Put yourself in the shoes of a coach whose side has managed to record a good win – a vital win – after a string of bad results.
Nothing – I repeat nothing – is now as important to the team, the fans, the administration as being able to build on that win and turning an isolated decent performance into a string of good results. To make matters worse, let’s assume that your next foe is one of the competition’s front-runners, coming to play you high on confidence and with an even better win under their own belts against a previously unbeaten team.
Surely you have to throw everything – including the kitchen sink – into winning that game? As is, you’re faced with an injury report for the week that rules out no fewer than three big name players ahead of the encounter, so you’re going to have to mix and match a little.
… and then someone tells you that you’re not allowed to play three of your match winners because they need rest?
As that coach, who lives and dies by the result, that’s got to be a pretty bitter pill to swallow. Let’s hope that sanity prevails and that any coach who finds himself in such a position is able to make a compelling case against this blanket policy and come to some sort of a sensible compromise. Perhaps the following week’s game against a slightly softer foe might be the right time for these hard working players to enjoy their week off?
We’ll keep you posted.
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We knew well beforehand that the boks will need to be rested. I would have kept Pat and Reinach at home against the Cheetahs to ensure they can play this game.
Absolutely Rob! Marcell and Pat is absolutely non-negotiable for us against the Chiefs.
Would hate to be in Gold’s boots right now.. 😯
Cheetahs played oupa last week.but then they had a bye already
@Dragnipur (Comment 1) : in hindsight, so would I, but at the time, getting that win was vital.
I mean, can you imagine the pressure Gary would have been under, after 1/4, had he not sent his strongest possible team to Bloem?
This was known, no way the Sharks management can now complain about the system.
BTW, do we have clarity on exactly which Boks are affected? Is it only Boks with Bok contracts?
@Dunx (Comment 3) : None of what you said is relevant.
Number 1: The Sharks game was only the Cheetahs’ fourth game of the season.
Number 2: A bye doesn’t count as a rest week for the Boks.
Full sympathy with the coaches here, BUT if they knew what was coming then there is nothing more to say if they are forced to rest players. They will also have to live with the fact that they will be going into the game with a completely undercooked flyhalf (unfair to him, the team and fans).
Heres hoping that we can play all our fit first choice players especially since we have just pulled off an away win to negate our earlier home defeat. We dont want to lose another home game. Home games give the team a huge advantage and against a team like the Chiefs you need to make use of any advantage you have at your disposal.
@robdylan (Comment 4) : Yes it was, but the Sharks also needs to back their structures. Start Hoffman and Fred. Should be a great learning experience for the guys. Keep Frans at IC, he’s doing great there, and with the chiefs running straight our midfield will need to do a lot of defending. I also want to see Frans vs Sonny Bill!
Is there any talk of negotiating with saru about resting the boks next weekend Rob?
@robdylan (Comment 5) : Would it be fair to say that the losses as well as the resultant pressure to get a win have interfered with the coaches’ rotation policy?
I get the feeling they would have given a player like Fred some game time by now had they not fallen upon some hard times of late. The resting of the Boks obviously didn’t catch them by surprise but to a degree their hands were tied.
I won’t complain though should SARU stick to their guns on this one. I still back the idea.
Very good point, this is an International tournament that we have entered into with teams from two other countries.How can we be expected to perform on an equal footing if the other two nations are not playing under the same restrictions.
What they should have done is make the tournament less brutal in a World Cup year, e.g. instead of playing the Cheetahs twice in four weeks,we could have played them once and rested the entire squad for one game.
If the same rules apply to the other SA teams then I cannot see how we can complain. Perhaps better planning and foresight would have eased matters?
@tigershark (Comment 10) : Yes.
So I’m waiting for all the same people who are encouraging SARU to stick to their guns here to slate the Sharks if they lose to the Chiefs with an understrength team.
Whilst the injuries are a pain (excuse the pun) they are a part of the game and the only thing to do is lump it, pull up the socks and work harder.
