The Sharks have home ground advantage, probably for the last time in the competition.
Can they make it count and exact revenge on the Highlander, who humiliated them at this very venue a few months ago?
Kick-off is at 17h05.
Cell C Sharks: 15 SP Marais, 14 Sibusiso Sithole, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Paul Jordaan, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Frans Steyn, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis (captain), 1 Thomas du Toit.
Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Dale Chadwick, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Etienne Oosthuizen, 20 Jean Deysel, 21 Charl McLeod, 22 Pat Lambie, 23 Tonderai Chavhanga.
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith (co-captain), 14 Richard Buckman, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Phil Burleigh, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Nasi Manu (co-captain), 7 Shane Christie, 6 Elliot Dixon, 5 Joe Wheeler, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 3 Chris King, 2 Ged Robinson, 1 Kane Hames.
Replacements: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 Matias Diaz, 18 JP Koen, 19 Josh Bekhuis, 20 Tom Franklin, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Trent Renata, 23 Gareth Evans.
Tweet
Sssssshhhhaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrkkkkkssssss!!!!
Any 1 know what the hell happened to Lewies???
Tyd loop baie stadig vandag
Why? What?
We need to play to the support player as a team to win anything from here on end. No star individuals just 1 team Sharks!!!
What happened to Lewies?
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 6) : No idea but this is bad news 🙁
Tendonitis in the knee according to SS commentators
Go Sharks
Steyn opens the Sharks account
Sharks 3
Landers 0
4min
Commentary people, please?
Slap down in front of Peyper!
We are destroying their scrums!!!
Our scrum is absolutely destroying them.
Try Coetzee! !
Try Coetzee!!!!!
Nice
Oh Yeah!!!
Penalty from a dominant scrum kicked for corner and push over try
Converted
Sharks 10
Landers 0
14min
The boys seem to have had their pronutro this morning. Great rolling maul for the try
10 – 0 Sharks
Sharks on attack lineout 10m from highlanders line scew in scrum sharks
Our forwards are killing them. Great start for the big men. We’ve destroyed them in a couple of scrums, won lineout ball off them and scored a try off a great mall…
Think we may have another one boys.
Sharks showing great physicality at the moment.
Thats a tight one, was it over the line
Nope, penalty for a double movement. Pity
Highlanders make a clean break off their lineout maul and an intercept by Alberts 5m from the sharks line saves the day
Wake up Reinach! !!
Wake up Marias!!
Shit kicking putting us under pressure again!
Highlanders are showing how dangerous they are with ball in hand. Sharks need to tighten up defensively here.
That wasn’t Marais’ fault. It was picked up inside the 22.
Clearing the 22m area needs to be the first thing a 15 should do well
Come on guys,lets get the ball out of our half and keep it there.
Hmmm… penalty Highlanders on the sharks 10 m line
And Jannie gives away his second penalty! Discipline!
Sneaks it in 10 – 3
Hahahaha now make it count
Penalty Landers
Landers 3
Sharks 10
25min
Shocking drop goal attempt by Marais ends up as 5 m lineout
25 m rolling maul ends up as a sharks penalty on the 22m
Come on boys!
Sharks 13-3
Penalty Steyn
Sharks 13
Landers 3
28min
13 – 3 Fransie nails it
Steyn nails a penalty…13-3 after 30 mins…
Keep’em comin’
3 shit kicks they score
Try Fekatoi
Try Highlanders. Our kicking game is killing us here. Marais has forgotten how to kick a ball properly
These guys are good in broken play!
Oh no…no one wanted to tackle Fekitoa…try time!
Converted
Landers 10
Sharks 13
31min
13 – 10. Sharks need to tighten up and kick properly
🙄
Another scrum penalty to the sharks gives Frans another shot on the 22 but quite wide out.
Penalty missed Steyn
Sharks 13
Landers 10
36min
Frans with a tough shot at goal…which he smacks against the upright…ooooh!
Missed… but sharks lineout on 22m
Our kicking is going to kill us here…
Better tackle on Fekitoa there by JP!
