We’re so nearly at the end of the round-robin phase of Super Rugby, with only three rounds still to be played.
Sharks v Rebels (Friday 19h10)
With a bye in the second-last week, this is in fact one of only two remaining games for the Sharks, whose disappointing season is now about nothing more than salvaging a little pride. Having made great strides towards finding some sort of attacking mojo on tour, with a new halfback combination seeming to help in that regard, fans will be hoping for a bit of flair at Kings Park on Friday night.
The Sharks have never lost to the Rebels (although there have been some close games indeed in Melbourne) but will be foolish to take this challenge lightly, given the good performance put in by these visitors at Newlands last week. Adding to the uncertainty is yet another swathe of injury cutting through the Sharks camp; Frans Steyn in midfield has been hugely influential during the mini-recovery of late and his absence will be felt. Likewise, the rested Marcell Coetzee brings a work rate and dynamism at open-side flank that Renaldo Bothma will be hard-pressed to match.
All that aside, you’d fancy the Sharks, who seem to have bounced off the bottom and are on the way back up, to have too much firepower, provided the effects of tour fatigue don’t trip them up. I’m expecting an 8-point Sharks win.
Sharks: 15 Lwazi Mvovo, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Sibusiso Sithole, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Willem Alberts/Etienne Oosthuizen, 6 Renaldo Bothma, 5 Marco Wentzel (captain), 4 Mouritz Botha, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis , 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Matt Stevens, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 20 Etienne Oosthuizen/Khaya Majola, 21 Conrad Hoffmann, 22 Fred Zeilinga, 23 Heimar Williams.
Rebels: 15 Mike Harris, 14 Dom Shipperley, 13 Sefanaia Naivalu, 12 Mitch Inman, 11 Tom English, 10 Jack Debreczeni, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Scott Higginbotham (captain), 7 Colby Fainga’a, 6 Sean McMahon, 5 Lopeti Timani, 4 Luke Jones, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Pat Leafa, 1 Toby Smith.
Replacements: 16 Tom Sexton, 17 Cruze Ah-Nau, 18 Paul Alo-Emile, 19 Cadeyrn Neville, 20 Scott Fuglistaller, 21 Nic Stirzaker, 22 Jordy Reid, 23 Bryce Hegarty.
In other games:
Crusaders will surprise the Hurricanes, winning by 5.
The Brumbies will trounce the Bulls by 12.
The Chiefs will pip the Highlanders by 6.
The Force will beat the Reds by 3.
The Stormers will beat the Cheetahs by 9.
The Waratahs will beat the Lions by 5.
Tweet
im scared to make picks this week …
@Zibbie (Comment 1) : it’s a pleasure
@Zibbie (Comment 1) : @robdylan (Comment 2) : I hope you’ve just jinxed both the Stormers and the Waratahs.
Sharks by 12! Come on Sharks!! đŸ˜›
Expecting an 10 to 15 point Sharks loss.
I have Hurricanes and Highlanders for wins.
@Morné (Comment 5) : I have the same feeling.
Tough weekend to pick…but Saders beating Canes would be a surprise…
@MornĂ© (Comment 5) : could go that way. The team is tired and I’m sure there will be further injury withdrawals ahead of kick-off
We all know what happens when the Sharks are favourites. It’s not going to be pretty in Durban.
Very tough one this as the Rebels will come out firing for a win. Not sure what mind set the Sharks will be in. Numerous injuries does take a toll on a side, especially to influential players.
@robdylan (Comment 9) : Any idea how many games have we started this season without a last minute withdrawal? Feels like 2 or 3 out of 14 so far.
@Morné (Comment 5) : Thanks for that! We appreciate it!!
To me a first ever loss to the Rebels AT HOME would actually be far more embarrassing than a 50 point pasting by the Crusaders.
Can you imagine a season where BOTH happen?
Add in 6 consecutive losses. Add in losses to the Cheetahs and Lions. Add in a near 50 point thrashing by the Highlanders (but for a missed conversion). Add in the red card debacles. There is plenty more but I just cannot bring myself to drag it all up.
The point is, here we sit on the eve of a match against the Rebels and some among us are in all seriousness suggesting the Sharks are going to be issued a hiding by the REBELS.
