With the Sharks quite literally fighting for their Currie Cup lives this weekend (and every week until they are either knocked out or bring the golden cup back to Durban), the union is encouraging fans to get behind the team.
There’s some precedent here. Back in 2012, the Sharks Super Rugby team managed to sneak into the play-offs in sixth position after a largely disappointing campaign. Peaking at the right time, though, the side went on to almost do the imposable, beating first the Reds and then the Stormers in back-to-back away fixtures. Competing in a final that they were never meant to have made it to in the first place, the Sharks failed to go all the way.
Perhaps the 2015 Currie Cup could be different, though? “Impossible”, this time around, comprises a run of three away matches against tough local opposition, with any loss meaning an end to the campaign. This weekend it’s the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. Win that and you somehow need to topple the first-placed Lions in Joburg. A win there and it’s an away Currie Cup Final against either the Bulls in Pretoria, or Western Province in Cape Town. Easy, huh?
A rather ambitious social media campaign has been launched, using the #SharksFightingChance hash tag and while I’m not quite ready to dive head first into this thing, I do believe that the boys need our support and as their fans – regardless of what’s happened in the past – now is the time for us to be there for them.
We have high standards and expect much from this team and while some will say that it makes us “false friends”, I genuinely believe we have a duty to hold our team to account when what they deliver does not come up to scratch – and particularly at those times when their play fails to honour the proud legacy of Natal Sharks rugby. That does not mean, though, that we would ever not want them to do well or would ever not support them, with everything we have, every time they play.
The key message from me is that, while 2015 hasn’t been great, it’s not over yet. The fat lady hasn’t even voiced her first note and until we can all hear her singing, we need to be 100% behind our boys in black and white. Sharks, you have a chance – but whether it’s a “fighting” one or not, only you can control. When you call on your fans, we will be there. Let’s put in a run of performances of which we can all be proud.
Sharks forever!
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Firstly i think just making the semis after not such a great 2015 in general would be a good accomplishment. There have been many changes and new personnel and things just havnt clicked in 2015. The pretty much QF against the Cheetahs this weekend is an interesting one though. I dont think the Cheetahs bring anything exceptional to the table. Their pack is stock standard and just grafts as hard as they can. They look to Clayton Blommetjies to create something amongst their back 3 so kicking poorly onto them would be silly. So how the Sharks can win: Keep it simple…win your scrums and lineouts and drive off most lineouts. Dont now try think of complicated backline moves…just run from depth at angles and make good passes not hail marys. If we kick the ball make sure it goes out and force the Cheetahs to go through phases to score.
SHARKS 4 EVER!!!!!!!!!!
I would love to hear that fat lady sing “We are the champions” in a few weeks. #SharksFightingChance
@T-Shark (Comment 3) : Can it not be an attractive thin lady instead perhaps?
First step. Get a win over the cheetahs this weekend.
I’ll be there to support them against the Lions however unlikely a win there would be.
Why not dream a little. It would at least give us something memorable (postive) to take us into next season.
I am up for this,now is the time we see the real suporters,bet that guy that walks around K.P on match day with that shark skull on his head makes it to Bloem this week end.
As shite as it is I ‘d rather be a Sharks supporter than a Stormers one this week end,we have absolutely nothing left to loose,but we never caught 62 points last week end.
@The hound (Comment 6) : always better to be a Sharks supporter than a Stormers supporter!!!!!!! Supporting a losing Sharks team is still better than supporting another winning team!!!!!!!!!
@SheldonK (Comment 4) : It could be Caitlin Jenner for all I care just as long as it sings,been such a long time since we had anything to sing about.
@The hound (Comment 6) : Even when we were in the B-section it was always better being a Sharks supporter!
Good luck men!! We will be flat out behind you…
Go Sharks maak ons trots en die naweek lekker – Gooooooo!
My heart will be on my sleeve supporting the guys; winning is important but watching the Sharks play with pride and joy and purpose is ‘importanter’
Us Sharks fans are either gullible or the eternal optimists – but yeah, I’m in….Sharks, bring home the Cup! 😈
Us Sharks fans are just delusional 😈
@FireTheLooser (Comment 13) : Or both…
#SharksFightingChance. I’m soooo in. All the moaning and tears aside. Time to get behind our boys.
@pastorshark (Comment 15) : We’re a special kind of stupid – but it is just impossible to not somehow believe that our boys can pull off the impossible.
Go Sharkssss!!! Thats one thing we haven’t done this season…get humiliated by the ‘bigger’ teams…so we are still in it!Bring it home boys!!
Free State Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Ryno Benjamin, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Johannes Prinsloo, 5 Francois Uys (captain), 4 Armandt Koster, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 Jacques du Toit, 1 BG Uys.
Replacements: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Teunis Nieuwoudt, 18 Reniel Hugo, 19 Freddy Ngoza, 20 Gerhard Olivier, 21 Ruan van Rensburg, 22 Niel Marais, 23 AJ Coertzen, 24 Willem Serfontein.
Not a bad starting XV although an inexperienced front row and bench. Not sure why they have 24 players
SHARKS FOREVER!!! I’m right behind the boys with ALL my heart! I’ve already posted encouraging words on the Sharks’ site. GO SHARKS!
I notice there’s no Fred Zeilinger – not even on the bench. I wonder if he’s injured? I wish he was still a Shark!
Go get ’em boys!
@Baylion (Comment 19) : Is Fred injured?
@JD (Comment 23) : I think he got injured against the Lions
@JD (Comment 23) : Out for the season.
I am happy to back the boys and believe if we can beat Cheetahs and make the semis we have redeemed ourselves to some extent.
Beyond that I dont believe we deserve to progress, Lions have had a fantastic season and all credit to them to going all the way on this one.
Crazy how low expectations are for Sharks fans now – just to unexpectedly make a semifinal now (once considered routine) is considered a good end to the year… 👿
@Gold_Must_Go (Comment 27) : Crazy…or realistic…but given how rabidly critical some were, a semi would actually be an achievement…and wish the team all success in achieving it!
@FireTheLooser (Comment 17) : If 1990 is part of your experience then it doesn’t seem quite so daft to believe…
@JD (Comment 23) : I think so…
@Baylion (Comment 24) : @vanmartin (Comment 25) : Too late again…
@pastorshark (Comment 29) : the 1990 team and victory created my passion for rugby….before then I cared very little about rugby.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 32) : It was great, wasn’t it? Although I had already watched a lot of Natal Rugby before then, my dad taking me to plenty of games in the B-Section days…despite many great moments it is still my very top rugby memory!
@pastorshark (Comment 33) : I was there and it was a great day ,but the 95 World Cup put it into the shade,and yes I was also there.
@The hound (Comment 34) : Yup…those are the two top ones…the Natal win was just very special to a lighty who had watched them in the B-section for most of his life…
Via Beeld:
Dié span van Robert du Preez het tot dusver al 11 sy wedstryde gewen. Vanaand wag die laaste hekkie in die eindstryd teen die Suidwestelike Distrikte se Arende.
In wat sy laaste wedstryd aan die stuur van die Luiperds sal wees voordat hy hom by die afrigtingspan van die Haaie aansluit,
@pastorshark (Comment 35) : Of course, the Springbok win was also very special to a lighty who had just about only watched them in rebel tours…
I don’t think we deserve it but a win would go a long way towards knitting the team and giving them belief for other competitions. Even if we don’t win cc just the qualification will get the boys in a different mind frame.