That’s why the coaches and players get paid the big bucks.
Mercury said the boks have been training with the boys this week, so either they doing that in the hope that they can come to some kind of compromise or one has been given already, otherwise this makes no sense.
@Dragnipur (Comment 9) : you 100% ryt we have to back our structures now, leave Steyn @IC.
@robdylan (Comment 15) : We are not going to lose,but if we do we can blame SARU and not Gold so its a win win for the crew at K.P.
@robdylan (Comment 15) : I agree with you. Yes,we knew about the boks needing to rest, but there is no way we could have rested them last week, we needed the win. Same thing this week, we need to win all games at home,even if it is against the chiefs. We really need all our boks. Plus, winning against NZ teamz in SR, will give the boks more confidence when they play them in the championship and WC later this year
@Feather (Comment 16) : 😯 They do?
Surely this has to be in saru’s best interests as well. Seeing the chiefs beat our two best sides on SA soil is a bit of an embaressment to them!
@The hound (Comment 12) : Well the new zealanders and possibly oz do have systems in place to give their international guys time off.
By agreeing to rest the Boks every five games SARU have in effect demeaned this contest.
At the end of the season ,and I say this without spite, the Cheetahs will most probably be way below the Chiefs on the log.So in fairness to the competition we should have rested our top players last week.
I value a Sharks Super rugby trophy above a Bok Semi final appearance,or even above a losing final appearance.Especially if Lambie is on the bench for that final.
@Ben (Comment 7) : Actually I think a bye does count as a rest week. The SARU statement seems to be contradictory, but it ends by mentioning key players may not play for more than 5 weeks in a row – not 5 games.
A good compromise may be to rest Coetzee (as he takes a lot of knocks), and allow Lambie to play.
@The hound (Comment 12) : To my knowledge the AB’s also have a mandatory rest for the key AB’s. Not sure about the Wobblies, but the AB’s were rested for some games already, even though they haven’t played 5. Think there are a set number of matches that the AB’s can play in Super rugby.
@Bokhoring (Comment 25) : Maybe Rob can clear this one up for us, Rob?
@KingCheetah (Comment 26) : I think you might be right. I remember them having a similar sort of thing for the last World Cup.
@Bump (Comment 21) : awful lot of hoo ha about it then.
Before the 2007 RWC the All Blacks were rested in the 2007 SR comp. You will recall this was the infamous Sharks vs Bulls final year.
Look where it got the All Blacks in that RWC…
Ooooh what a question! A Sharks Super Rugby win or a Boks RWC later this year?
Reckon I lean towards the former…
But honestly, just my two cents worth. I don’t see SARU overturning this. If this was an agreement between SARU and all the SA unions then I don’t see why they should make any exceptions for us. All we can (and should) do is suck it up.
I recall Fred has a blinder last year against the Waratahs at home – after we lost Lambie to injury in the Bulls game. In the end we will just need to trust our depth to pull it through for us. The moment you rely too much on one player is when you will set yourself up to fail.
@Bokhoring (Comment 33) : Well said. My sentiments exactly.
@The hound (Comment 24) : New Zealand is resting players as well, although it’s not a blanket rule but is managed on a case by case basis. They also did this in 2011. Try to keep up.
@Feather (Comment 30) : And look where it got them in 2011.
@MysticShark (Comment 36) : nah mate. We all know the kiwis can only win a RWC at home. Proof in the pudding – ’87 & ’11.
And look where it got us in 2007 and didn’t get us in 2011. Can go round in circles.
Fact is the rules apply to all SA teams. We need to be smart.
@Bokhoring (Comment 33) : Agree, but by not giving Fred a run in these games the coaches have also sent a message to him ie “we dont back you to do the job that we want to be done.”
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 39) : These are the self same guys who have backed S.P thru more no shows than Quinton de Kok,there is no justice in this world
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 39) : I might be wrong, but if I can recall correctly, Fred was injured for our first three games.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 39) : That is why I expect Frans will deputize at 10, Esterhuyzen at 12 with Fred on the bench – if no extension is granted for Pat.