Great tackle JP
Awesome kick by frans from sharks 22 to inside Highlanders 22. Highlanders are killing the sharks in loose play
Try by Hames
Sharks play as individuals they play as a team
Try Highlanders after the hooter. They marched us back 80 m and took the halftime lead
Sums up our season
Here we go again
Converted
Highlanders 17
Sharks 13
Halftime
Highlanders are absolutely murdering the sharks in loose play, just like the last game. Sharks physicality has been blunted and its all them right now. Jake better have a plan B for the second half
Crappy defence… 😯
Bring Lambie on now or stop kicking as much,
Sharks look likely to lose this one.
Have no clue how to defend the Highlanders’ counter-attack play.
Here we go again…….
Winning the forward battle only gets you so far…
@Feather (Comment 76) : Well it doesnt get you anywhere if they play it loose. Plus in the last 20 minutes, sharks were trading scrum penalties for Highlander tries. Not a great bargain.
Jw never had a plan. He pins his hopes on Reinach and Steyn.
Atrocious defence. Playing right into the Highlanders’s hands, giving them way too much space to run into. Cut down the space, stop the offloads. Jeez, this is painful to watch!
Didn’t like observing the Sharks’ heads dropping after that 2nd try. Does not bode well.
The Sharks also look a little unfit.
@KILLER SHARK (Comment 78) : Reinach is out to sea. Get McCleod on and keep pinning the Highlanders back in their half.
Highlanders showing that you don’t need to even match the Sharks forwards to score tries almost at will.
Some good handling and running by backs and forwards.
@The Great Couch Shark (Comment 79) : Agreed. Why is it that the kicking out of hand gets noticeably worse when playing against a strong counter attack. It was pinpoint against the toothless Stormers.
Come on Peeps! Surprised that we’re behind?
We needed to be a team. JW knows only moments of brilliance. It’s up to Bissie to get unity.
@JarsonX (Comment 74) : The kicking game isn’t a bad idea if it’s done well. But kicking straight into Ben Smith’s hands all the time is a little daft.
@The Great Couch Shark (Comment 81) : yip. McLoed and Lambie will get momentum into the team imo
2nd half starts
All the talj about Ben Smith then we kick everything to him!
That’s why I admire NZ rugby. Instinct! 😎
@KILLER SHARK (Comment 87) : Will make fuck all diffs.
Great scrum Sharks!
Fucken pathetic last 20min by Sharks. Come on guys do the basics!!!!!
Ok, so another scrum penalty.. now what.
Sharks penalty… could narrow the gap to 1 point, could be an excuse for the Highlanders to score another try. Which will it be.
My bad kick for the corner
Ball lost. opportunity wasted. Highlander scrum 5m out from their line
And sharks defending their line again
Sp marias asleep Steyn can’t clear the goal line back under pressure!
Wow, 30 seconds ago, the sharks had a 5 m attacking lineout, now the Highlanders have a penalty shot at goal.
13 -20 landers
Why did we not kick for posts?!?! From behind their line, they are the ones to score points!! Come on…
13-20 after 48 mins…
Unless the Highlanders tire out quickly this game is going to get ugly like the last one against them.
Penalty Landers
Landers 20
Sharks 13
47min
Who thinks we have what it takes to win this comp. No takers?
Not me
Highlanders are going to run from anywhere. They have no respect for the Sharks defense, nor should they.
Can’t wait for JW season to be over
Sharks setup a counter attacking opportunity for the Highlanders on their 22 m
Me neither
Knock on 3 m out ends a promising passage of semi inspired play.
Mistakes, mistakes. I would have taken Marais off not Mvovo.
Brilliance without brains. Story of SA Rugby 🙄
That is pathetic…why try a fancy 50-50 flip pass JP…take it in and set up the next phase!!! Come on…
Our dominant scrum may have strangled a try…
What a scrum! 10 man rugby our only hope.
@rhineshark (Comment 113) : No… brawn without inspiration is SA rugbys problem.
Well done Sharkies pack!!
Try Bismark!!!!!
Unity up front
Yup, we lucked out. Bismark grabs the soap and the sharks are within 2 with the kick to come.
Converted
Sharks 20
Landers 20
54min
20 all
And amazingly we are all square at 20.