I hope for Gold’s sake this does not happen. An historic first ever loss to the Rebels at home would be the straw which broke the camel’s back as far as I’m concerned. Smit and his management team would have no option but to take immediate and swift remedial action.
@Feather (Comment 14) :
Any other year I would have said yes – but this Rebels side is not a bad side, not by a long shot.
I hope the team show “character” đŸ‘¿
@Morné (Comment 15) : Yah! Rebels currently 5 points ahead of us on log with a game in hand.
Scalps for the Rebels so far this season have been Crusaders, Force, Reds, Brumbies, Chiefs and Blues.
@Feather (Comment 14) : We’ve had a bad year…and we’re playing a Rebels side that have beaten the Crusaders away, the Brumbies away and Chiefs at home. You’d have to expect them to have a real chance against us…and it wouldn’t be as embarrassing as all that…
@pastorshark (Comment 18) : well the Lions beat them away and the Stormers beat them at home. It would be the Rebels FIRST EVER win on SA soil. Think about it.
#dontletthestandardsdrop
@Feather (Comment 19) :
It has nothing to do with letting the standards drop. It’s not like any of us are happy about the fact that we are there, but reality is, this team is that low. I’m hoping for a win, but we’re no where near the Sharks team that could expect wins against any team in this comp.
@Feather (Comment 19) : Although it is a fair argument given their results that they have been much better this year. I am definitely not saying I would be happy with a loss to the Rebels…just that it would not be the most surprising result ever…
By the way, the Saders have been all over the Canes, leading 16-3 a few minutes ago…the Canes have just come into it and have scored to make it 16-8…
16-8 is also the halftime score…
A try to each of the sides after halftime has made it 23-15 after 50 minutes…
The Canes land a penalty to make it 23-18 after 55 minutes…
This should be a cracker of a last quarter!
The Saders, despite vociferous objections by the Canes, have scored…
The conversion makes it 30-18…it’s a long way back from here for the log leaders…
Some doubt about momentum/grounding there but the try was awarded to Matt Todd…
The Canes have had a nightmare at lineout time. They have lost 7 lineouts on their own throw!!!!
Nadolo is a beast!!
The Canes had a golden opportunity there, but a knock by Savea stops the move in its tracks!!
Well, well, well…end to end to end there!! Canes attacking on one end, Nadolo scores at the other…
Not a good looking injury to Proctor there…
That is the bonus point try…
When the Crusaders are on song they are very good! It just hasn’t happened enough this year!
35-18 after 73 mins…
Canes end the game hard on the attack, but just can’t score!!
Great defence by the Crusaders…
The Crusaders have also had soooo many injuries today!
Perenara dashes for the line…but is held up…
When I look at the Canes’ lineouts and breakdown play close to the opposition tryline, I fondly remember Plum’s days at the Sharks – he never could consistently get that sorted. đŸ˜ˆ
@FireTheLooser (Comment 42) : Plum lag vir jou. đŸ˜›
Despite repeatedly being over the line, the Canes cannot score and it ends 35-18…great result for the Saders!
Had Saders for a win aswell đŸ˜€
@FireTheLooser (Comment 42) : Nor any other coach it seems
Bulls Brumbies get underway…
Nothing particularly inspirational so far…
The Brumbies get a scrum penalty…
Surprise, surprise…Dean Greyling penalised at the first scrum…
Lealifano takes the shot…and pushes it wide…still 0-0 after 7 mins…
The Brumbies get another penalty…and this time kick for the corner…
The Bulls defend the maul well, but get penalised at the next breakdown…
This time they will take the shot again…
He misses to the other side now…still 0-0…
Bulls attack hard…but the Brumbies turn it over…
The Bulls get a penalty off the driving maul…
Pollard nails it and makes it 0-3 to the Bulls after 16 mins…
The Bulls get another penalty…
Pollard nails it again and makes it 0-6 after 22 mins…
Now the Brumbies get a penalty and its third time lucky for Lealifano…3-6…
The Bulls tap a full arm penalty quickly and it is immediately turned over by Pocock…that was kickable!
