP Marais.

here we go
White’s Sharks in white……
Go Sharks!!!!!!
Steyn looks like Lord Flashheart with his ‘stache.
GO SAAAAAKKKKKSSSSS!!!!
This must be a penalty try!!!!!!
What a joke!!!
Bad call by the ref!!!!!! Even OZ commentators called a penalty try.
Great first touch for Jannie and he knocks on!!!!
Fair call. Not sure Mvovs would definitely have scored.
Great first scrum!
Pietersen keen to jam!
Marcell off!!! Looks like a shoulder. Keegan on.
@rhineshark (Comment 10) : in hindsight yes, yellow card unwarranted as well.
if that hand did not impede, that could have been a try? so penalty try should have been awarded?
Awesome stuff Keegz!
Nice turnover Keegs!
Good work by Keegan to win a penalty.
@Gerhardt (Comment 15) : Could have vs Would have. Too much doubt.
If it was Mvovo doing the same in our in goal area I would be mighty pissed off if a penalty try was awarded.
Rebels trying to match us physically, not gona work.
Shocking by the officials missing blatant forward pass!!!!
Rebels finding holes way too easily.
Song for these refs: 3 blind mice…
Ya … forward pass around a sharks player
Come on Sharks!!! Just play some structured rugby!!!!!
FORWARD
Good counter.
Fuck just tackle!!!!! Come on Sharks!!!!
@uShaka (Comment 27) : shit tackling!!!
And thays not a penalty
Rebels going for poles. 3-0 after 20min.
3-0 rebels
Penaltyto Sharks from the restart. Sharks going for poles. 3-3 after 21min.
Yas our gameplan gents! :'( To each his own I guess.
not taking enough advantage of territorial—another terr pass by steyn
Still can’t pass. ๐
Lucky break for the Sharks as Steyn miss touch. And yet another knock on by the Sharks.
Lucky penalty to the Sharks. Going for poles. Sharks 6-3 after 26min.
uneasy feeling here…
Remember when the Sharks used to be able to score tries…
Penalty to Rebels after some bad tackling. Going for poles. 6-6 after 28min.
Penalty to the Sharks. Steyn going for poles. 9-6 after 30min.
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 40) : I don’t think even the Sharks can remember.
This is pretty appalling.
And the sharks get another penalty (yawn)
Sharks defence are pathetic tonight!!!!
lekka jannie-lol
We look SO much better when we run it!!
How the hell could we not score with such a massive overlap from turnover ball?
@JD (Comment 46) : So no change from last week then.
Finally some enterprising play. Same result though
That looked like a dangerous tackle there
Penalty for dangerous tackle. Steyn going for poles. 12-6 after 35min.
Thats a yellow … damn hpmetown bias
This is pathetic revering … come on…
Sharks line up another penalty (snooze)
@Bokhoring (Comment 52) : bit of a hard call as Keegan jumped into the tackle.
Better kicking by the Sharks.
Tackle was nothing. Rough call against Rebels there.
At least when we run it back we get the penalties
Six point lead and already it looks like Sharks are playing to protect it.
Sharks looking forward way better on attack! !!! Penalty to the Sharks. 15-6 after 38min.
I take it back.. sharks beginning to find some gaps.
To win without risk is to triumph without glory. That’s the gist of it quite frankly.
Some bright spots here and there, but mostly crap dull kick and chase.
Half time, Sharks lead 15-6. Real mixed bag by the Sharks but hey 9 point to the good.
The Sharks just need a win here – to get back on track. Bonus point would be exactly that – a bonus.
@uShaka (Comment 64) : Nope, to win is to win to lose is to lose….
@JD (Comment 57) : Penalty was fair. Yellow would have been excessive.
Frans Steyn off to japan til next 2015 super rugby. Not interested in Rugby championship. Loyal to sharks. Love it
Super Sport guys say it should have been a penalty try and yellow.
@West Indies Cricket Board (Comment 70) : As long as he plays for the Sharks I am happy.
Ok, so sharks have this snooze fest by the scruff of the neck. I think they were just saving themselves in the first half for all those penalties and drop kicks they will get in the second.
As excessive as it is … the law is the law. If a player goes over the horizontal the risks to the player are huge.
@Seth101 (Comment 68) : lol we’ll take an ugly win any day! Stuff the glory!
On a positive note though, Marcell’s shoulder injury didn’t look too bad, not much of a grimace there either.
jeez this is kak….