What a scrum…TMO to check…Bismarck scores!!
watch the Landers score within 2min
Try Chavanga
Simple passing! !!!
WTF!!!!!!
Damn, I meant Chavanga. Great great pace.
And the sharks score a longe range try.
Not Converted by Steyn
Sharks 2
Landers 20
57min
Bismarck passed! Nobody expected that.
Conversion missed 25 – 20
Awesome mixed with dogshit. Story of Sharks rugby. 🙁
and the sharks are back to defending their lines…
How can we not clear our goal line. 5 years now!
Jeepers Chavanga has pace!!
Geez… all sorts of obstruction went unnoticed there. Good thing the final pass went wide.
Losing against this Highlanders side wouldn’t be an embarrasment.
Get Reinach off!!!!!!
Try Burnleigh
another shite kick another Highlander try. We just dont learn
Converted
Landers 27
Sharks 25
64min
Nooooooooo…
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 143) : You serious? This is SA Rugby!
We’ll be lucky to sneak a win here
27 – 25 15 mins left. Not feeling confident
@KILLER SHARK (Comment 141) : Agree
Run because we can’t kick for shite!
how is that try any difference to jannies … knee on ground played the ball?
Sharks manage to get a penalty 5 m from their opwn line after another crap kick nearly resulted in another Landers try
Yes yes yes!!!
Sharks trying a somewhat new tactic here of bashing it up with the forwards and then kicking badly out of hand. Brilliant
Great interplay, with a shocker of a finish
Suddenly we have momentum
9 mins left of superrugby for the sharks, I fear, lads
charls service is awesome
Or maybe not. Deysel you biscuit!!
The difference between a team player and a star.
no try…
Need another big scrum
Lambie on?
We took that from under their feet wow!!!
Another scum penalty, going for posts and the 1 point lead
Penalty Steyn
Sharks 28
Landers 27
73min
28 – 27 sharks still alive…
Losing against this Highlanders side would’nt be an embarrasment.
technically that should have been a penalty try
Why can’t we play like that all the time? 😯
???
Suddenly we are a team!!!
4min left
@rhineshark (Comment 170) : because our 9 / 10 combo are not team players
Because the Sharks try their utmost best to give their supporters heart attacks
Come on now! Close it out. A sharks scrum just outside Lander 22 wont hurt, but they can score from anywhere.
McLoed is going to be missed
thats rubbish time keeping by walsh
Really?!! Chavhanga couldn’t score from there?
Penalty Steyn
Sharks 31
Landers 27
79min
Jw saved by our cc winners combo!!
Full Time
Sharks 31
Highlander 27
That was our final.
Fucking Lucky
Congratz Sharks. Hope you guys go all the way
Oh my word!!
SHARKS!!!!!!
We need to play as 1
They may have won but jeez the Sharks were kakalaka.
That was their final, they will fizzle and pop against the Crusaders next week.
Big result. Not feeling confident against Saders, but good to win. We very nearly didnt!
@JarsonX (Comment 175) : The Sharks must be one of the most difficult and frustrating teams to follow in world sport. Always seems to be edge of the seat stuff.
Superb game. Highlanders were great, congrats to them on a good season. Shaking like a leaf here 😀
Game by game!
What a fantastic game!
That Highlanders team are superb on the counter, but ultimately so were we.
Will have to find the same gear next weekend again.
@Big Fish (Comment 194) : That Chavanga try – amazing!
Who is our backline coach?
Cannot believe the Landers subbed Osborne, was he injured?
sharks playing some ok rugby. felt the highlanders were kept in the game by some rather weak refereeing by walsh. for a team to be penalised at every scrum and not a single warning let alone a yellow to me was poor. that “advantage quick lineout” after the knock on was dubious – the ball was taken into touch by the highlanders.
@KILLER SHARK (Comment 196) : Bismarck 😉
Our bad kicking should have been rectified by now by JW. Why not?
Geez, but the sharks make life difficult for themselves. 2 spilt balls on the tryline and kicking all night onto Ben Smith? 😯
Thought Reinach was shocking, McCleod and Lambie stabilized the team and brought calm. Pity that McCleod is leaving…
@vanmartin (Comment 195) :
Pace to burn!
