Finally – for the Sharks at least – this nightmare comes to an end!
Well, perhaps I’m being a little melodramatic, but there’s plenty of room for introspection as we head into the last ever game of Super Rugby for our team under the current format. Perhaps more importantly, though, the game marks the departure of a number of stalwart players.
Sharks v Stormers (Saturday 19h10)
Well, one feels as though a bit of the sting has gone out of this encounter, with the Stormers (who seem to have conceded second place) opting to send an untried and rather “B-ish” team to Durban to take on a strong Sharks outfit. Fans of the black and white will not forget how a last-minute Jaco Taute drop-goal consigned the high-flying Sharks to a crushing defeat against a similarly under strength Stormers side this time last year, with that defeat ultimately costing the Sharks a top-tow finish. The players, I’m sure, won’t have forgotten it either and will want a measure of revenge.
The Sharks are coming off a bye, of course, so will be rusty, just as the Stormers will lack fluidity in the early exchanges due to new combinations coming together. This is unlikely to be a classic, but the emotion of the final game for Bismarck, Jannie and Willem Alberts (not to mention Fred Zeilinga) should give the Sharks the lift they need, especially against a Stormers team light on experience.
The Sharks will win this game with room to spare, by around 10 points.
Sharks: 15 Lwazi Mvovo, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 S’bura Sithole, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Renaldo Bothma, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Marco Wentzel (capt), 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Dale Chadwick, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Giant Mtayanda, 20 Khaya Majola, 21 Conrad Hoffmann, 22 Fred Zeilinga, 23 Heimar Williams
Stormers: 15 Robert du Preez, 14 Johnny Kotze, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Jaco Taute, 11 Pat Howard, 10 Kurt Coleman, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Nizaam Carr (captain), 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Michael Willemse, 1 Oliver Kebble.
Replacements: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Alister Vermaak, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Jan de Klerk, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Seabelo Senatla, 23 Kobus van Wyk.
In other games, here’s what I see happening:
Blues to lose to Highlanders by 8.
Rebels to beat Force by 5.
Brumbies to go down to the Crusaders by just a couple.
Chiefs to edge the Canes by 3.
Waratahs to beat the Reds by 12.
Bulls to hand the Cheetahs a 15-point defeat.
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The format of this competition (and the new one from next year) has been designed to promote domestic derbies.
And yet here we have the Stormers two years running showing massive disrespect by sending fledgling teams to Durban.
They should have received a pasting last year for doing so. I hope the Sharks can set that record straight and show these arrogant losers just what happens when you send a B team to Kings Park.
@Feather (Comment 1) : Loosers in deed. A team that will never win SR! Harsh? Yes! Just dont like them!!!????
@Feather (Comment 1) : Hope the Sharks take this one by 25!!!
The same sharks who barely scraped it against a 14 man rebels team? I’m not holding my breath. GO on Gary set another record and lose at home against a B stormers team you and your team have been great at setting the wrong records.
Stormers may be resting their team for their last Sr match next week 1st knockout round they will be sent packing.
I really hope the Sharks can get a big win, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we lost this one.
I picked a few differently…let’s see what happens…
Come on Sharks!!!
I hope Dup, Dup and Willem have a memorable last game…
@pastorshark (Comment 9) : Me too after this season they deserve at least that much.
@coolfusion (Comment 4) :
Sorry to say, I feel the same way.
I have zero faith in the management team and have absolutely no idea what they have done to kill the players’ confidence but already i see us either losing or scraping an embarrassingly narrow victory.
To be honest this is probably the best team we have been able to field in a while, still missing Patrick,Steyn and PSDT
But unlike in other weeks their replacements have been in place for a few games and not plucked out of obscurity and shoved on the centre stage.
I know Its a bit late but we could have finally arrived at a comfortable place for the first time this season.
@coolfusion (Comment 4) : Jeez if we lose this one – weet ek nie meer nie..
Should I call it?
@Morné (Comment 14) : go for it
@The hound (Comment 12) : But didn’t we have like 80 to 90 % of this team form most games? I feel we should have performed a lot better with what we had at out disposal. Yes it is getting tired but I feel we had enough skill and talent we just don’t have the right people driving.
@coolfusion (Comment 16) : haven’t you said this before.
Seriously give it a break for awhile,if you can’t find it in you to get behind the team this week consider finding another team to support.
I hope for all the years that this team has been an integral part of my life that they come right this week end.
I hope that the du Pleases brother’s departure signals a new era for the Sharks,where they remember what its like to play for each other as a team, and not a bunch of arrogant, aggressive self centred individuals.
@coolfusion (Comment 16) : Good example of what I mean is the Blues,on paper they should have won this tournament.
In John Kirwan and Graham Henry you have two of the best coaches in rugby,a winning culture and pedigree.They also have the players,but what they don’t have is a team.
They are the closest team to the Sharks this year,and they will only improve when the older non team players leave.
@robdylan (Comment 15) :
Sharks by 15+
@Morné (Comment 19) : oh dear
Well I am expecting an awesome performance from the boys this weekend, there is no reason we can’t put 50 on the board against this 2nd rate Stormers side. My only regret is that the Stormer’s are not sending their strongest side, I reckon they are ripe for the taking. The Sharks are the form SA side of the competition at the moment, coming off a 2 match winning streak
.