@Seth101 (Comment 71) : So does Michael Lynach in the Sky studio. I think the problem is that Nigel Owens wrongly set a precedent by carding Brock James and awarding a penalty try against Clermont in the ERC semi final.
@Seth101 (Comment 71) : even OZ commentators called for penalty try.
Second half starts. Hope Sharks tackling is better.
All we need to do now is kick everything back at the Rebels and defend the lead.
@robdylan (Comment 77) : yes!!!!
Lol did Steyn just save a ball that could have gone out on the FULL???? LOL
Better Sharks way better!!!! Almost a try out of nothing.
I’m shocked.. The sharks can pass…
@uShaka (Comment 83) : yes he did.
@uShaka (Comment 83) : jip ๐
Bright start for sharks. looking like they want to play for a change
@Franshark (Comment 85) : and catch!!!
But still those little dumb errors…
Things are looking better for the moment.
5m line out to the Sharks. Come on Sharks!!!!
Jink in approach quite evident and fruitful!
Lol or not…
Sharks not finishing their chances!!! Come on Sharks!!!!
Why do we have only one strategy near the line? Bash, bash, bash. Fuckall else!
And more silly errors…
Time for Cobus…
how did we not score there???????????????
Is this ref seriously bad or favouring the rebels
Shocking. Monster them in the scrum, they put their hands in the scrum and win a penalty.
Oh yeah Willem…
@Gerhardt (Comment 99) : Too predictable.
Great shot of the Rebels coach with his head in his hand.
Does White Know that KZN is not a nation and thus we are not playing Test match rugby?
Our centers are falling for the inside step often!
Ah yes the mystical technical offside …
Penalty to the Rebels, going for poles. Rebels 9-15 after 55min.
And they’re back.. The sharks we come to know… knocking and coughing… The ball
SP on for Jordaan.
Adriaanse on for Jannie.
JP-wtf///////
What a shit pass by JPP!!!!! COME ON SHARKS!!!!
This ref……
Our skills are not up to scratch, it looks like there is too much emphasis on set pieces and conditioning and no skills training
We’ll take the win.
Looking at how JPP is playing after playing in Japan I’m not sure it a good thing for Steyn to play there!!!!
@uShaka (Comment 116) : me to but we must get a bigger lead than 6 points.
Yeeeeesssssssss
At fffff last…..
Is this some kind of joke. Is it obligatory for the sharks to make a dumb unforced error when they are building momentum.
YES YES YES THAT’S HOW YOU SCORE!!!!!!!
Yes PLZ!!
@robdylan (Comment 77) : As were the previous 3 games.
YES! FINALLY! jeez. phew… Breathe…
Eventually!!! And luckily the officials miss another forward pass.
Simple rugby … draw your man and pass
Geesz my stream is slow. No score yet..
What is the score and time please? Luckily I can’t watch the game.
Great team try by the Sharks scored by JPP. SHARKS 22-9 after 65min.
Mvovo is my player of the season thus far.
Now three more of those… haahahahahahHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Did JPP score? ๐ฏ
Time and score please?
Nice. I just scared the kids shouting when we scored the try.
Penalty to Rebels 5m out. Come on Sharks!!!!!
Sharks 22 Rebels 9 (68min)
Have they not collapsed every duck so far but he blows us for it?
Another penalty 5m out. Ref talking to the captains.
Thank you sir
Sharks fast asleep.
Sharks 22 Rebels 16 (71min)
Didnt he tell Bissie to talk to his team???
The commentator “it didn’t leave his foot but who cares” so um…..
They must seriously review this referee’s performance
Rebels score a soft try from a quick tap. Rebels 16-22 after 70min.
That is disgusting refereeing
We were wrongly denied a try and now they have been wrongly awarded one.
Lucky break off kickoff. Time to put this game out of its misery.
and he drops it..
Refereeing has been abysmal this year
Beast off Dale on. And another knock on by the Sharks.
dare play like this against saders and brumbies…..lol at your own peril
Come on Sharks only 6 odd min. to go!!!!
Again we piss away possession on attack.
@Gerhardt (Comment 152) : take 7 points off them add 7 to us then come back, hard to play good rugby with a bad ref.
Sharks scum on half line. 3 and a bit to go. Come on Sharks!!!!!
Ref 0/10
I love how the commentator say Steyn is going to Japan but gives no context.