I think we should have perspective on the tight result. This Highlanders team are no mugs!
I was very pleased with us looking very threatening on attack when we needed to.
Highlanders deserve some serious respect. To score 2 length-of-field tries shows amazing hand skills.
@Big Fish (Comment 202) : With more reliable set-pieces I’d wager this Highlanders team could have finished top of the NZ conference. Imagine what they could accomplish with good set-piece ball! Really impressed with their handling.
@vanmartin (Comment 204) : that Landers backs with Sharks forwards could be unstoppable!
Nick Mallet – why so sour? For the record, we beat them on tour already – with our 1-dimensional rugby. 🙄
Backs for next week muat be 9 Charl, 10 Pat, 11Mvovo, 12 Steyn, 13 Jordaan, 14 Sithole, 15 SP.
@JD (Comment 205) : If the Sharks forwards could offload like theirs do of course
Bresler has a broken rib and is out…I sure hope Lewies will be ready for next week…otherwise we look very thin at lock!!
@Big Fish (Comment 206) : yes but somehow I think next week will be a lot harder!
@JD (Comment 207) : Charl and Pat, koffie en beskuit.
@pastorshark (Comment 209) : Would have been nice to have PSdT return early.
@Feather (Comment 189) : a close game like this will be good for the Sharks as they will remain hungry and grounded for next week.
@Die Kriek (Comment 8) : @vanmartin (Comment 7) : @Pablo Dinero (Comment 6) : Really hope Lewies will be ready for next week! !!!
Anyone catch the MOTM? Gotta be Marcell, although Bissie would be justified too.
@vanmartin (Comment 215) : Come to think of it, a case could be made for Thomas du Toit too.
@vanmartin (Comment 211) : Charl was good when he can on and I think the Sharks will need his composure next week.
@vanmartin (Comment 216) : hell Big Tom was HUGE in the scrums! !!!!
Thomas Dutoit is a monster …
@vanmartin (Comment 215) : Bismarck was MOTM…
Hopeful but not convinced????
@pastorshark (Comment 220) : Thanks Pastor, how’s the heart? Beating at normal pace again? 😀
@byron (Comment 219) : yes the kid has HUGE potential!!!!
@vanmartin (Comment 222) : think most Sharks supporters heart rate will only return to normal by Monday.
@JD (Comment 224) : My wife had to brew me a cup of Vanilla Chai 😀
It was either that or a horse tranquilizer.
@vanmartin (Comment 222) : Happy…but not sure that I’ll be able to fall asleep tonight! Given that I supported Germany in the Soccer World Cup and that Jake White first introduced the analogy, here’s my (hopeful) take on things: tonight was our “Germany vs Algeria”…next week will be our “Germany vs Brazil”… 🙂
@pastorshark (Comment 226) : I missed that but interesting analogy
Cannot believe JW waited so long to sub Reinach with McLeod.
Cobus scores some amazing individualistic tries, but his passing and decision making let him down tonight.
Well done to kanko for doing so well in the line-out.
@jonnow (Comment 228) : Kanko was really good in general play too tonight. He pleasantly surprised me.
@vanmartin (Comment 225) : LMAO!!! Ja they really had me on the edge!!!
@pastorshark (Comment 226) : hope the Sharks save the “Germany Brazil” game for the final.
@vanmartin (Comment 227) : Germany drew with Algeria (a team everyone thought they would smash) and then smashed Brazil 7-1 (a game that everyone thought would be close).
@jonnow (Comment 228) : @vanmartin (Comment 229) : what surprised me was Alberts, Deysel and Marcell running into gaps and not into players. Really worked well and they made lots of ground when they did it.
@jonnow (Comment 228) : Reinach, Marias and Steyn are great as individuals but we need a team. Marias and Cobus let themselves down by showing a lack of BMT. But I believe a proper coach such as Brendan Venter can make them great. JW is director of rugby not a coach and our boys deserve better.
@KILLER SHARK (Comment 234) : Must agree on the Reinach part but Steyn is a team player, but yes Sharks must play as a team next week.
Reinach is just plain kak. He must be the scrummy in SA with the worst scrummy basics.
@vanmartin (Comment 204) : With more inventive play Id wager this Sharks team to be nigh unbeatable!!