@Bokhoring (Comment 33) : The big problem is that our second choice 10 hasn’t had any game time and we have no idea what to expect from fred.
@Bokhoring (Comment 42) : thats probably our best bet with frans at 10 but then you break up the only bit of continuity in the backline. steyn, esterhuizen and peterson is a huge backline though.
am backing Fred, Hoffman, and whoever rotates in for Marcell to have a blinder of a game. End of the day they are Sharks. And the Sharks can take the Chiefs.
I would love to see a full strength Sharks team every week but owing to the nature and length of the comp that is just not possible. Goign with that SARU and the franchises have agreed that the Boks are the greater good hence the need to rest players. So yes the Sharks need their best vs the Chiefs..but they knew up front who was allowed to play and who had to be rested. Say we play Lambie and Coetzee and both get injured vs the Chiefs…then where does the blame lie? And who will be first to moan when Morne Steyn plays 10 for the Boks?
We’ll still have a great backline.
Hoffman – Steyn – Mvovo – Esterhuizen – JPP – Ndungane – Marais
That’s still a fairly potent combination with a mix of very experienced campaigners with some juniors.
Problems come in the forwards:-
Mtawarira – Bismarck – JdP (all available)
Wentzel – Botha
Wentzel is a classy no. 5 but no one is in the league of PSdT other than a 2009 Victor Matfield
And then a messy backrow. With injuries to Deysel, Mtembu and Coetzee being rested, we’re a bit short. Can we call Keegan Daniel? 😛
Can Bothma play at 6? In which case
Bothma – Oosthuizen – Kanko
@Bokhoring (Comment 42) : Yep, I also have a hunch that Steyn will play at 10 if Pats not available.
I for one hope that Steyn doesn’t play at 10. I never want to see him play 10 again. We need to back Fred.
@josefgremlin (Comment 47) : They will probably go with Reinach at 9 – I don’t think he counts as a key Bok – does not have a contract anyway.
@Ben (Comment 49) : Would not be my preference, but due to lack of game time for Fred that is what I think the coaches will go for.
@Bokhoring (Comment 50) : Reinach is on “the list”
@robdylan (Comment 52) : Rather could you put up the list for us? I am interested to see who counts as key Boks.
@Bokhoring (Comment 53) : they don’t publish the list. You need to discern it by asking key questions of the right people.
@josefgremlin (Comment 47) : I saw Keegan in Gateway on Saturday he told me he is not coming back this year but when I asked him about next year he said nothing
@robdylan (Comment 54) : What about a bye? Does it count as a rest week or not?
@robdylan (Comment 54) : I don’t understand why ‘the list’ is a secret. Why don’t they just publish it?
If true we can still field a quality side. But as your article is named – “Momentum Killer” that is exactly what it does … Remember SARU only has jurisdiction on Contracted Boks in this regard – they must have been a pre arranged deal as to how many games is allowed etc. Beast and Jannie have sat out as has Bismarck. Thus front row intact. The concern would clearly be with Marcell Coetzee, Pat Lambie and Lwazi Mvovo. (Cobus is not contracted)
My team I would consider for this clash …
1. Beast
2. Bismarck (c)
3. Jannie
4. Giant
5. Mouritz
6. Bothma
7. Oosthuizen
8. Kankowski
9. Cobus
10. Frans
11. Sbura
12. Eesterhuizen
13. JPP
14. Odwa
15. SP
16. Cooper
17. Du Toit
18. Lourens
19. Marco
20. Dan Du Preez
21. Hoffman
22. Zeilinga
23. Heimar
We will have rotated our boks who are “lacking rest” as well as kept a stable Spine in the team that has experience and leadership ability …
Personally believe that team is still strong enough to beat the Chiefs …
@KZNRugbyFan (Comment 58) : Neither is Mvovo. He doesn’t have a Bok contract.