Even if it was against the Reds and Rebels.
@robdylan (Comment 20) :
If they lose Gary and John should not read papers or social media for about 6 months.
@Morné (Comment 22) : I think they’re already (not) doing that
Sharks victories predicted by both Rob and Morne? Good thing I’m in the bush this weekend 😀
@vanmartin (Comment 24) : I wasn’t planning to, but I think I’ll find some German bush and hide in it.*
*no it’s not what you think!
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 25) : Wahahahahaha
@vanmartin (Comment 24) : Go you good thing! 😉
I doubt that which didn’t come right in many games this season will miraculously come right this weekend. Should the stormers take this one even if by one point or even stay within 7 points from us the shame will be total and complete. I doubt the sharks will annihalate them even a B team the finishing is just not there most cases we will be hurting ourselves with stupid mistakes.
@coolfusion (Comment 28) : Ja, let’s just hope it’s not another one of those “drag them down to our level” and hope for the best efforts that we’ve come to despise from the Sharks.
If JP lies down on the field and can get just one offensive player to trip over him, he will have increased his current defensive effort by 100%.
@coolfusion (Comment 30) :
@coolfusion (Comment 30) : What a negative little person you are.
@The hound (Comment 32) : Actually a negative large person. And I’m just taking the puss. …some people actually caught the joke
The Crusaders were really good today! They won 37-24…I’m glad I changed my Superbru pick this morning. Initially had Brumbies for the win, but changed it just in time…
With that win Ritchie McCaw achieved 100 Super Rugby wins and 100 Test wins…the only man to do so. That will surely never be matched? Hats off to you Mr McCaw…
The Crusaders with an on form healthy Carter at flyhalf are a different animal!
so the Waratahs have now won the Aussie conference. Interestingly, should the Waratahs lose to the Reds, the Stormers may regret picking their second stringers. A win would then give them a home semi…
Good game coming up…Chiefs Canes…
The conditions are not ideal…heavy rain up to an hour ago…no rain no, but slippery conditions…
Should still be enterprising stuff though because the Chiefs cannot drop a position (after the Brumbies loss) but can climb a position if they win by 38 points!!! Unlikely, but they have nothing to lose!
Poor, poor pass by McKenzie with the Chiefs on the attack…the Canes swarm all over that and win the penalty…
Clean lineout win by Retallick against the throw…
Still 0-0 after 7 mins…
Now the Chiefs win a scrum penalty…
The Chiefs are certainly giving it air!
Lovely offload by Sonny Bill…straight to a Canes player…oops…
The Canes lineout is just atrocious…they have had three throw-ins and the Chiefs have won every one against the throw! And that happens regularly…ai…
The Chiefs are taking quick throws left, right and centre…
The fourth lineout throw is also a shambles but this time they win a freekick…
0-0 after 14 minutes…
Intercept and the Chiefs score…
This time it was a fancy offload by Shields that went straight to the Chiefs winger…
Heem scored in the corner…
Marty McKenzie converts…7-0 after 17 mins…
Cory Jane off with a hamstring injury…
Canes win their first lineout 5m from their own line…
Jeepers…to and fro…a lot of running, almost no kickng…but not many results…
Chiefs win another scrum penalty and will take a shot…
Nails it…10-0…
10-0, 27 mins…
Canes now knock it on their own 22…Canes not great today…
Sonny Bill can offload!
Canes lose ANOTHER lineout…who is their forwards coach?! 😈
Wow, but attacking teams are just not staying on their feet anymore! And the refs are not doing a thing about it…wow…
Chiefs win a penalty and will take another shot…
13-0 after 30…
Chiefs took it back into their own 22 and kicked it out on the fall…
No worries, the Canes can’t win a lineout…what is that 1 out of 8…under 10 stuff this!
But off the won lineout the Chiefs kick it over the dead ball line…attacking scrum Canes…
Canes on the line…tapped two kickable penalties…
Great offload…TMO to check…think Savea was in touch in goal…
What an offload!!! Oh my word!! But Savea dropped it!
But shoulder charge by Marshall…penalty try?
Penalty try…fair call…
And a yellow card…
Messam is not happy, but I think it is a very fair call…
13-7 …
That was, though, one of the best offloads I have ever seen by Milner-Skudder…oh wow!
Now it’s all Canes! Great running…Chiefs penalised…
Canes kick it the corner…can they win the lineout…
Yes…and a wonderful break by Marshall puts Smith in for the try…
Suddenly in a matter of minutes the Canes lead by 13-14 after 39 minutes…
And they run it again from their own 22 from the kickoff…
SBW creams Smith…and the Chiefs win a penalty which they kick to the corner…
The Chiefs attack but knock it…and that is halftime…
13-14…halftime…
Entertaining stuff…
Right…I’m off to a board meeting…
@pastorshark (Comment 88) : Anyone know where to find the stream?
@coolfusion (Comment 89) : For the sharks game that is.
Well, I had a great weekend on Superbru. In the pool with my buddies I went from 6 points behind the leader, soaring past everyone to the top. That is very pleasing…