@JD (Comment 233) : Im sorry I must have missed that?? I saw Coetzee do that once and broke the line. Every other time it was slow bludgeoning buildup.
Also as much as Ive been criticised recently, I think today’s performance by Reinach summed illustrated exactly what I have been complaining about. Steyn was solid, but there was way more flow when McLeod and Lambie were pulling the strings in the last 15 odd minutes.
@JD (Comment 207) : I really like that back line but it will never happen. JW will not drop JP!!
I would quite enjoy a Jordaan/Sithole – 12/13 combo with JP on the right wing, but that will never happe either.
@Uli Boelie (Comment 236) : So every break made by the Highlanders, every tackle missed by the Sharks, every ball dropped on the tryline by the Sharks should all be blamed on Reinach?!
We know your PERSONAL FEELINGS toward Reinach, so maybe explore different aspects of the Sharks game to criticise, instead of picking on one player, every week, jumping at every opportunity to single that one player out for your personalised criticism. 😉
Come on Uli, you’re much better than this 😈
@pienaar111 (Comment 237) : Well, unless Ungerer steps up very quickly, Reinach will be the Sharks scrummie for the next few years….best make peace with it.
Think of Reinach as the Sharks’ new Rory Kockott. Now he just needs somebody to work with him on his shortfalls.
He’s got talent to burn, so it’s time for SA to learn that a player can’t become the finished product all by himself.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 240) :
No-one is disputing that Reinach is a talented athlete (well at least I’m not), he has some awesome skills, the individualistic tries that he has scored for the Sharks are testament to that. It cannot be denied however that his game has serious shortfalls as well, for example telegraphing it to the opposition when he is planning a box kick, which result in far too many charge downs. His distribution skills and decision making under pressure could also improve, and no doubt will as he gets more experience. I know Charl is leaving us after this season, but I would still start him against the Crusaders next week and play Reinach off the bench.
My starting backline for next week:
Mcleod, Lambie, Frans, Paul Jordaan, JP, Mvovo. With Sibusiso, Cobus and Chavhanga on the bench
Kanko my MOTM
Reinach is far from a bad player and so is SP. They were just way off the pace of this game and that is mainly because of the occasion. Under the proper coaching they will be great players. Problem is that there are player management and then there is coaching. JW and HM are managers. They select individuals to play the way they see fit and can not work with any player outside this plan. Brendan is a coach and that is what Reinach deserves now. Look at the improvement of McLoed and Kockott under proper coaching.
to compare reinach and charl yesterday would be a bit harsh. when lambie came on game management shifted from scrumhalf to flyhalf with charls respinsubility primarily to clear the ruck only.
My ratings (after the overnight test)
POSITIVES:
1) The scrum – obviously
2) Thomas Du Toit
3) Bismark Du Plessis – Inspirational game from the captain
4) Lost opportunities on the tryline – Geez, how many tries were left on the park last night? Some may have a moan, but it shows you that we were in commanding situations last night. Jannie’s disallowed try was a bit of a 50/50. Deysel and Chavanga spilt close to the tryline – which flattered the scoreline at the end of the day. Most days those tries would have stuck.
5) Frans Steyn – So much of the Shark’s gameplan revolves around Steyn’s kicking and abrasive game plan. Tonight he got it right, despite the odd defensive wobbly here and there.
6) McCleod brought crisp clean service and level-headedness when it was needed most in the game.
7) Replacement Props – How reassuring it must be for Jake White to know that he can field both Chadwick and Adriaanse on, and the scrum remains devastating…
NEGATIVES
1) Cobus Reinach – Shocking kicking game from the scrummy who (despite his opportunistic moments) failed to get the basics right against a dangerous Highlanders back three.
2) SP Marais – A bit clueless on attack and defense. Basics like kicking for territory and marking channels let him down last night. Not quite sure he is up to international standard.
3) Vulnerability at outside centre – Having looked at the highlights again, noticed that Fekitoa’s and Burleigh’s try were scored in JP’s channel. Probably better to have Sithole/Jordaan at 13, and JP back out on the wing again.