Keegan you hero!
I love it how no comments are coming through in the final minutes
Not even the 3 blind mice could stop us from winning
Penalty to the Sharks and they beat the Rebels. YES YES YES SHARKS!!!!!
Thick as pigshit. We can’t do a basic thing like run down the clock for 30 seconds! ๐ฏ
eish close one…..
Shiiiiiit that was toooo close….
What a crappy game. Glad we have the 4 points though.
And 1 Ausie commentator who knows nothing about the rules of rugby
Sharks 22 Rebels 16 (FT)
Get ready for 3 hidings in a row ๐
4 points, no serious injuries. Perfect start.
Brumbies, Crusaders, Blues. Can’t see it.
We did well to secure this game under these conditions
Well done Sharks!!
@KILLER SHARK (Comment 167) : Aussie commentator knows as much about rugby laws as the ref.
A away win is worth gold. 4 log points, lets see what we do next week against the Brumbies.
Beautiful rugby, loved it, bleddie ref robbed us of a try there in the beginning and that try the rebels scored was unfair as the ref said bissie must talk with his men only to allow the rebels to score while we’re still busy. But nonetheless, we become the first and most probably, only sa team to win overseas lovely
@Stiko85 (Comment 176) : Reminds one of a certain Irish incident, doesn’t it?
Deysel will be missed!!! He had a HUGE game!!!!!!
Hard to believe that that the Sharks are the first SA team to win a game overseas this year. Well done team.
I don’t the law here but must the ref not wait until the sharks are ready?
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 179) : and if the Bulls lose then Sharks could really be sitting pretty on top of the SA log.
@Southern_Shark (Comment 180) : biggest problem with the Rebels try was the scrum half did not release the ball with the quick tap.
Did Fred Zed get on the field?
@JD (Comment 175) : im starting to think there is value in awarding a team more points for an away win
Jake will have to work hard on handling and ball protection. You just cannot score tries if you can’t keep the ball for more than 3 phases.
That is pretty much the reason for all the kicking. This team just does not know how to catch and pass properly.
I do hope for 3 bonus points (losing) from the next three games. But then the defense will have to improve dramatically. The Rebels managed to make to many metres – fortunately they are only marginally better than the Sharks at keeping the ball.
@Gerhardt (Comment 184) : especially a win in another country. This was a really good win for the Sharks!!!!
@JD (Comment 182) : No for sure. But their opportunity to take a quick tap was when the penalty was first awarded. I feel, after telling the captains to have a chat, the ref had to wait until the Sharks had their line set before allowing the Rebels to tap. They were still walking back to their positions when the rebels went.
@Southern_Shark (Comment 187) : only ray of sunshine is it did not cost the Sharks the win. Ref was really not great tonight.
@JD (Comment 188) : Neither was the Sharks. Basic skills are super sh*t. I am more worried about our defense. We don’t necessary miss tackles, the tackles are not positive or even neutral. Negative tackles doesn’t stop the attacking team’s momentum. Excuse the grammar, don’t if it’s right. ๐
@Southern_Shark (Comment 189) : Don’t mind grammer it’s optional for me, but Sharks poor tackling can’t be excused and needs to be improved before next week!
@Southern_Shark (Comment 187) : The ref have already said time back on again, sharks were just caught napping @Southern_Shark (Comment 180) : no when he say time on an award the penalty you must be ready
@rhineshark (Comment 10) : only qeustion I have for you do you think mvovo would probably have scored the try? I believe yes
@BR (Comment 191) : time on call is fair but the scrummy did not take the quick tape correctly, as the ball never left his hand so therefore no try.
@BR (Comment 192) : Agreed, if that last Rebel defender thought he could have got the ball first and dive on it he wouldn’t have slapped it away. The only way to prevent the try was to slap it away. Bet you if that was an SA player he would have gotten yellow easily..
@RedSharkUtd82 (Comment 194) : SA player slapping the ball – penalty try and yellow for sure!! But luckily it did not cost the Sharks the game, 4 points safely in the bag!!!!
@JD (Comment 193) : for sure it was not a try but too many people wanted to compare this to what happened to the springboks in 2004.
@JD (Comment 195) : Yip foul play is dealt with way too lightly in the southern hemisphere(and the overall standard of refereeing is dropping in superugby), Where is taht ref in europe that dished out 5 yellows and 1 red in a single match just because the players thought they could get away with it what a LEGEND
I watched a couple of aviva premiership games this past few weeks and dare I say their refereeing have been better than that of the superugby.