Good play through a number of phases by the Brumbies leads to a try by Smiler…
The conversion is wide…8-6 Brumbies…
Pollard misses the drop goal…
This game is a bit boring…8-6 after 36 mins…
The Bulls concede another scrum penalty…
The Brumbies get to within 5 before the Bulls turn it over…
The Brumbies attack again…
@pastorshark (Comment 66) : Pollard not so hot lately is he? Seems like he has to be behind a winning pack to look effective? Just my view.
They get to within 5 again and the Bulls turn it over again!
The hooter goes but the lineout will take place…
The Bulls steal it and clear!
So that makes it halftime…8-6 Brumbies…
Breyton: “Not the best of games…
@Letgo (Comment 20) : Correct. ..one or two seasons ago I would have predicted a sharks win with confidence now it seems like each game is a let’s wait and see. Still not convinced that guys like esterhuizen, jp can repeat a good performance 2 games in a row. Or that we wil completely abandon a successful game plan for some impossibly outdated tactic…Stability and dependability not at the sharks camp this year.
This time the Bulls get a scrum penalty. Pollard nails it to make it 8-9…
Wonderful try by the Brumbies right off the scrum from 40m out. Speight with a simple break beating Pollard and scoring under the sticks!
15-9 after 52 mins…
The Bulls set up a lineout just outside the Brumbies 22…
A pretty poor grubber allows the Brumbies to dot it down without any trouble…
A really niggly game here…more handbags…
Not much in that…just a couple of blokes being idiots…
The Brumbies almost go clean through…the defence holds, but ultimately Speight goes in at the corner…
Rubbish tackle by Engelbrecht…
The Brumbies have missed a million kicks at goal but get that conversion to make it 22-9…
Good exit from the kickoff by the Brumbies…
Mogg coming off with what looks like intense cramps!
The Bulls try the lineout drive, but the Brumbies get the turnover at the maul…
22-9 after 62 mins…
Bulls getting hammered, sorry I mean nailed, no ploughed…
Now the Brumbies get the scrum penalty…
Brumbies with a flowing attack, but the Bulls earn a penalty with good defence in the end…
The Bulls win another penalty at the lineout and put it into the corner…
The Bulls with a penalty advantage again…
The Bulls attack breaks down but they are warded the penalty…into the corner again…
The Brumbies can’t stop the Bulls maul and Lappies scores…
The conversion is good and it is game one…22-16…
12 minutes to go…
Should be a cracking last 10 minutes…
The Bulls win another scrum penalty and kick it into the Brumbies 22 for a lineout…
They set up the maul again but release it to the backs quickly…the Brumbies turn it over and then lose it again…
The Bulls are penalised for obstruction, but the Aussie commentators reckon the Brumbies are a bit lucky there…
The Brumbies hanging on with 6 mins to go…
The Brumbies kick it directly into touch!
The Bulls maul it, but this time the Brumbies defend it well and win a turnover penalty…
Now the Brumbies have the attacks ng lineout but it’s scrappy and Spies toes it ahead…
Tomane gets it into touch and now the Bulls maul it again..
Great defence by the Brumbies and they turn it over…
The Bulls knock it…2 minutes to go, Brumbies scrum…
90 seconds to go…scrum reset…
The Bulls are penalised at the scrum…the crunched the Brumbies but 3 scrummed up…
The Brumbies don’t kick the penalty out!!!
But the Bulls run out…the hooter goes…lineout will take place…
The Bulls steal the lineout!
The Brumbies countered the maul, turned it over and hoof it out for the win…
22-16 final score…and the Bulls lose ANOTHER on tour. What’s that now? 10 in a row?
Campese: “The Bulls have got no 8!” He reckons Spies is absolutely useless. I really hope the Boks management is listening!!
Mitchell: Pollard’s game management very average…
@pastorshark (Comment 118) : Confession time Pastor: the Bok coaches’ (of past and present) fascination with Spies’ physical attributes makes me want to say bad words out loud.
@vanmartin (Comment 120) :
You and me both, my son… 
@vanmartin (Comment 120) : What are you talking about. A bulls fan on Supersport once said to be I don’t know jack. He defies me to name a nr 8 who van get to the breakdown points quicker. I said the problem is once he gets there he forgets why he ran there so fast…..
Ja pollard ain’t no Lambie. I say he would be a great inside center. Don’t tell the bulls he is substandard to Lambie cause since he scored against the allblacks he can forever do no wrong….