4) Hand skills – SA Rugby players looking way behind their international counterparts in terms of handling skills and reading of the game. We can’t thug our way through every game, surely?
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
@KILLER SHARK (Comment 243) : what stage of Kocketts career are you referring to?
@The Great Couch Shark (Comment 245) :your no4 is the biggest problem as the Sharks skills are poor as I have said time and again,young Thomas what a player and EO also,he just adds such grunt to the Sharks pack,he and SL should be left alone to play at 4 and 5
@The Great Couch Shark (Comment 245) : would also agree on SP,clueless,kicks when he should run and runs when he should kick ,a player at this level should at least have those basics sorted,don’t blame The Great White
@FireTheLooser (Comment 240) : Just want to requote FireTheLooser’s statement in case it’s missed:
It’s time for SA to learn that a player can’t become the finished product all by himself
@Uli Boelie (Comment 236) : I agree,in fact both 9’s are poor,Sharks need to back Ungerer or should have kidnapped Aaron Smith,and to blame the Great white what a joke,Kockett arived at the Sharks with skills,he was pushed aside for other reasons and in Castre found a proper set up within which to express and showcase those skills,you can’t at this level coach those skills into a player and besides only very few ever have kocketts skill
@pienaar111 (Comment 238) : Must say Sithole really looked dangerous with ball in hand and he must start.
@jonnow (Comment 241) : would just change JP and Sithole.
@The Great Couch Shark (Comment 245) : only wished Bismark reminded the ref that almost every scrum resulted in Sharks penalty and that maybe the Landers should have been yellow carded for the repeated infringement.
Thomas du Toit is the find of the season. Jp and Sbura need to switch. Jp is a finisher. Sbura creates space. We do have a chance this year. We won games playing bad rugby. All we need now is for the backs to unite an gel together. Forwards just need to stick to what they did. Let’s hope that this year we have the luck and bounce of the ball. I deserved to be the first super champion of SA more than any other team. But never had the luck or the ref. I believe its our turn. Our year. Our chance. We just have to take it with both hands!
@Shark Overide (Comment 254) : hear hear!!!!! Go Sharks!!!!!
@JD (Comment 252) : ja that is something I thought about, but I think JP is a better defender on the wing than Sbura is. I think Sbura would maybe battle against Nadolo, whereas JP should manage him. If we were talking about playing either of them at outside centre then I would prefer Sbura over JP.
Great to have options though 😉
@jonnow (Comment 256) : must say I think Nadolo may struggle even more to handle Sithole. He really impressed me with his running skills and his ability to get away from defenders.
@byron (Comment 244) : McLoed is the reason why Lambie is good at 10. McLoed gives him ample time and space to work in. And he does this for the forwards as well on attack. The primary task of 9 is to clear the ball and create opportunities this way I.e. Chavange chance.
Any news on when the Saders game will be?!?!
@KILLER SHARK (Comment 258) : ja must say think Charl is quicker at the rucks and that is what the Sharks will need against the Saders.
@benji (Comment 246) : I am referring to the time when his ego got the better of him and him being involved in a lot of off the ball stuff.
@Shark Overide (Comment 254) : don’t know you, but I love you! 🙂
This just feels right!!!
15-MVOVO
14-JP
13-SITHOLE
12-STEYN
11-CHAVANGA
10-LAMBIE
9-MCLOUD
@tigershark (Comment 263) : not bad but I’d go with:
15 SP
14 Sithole
13 Jordaan
12 Steyn
11 Mvovo
10 Pat
9 Charl
@JD (Comment 264) :
I don’t know how you could leave JP out.
For a team that prides itself on its kicking game that was a poor display. The first contestable up and under was executed by Lambie late in the game. Most kicks before went to a Highlander with acres of space to run.
@jonnow (Comment 256) : Agreed…
@FireTheLooser (Comment 240) : @vanmartin (Comment 249) : I couldn’t agree more with that comment…just in general. In the specific case of Reinach: he has many positives…he’s also got a lot to learn. let’s do what needs to be done to teach him…and then it’s up to him to learn and improve.
@JD (Comment 231) : Fair enough…although a “Germany vs Argentina” type close win right at the end would be good enough for me too! Though maybe not good for my heart…