@BR (Comment 196) : some people will never get over that day, yes it was wrong yes we were pissed off at the ref but hell nobody died get over it!!! Poor refereeing yes, vendetta against all things South African I don’t think so.
@BR (Comment 197) : standard of the referees in Super rugby is a real concern. Some refs are really poor!! Something needs to be done but I don’t think the powers that be has the guts to act against these poor referees.
@BR (Comment 192) : No. I don’t think Mvovo would definitely have scored. The Rebels players got to the ball before Mvovo. He could just as easily have knocked the ball 2 meters to the left and fallen on it before Mvovo could.
I always ask myself if I would have thought it should be a penalty try against us if Mvovo had done the same thing in our in goal. The answer is no.
@rhineshark (Comment 201) : there is a reason why I asked probably not definitely , you can never tell if a try would definitely have been scored, the law clearly states that if a try probably would have been scored if not for the foul play a penalty try must be awarded .
And so the only team to score an away win this week is…………………….. THE CELL C SHARKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
@rhineshark (Comment 201) : @BR (Comment 202) : you’re not allowed to deliberately knock the ball away. The Rebels player was in no position to catch the ball, all he could do was knock the ball away were as Mvovo’s hands was centimetres away from grabing the ball and scoring.
@BR (Comment 202) : That’s only how it works in theory. Rugby laws are all open to interpretation, which leads to a wide range of referee decisions for a wide range of variations of just about every possible transgression.
I don’t know if you saw the Saracens vs Clermont game, where Nigel Owens erroneously awarded a penalty try and carded Brock James for the same thing. It’s a case in point.
@JD (Comment 204) : You are allowed to deliberately knock the ball away. What you can’t do is deliberately knock it out of touch or in goal, which is the offense.
The ball could have bounced to the left, right or wherever without going dead, dotted down by a Rebels player and it would have been a 22 drop out.
I don’t think we’re going to agree on this. ๐
@rhineshark (Comment 206) : no I don’t think we’re going to agree on this, just remember a ref must ref what happened and not what could have happened, if you ref what could have happend you are opening yourself for a lot of trouble as a ref
That is where the problem starts with everyone having there own interpretation while the laws are quite clear if you read them properly, and believe me Sarra is trying to get everyone to blow the laws the same.
@rhineshark (Comment 206) :
You’ll have a hard time finding a better case for a penalty try than this one.
In lieu of the ball being knocked out of Mvovo’s grasp, him catching and grounding it was the most probable outcome
The Rebels player had no chance of dotting the ball down himself and had he knocked it such that it would have stayed in goal, a try would still have been probable as the next player on the scene was Pietersen.
The way he knocked it indicates that he knew he had to knock it out to prevent a try.
Intentionally transgressing any law counts as foul play.
Law 10.2 (a)
Intentionally Offending. A player must not intentionally infringe any Law of the Game, or
play unfairly. The player who intentionally offends must be either admonished, or cautioned
that a send off will result if the offence or a similar offence is committed, or sent off.
Sanction: Penalty kick
A penalty try must be awarded if the offence prevents a try that would probably otherwise
have been scored. A player who prevents a try being scored through foul play must either
be cautioned and temporarily suspended or sent off.
@fyndraai (Comment 209) :
By awarding the penalty, the referee assumed that knocking it dead was intentional.
But by not rewarding the penalty try he assumed that Mvovo would have knocked or dropped the ball or that Pietersen would have tripped over his own feet before getting to the ball.
Referees are expected to make assumptions about past events but they are not allowed to assume future events.
@fyndraai (Comment 210) : even the bias OZ commentators said it’s a penalty try and if that does not convince you that it should have been a penalty try then nothing will.
Big weekend coming up guys. Let’s support and encourage the guys all week. We need to front up physically, the defence needs to be above 90% and our execution needs to be clinical. We need to boss these guys on the field.
@GreatSharksays (Comment 212) : can’t agree more, all of us knows everything is not perfect at the moment but the guys are showing guts and determination to stay in the running for the playoffs. This next two weeks is going to be huge in determining to where the Sharks will finish and the players needs all the support they can get!!!! 100% SUPPORT 100% OF THE TIME!!!!!!! GO SHARKS!!!!!!