@KZNRugbyFan (Comment 58) : But it doesn’t matter if you they have a contract or not. This five game policy counts for all ‘key’ Boks.
@robdylan (Comment 15) : I truly hope that Gold can manage to have our Boks play but to be fair it’s not SARU’s fault that we have only won 2 from 5 with all our Boks available.
……unless we can blame them for appointing a rookie ref to blow the Bulls game.
In hindsight it’s pity we weren’t ‘forced’ to rest PSdT last weekend.
@Ben (Comment 56) : I don’t know.
@Pokkel (Comment 61) : I’m not saying anything is anybody’s fault here. I’m just pointing out how tough the situation is for the Sharks and wondering whether there isn’t a way around it.
@robdylan (Comment 63) : Then I guess it’s safe to say that no one knows. I wonder if SARU themselves know. 🙄 😀
Looks like SBW is out for saturday!
@tigershark (Comment 66) : yeah, SBW and Nanai-Williams are both out
@tigershark (Comment 66) : Pity I love watching him play
@robdylan (Comment 67) : Both the cousins!!!
@The hound (Comment 69) : bugger me, they are cousins too! I never realised that.
@robdylan (Comment 70) : They’re not quite the same size but their skills are mad!
@Pokkel (Comment 71) : yeah. Reasonably relieved not to be facing either of them.
In 2007 we won the World Cup and there was no resting the boks in that year. I know it was still only TRINATIONS then and no trips to Argentina. But I think it’s unfair to rest the boks in such an important tournament. Instead of watering down the Rugby Championship this year, they should have cut it out altogether.
AND not all boks are ANCIENT!!! Get my drift!? Let the ancient ones rest!
@robdylan (Comment 72) : But still a pity not to watch them in the flesh,there is no better sight in rugby at the moment than that big guy doing the things he does at the pace he does them.
Never know when he will come back to Durban again,as he probably go straight back to league after the W.C.
@The hound (Comment 74) : I saw him doing it to the Sharks first-hand in London.
I NEVER want to see it again 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 67) : Thats doubly rough for the Chiefs and the spectators, Dang it.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 76) : you guys are such egalitarians….
I want the Sharks to be as good as possible and the Chiefs as bad…. 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 75) : There are a few,very few players that are so brilliant at what they do ,that you forget your natural xenophobic feelings towards them,he is one Christian Cullen,Michael Jones,John Eales,and sometimes Dan Carter are others.
@The hound (Comment 78) : I’m no xenophobe, trust me. I just don’t like other people playing well against the Sharks 🙂
@The hound (Comment 78) : Carlos Spencer in his prime…
@robdylan (Comment 79) : O.k then Selachophobia,[email protected]Culling Song (Comment 80) : Sorry not in the same class
@The hound (Comment 81) : I’ll admit he was not in the same class, but for sheer entertainment value, an on-song King Carlos was pretty much peerless (for me, at least). Unfortunately for him, his mental constitution was more Darryl Cullinan than Gary Kirsten
@robdylan (Comment 52) : If Reinach is on the list, then I guess Mvovo will be too?
@Culling Song (Comment 82) : He was a maverick,which is quite rare in our game,but for me Cullen was pure class.Danie Gerber was another,
@robdylan (Comment 54) : So my guess is all contracted Boks plus anybody that went on the NH tour then?
@Bokhoring (Comment 83) : I don’t think he is.
@robdylan (Comment 86) : what about guys like Flo and Ruan Pienaar when their season starts???
@The hound (Comment 87) : SARU holds no sway there.
based on what’s just been said by Dave Rennie, SBW will be given until Friday to prove his fitness
@robdylan (Comment 77) : 😆 Maybe its because their sort are few and far between these days.
@robdylan (Comment 77) : amen to that!totally on your side on this one!
Guys who is Angus Gardner? He is reffing our game, good bad?
