Hi Sharks fans. Well, kick-off time is fast approaching, and, as has become the norm, there will be a large amount of warm up games played in an attempt by the various franchises to hit the ground running.
Attached is a full list of the fixtures, courtesy of www.sarugbmag.co.za :
Friday, 29 January
Kings vs NMMU (NMMU, Port Elizabeth, Kick-off: TBC)
Saturday, 30 January
Stormers vs SWD Eagles (Venue TBC, Kick-off: TBC)
Wednesday, 3 February
Force vs Hurricanes (Central Coast Stadium, Gosford, Kick-off: 09:50 SA time)
Thursday, 4 February
Blues vs Rebels (Pakuranga Rugby Club, Auckland, Kick-off: 6:30 SA time)
Friday,5 February
Toulon vs Sharks (Stade Mayol, Toulon, Kick-off: TBC)
Saturday, 6 February
Reds vs Crusaders (Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane, Kick-off: 11:30 SA time)
Waratahs vs Brumbies (McDonalds Park, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, 10:00 SA time)
Highlanders vs Racing 92 (Siu Sai Wan Stadium, Hong Kong, Kick-off: TBC)
Bulls vs Cheetahs (Harare, Zimbabwe, Kick-off: 17:00)
Lions vs Leopards & Valke (Venue TBC, Kick-off: TBC)
Kings vs Stormers (George, Kick-off: TBC)
Thursday, 11 February
Toulouse vs Sharks (Le Stade Toulousain, Toulouse, Kick-off: TBC)
Highlanders vs Crusaders (Fred Booth Park, Waimamu, Kick-off: 7:00 SA time)
Friday, 12 February
Reds vs Brumbies (Ballymore, Brisbane, Kick-off: 11:30 SA time)
Chiefs vs Waratahs (Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua, Kick-off: 4:00 SA time)
Kings vs Cheetahs (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, Kick-off: 19:00)
Saturday, 13 February
Force vs Asia Pacific Dragons (nib Stadium, Perth, Kick-off: TBC)
Blues vs Hurricanes (Eketahuna Rugby Club, Eketahuna, Kick-off: TBC)
Bulls vs Lions (Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane, 17:00)
Thursday, 18 February
Rebels vs Manu Samoa (AAMI Park, Melbourne, 09:30 SA time)
Friday, 19 February
Crusaders vs Hurricanes (Lansdowne Park, Blenheim, New Zealand, Kick-off: 5:30 SA time)
Highlanders vs Waratahs (Queenstown Recreation Ground, Queenstown, New Zealand, Kick-off: 7:00 SA time)
Chiefs vs Blues (Pukekohe, New Zealand, Kick-off: TBC)
Lions vs Jaguars (Ellis Park, Johannesburg, Kick-off: TBC)
Running my eye over the fixtures there are one or two very interesting matches, namely the Sharks playing on Friday 05 February and then again on Thursday 11 February. We will have to see the line ups chosen by these two French sides before we can comment on just how much benefit the Sharks will get from playing these games.
Other interesting match ups are Highlanders vs Racing 92 on Saturday 06 February, The Force taking on the Asia Pacific Dragons on Saturday 13 February and the Rebels taking on Samoa on Thursday 18 February.
Let the games begin!
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Preseason games are usually interesting to watch as can just enjoy the game without reading much into it. Just nice to see some rugby again
Well Sharks are practicing for all the traveling by heading of to France!!!!! 😈
Looking at it quickly it seems only Sharks and Highlanders are heading “off Continent” to play practice games!!!!
Can’t wait to see what condition the boys are in.
@JD (Comment 2) : Well, them and the Jaguars, who have to go off continent to play anyone… 😆
Any chance that the sharks games will be on tv? France is a bit far away…
SKings v NMMU 5pm
SWD v Stormers in George 4pm
@pierre_mackie (Comment 6) : Some useless info for you haha
I’ll see if I can catch the SWD vs Stormers game. Some spying on the enemy, I mean ex-Shark…no liar, and the Stormers.
@pastorshark (Comment 4) : ja missed them!!
Did anyone catch the Dan Nichol show where he had Robbie Fleck as a studio guest.It was fun but I have some serious doubts if he (Fleck) is going to be hardarsed enough with the players who clearly see him as a big buddy.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 10) : The “buddy system” worked well for the Sharks under Muir, but he had Plum there to keep the discipline and infuse some brains.
Sharks might actually have a similar mix with Gold (the buddy) and du Preez (the disciplinarian).
Not sure who will be disciplining the streamers whilst Fleck accumulates facebook friends. 😈
@FireTheLooser (Comment 11) : yes and as we all know the more friends you have on book of face the better the chance of winning a SR trophy
I see absolute no benefit in playing NH sides at all
@FireTheLooser (Comment 11) : Gert Smal?
@pastorshark (Comment 14) : Depends on how much active involvement there will be from his side….surely it will be far less hands on than it is with the Gold/du Preez combo?
@FireTheLooser (Comment 15) : Sure…at this stage I’m not sure at all how involved Smal will get or not…there was talk of more involvement after the whole Jones thing. But you’re right…