@Sharksmad – The Blog’s Dudette (Comment 92) : Angus sounds like a confused Kiwi/Scot
Here is the thing for me, although I fully agree with Rob on this one as I have already stated on various posts that this resting of players will hurt us! the same can be said of our own rotation all be it that on self imposed rotation it is in your own hands where enforced resting is not.
The fact is that al these changes every week stop players from forming solid partnerships and stops continuity.
A good example is our coach and some players only joined the team very late and thus was not involved in pre season training,
Stormers coaching staff and players all worked together pre season, and it is clear to see the players that have been prepped together for SR, yet it is the Sharks that have the bigger names for example.
To add to that, it is common knowledge in here that most would like to see Sbura back at 13 with JP moving to 14.
Yet in an article on sharksrugby website the Sharks backline coach has spoken of the importance of keeping JP and Steyn together in the midfield for the sake of continuity.
What this means is exactly what some of us have been saying for some time, but how to solved it like for next year?? who knows as some of the players will again return to Japan etc and thus not be available for the pre season planning etc.
@sharks_lover (Comment 93) : my thoughts exactly
@sharks_lover (Comment 96) : I totally agree, this whole exodus of players coming back and going to Japan each year is hurting the Sharks more than anything else.
@Uli Boelie (Comment 98) : There also seem to be two types of contracts,Kanko,Frans and J.P go with the union’s blessing,Deysel had to reapply to join again,and Keegan was offered nothing.
@robdylan (Comment 15) : Not my style Rob 😀
Lest we forget…not only were the sharks the only team taking almost maximum wins in their aus nz tours last year (even with a depleted team) but they also beat one of the competition favourites and the most successfull franchise in s15 the crusaders at home – with a man down – at one point 2 men down and the aforementioned depleted team. If any franchise can pull the impossible out of a hat its the sharks. However I personally don’t consider it so far fetched that this team can beat the chiefs, we have the firepower and hopefully the belief now as well.
@vanmartin (Comment 100) : and I value the minority posters….. 🙂
Sbura should be at 13. Or do we really want him to bugger off next year?
Gold was in a tough position, I doubt many would have looked too kindly at him dropping Pat, Marcell, etc for the Cheetahs game when we were staring down 1/4. Look at how huge Marcell was anyways, hope we can get something resolved.
@The hound (Comment 99) : Boet, It is not that the Sharks treated Deysel and Daniel differently, both left the Sharks without a promise of returning, Deysel however got home sick and wanted to return thus re-applied by the Sharks, I am sure if Daniel wants to return he will through his agent contact the Sharks. As for Steyn, JP and Kanko they had a agreement in place before they left.
Newsssssssssssssssss on PSDT
http://www.sarugbymag.co.za/blog/details/du-toit-hails-miracle
News is PS might only be out for 3 months, much depends on rehab.
@sharks_lover (Comment 106) : pal, I posted my story an hour ago.
I really can’t see how 1 game would make that much of a difference. We can easily rest these guys against the force. Although, I have to say. I thought there was opportunity to avoid a situation where you have to rest a bunch of guys all at once. Resting one guy, even in a crunch game would probably have been better than having to rest a few at once. Even against the force making a number of changes could be risky. In fact, there is a better chance that we’d lose against the tougher opposition regardless of whether we play or strongest possible team, while changing a couple against a weaker team could have the same result.
@Big Fish (Comment 103) : There may be a chance though that Sbu is not considered a 13 in the new coaching regime?
@vanmartin (Comment 110) : I had a chat with im in France (over the breakfast buffet).
HE definitely still wants to play 13, but he didn’t strike me as terribly convinced that the coaches necessarily agree.
@robdylan (Comment 111) : Pity if that’s the case. We’ve been saying it since last year, he looks far more at home at 13 where as JPP looks far more comfortable on the wing.
@robdylan (Comment 111) : @vanmartin (Comment 112) : must say I do like Sithole at 13 and JPP at 14.