The Sharks have emerged with a 15-14 win against the champion Highlanders in this morning’s Super Rugby clash at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.
A nervy start by the visitors saw Lima Sopoaga kick his side into a 3-0 lead, before Sharks counterpart Garth April made good use of two penalty opportunities of his own. Trailing 3-6, a moment of madness from Highlanders centre Jason Emery gave referee Ben O’Keefe little option but to show a red card 13 minutes in; Emery hit Willie le Roux badly while the latter was jumping for a high ball and the Sharks fullback came down hard on his neck. Fortunately, no serious damage was done, but with the Highlanders down to 14 for the bulk of the match, expectations were high.
The Sharks were guilty of getting ahead of themselves, you’d fancy and it will remain a huge cause for concern that they were unable to score a try, despite this numerical advantage. They certainly tried to play more rugby as the half wound down, but handling errors and a few poor decision on attack stymied them. Matter were evened up for the hosts when Stephan Lewies was shown a yellow card for a professional foul late in the half; to the Sharks’ credit, their defence held firm in those final frantic minutes and they went into the break nursing the slenderest 3-point lead.
Great attacking play early in the second period saw the visitors come close, but again they opted to take points when the Highlanders conceded in the red zone. That 6-point cushion did not last long, though, with JP Pietersen the guilty party minutes later as the Sharks centre interfered with halfback Aaron Smith after a tackle. Once more, the Sharks were down to 14 themselves, with Sopoaga closing the gap to 6-9. A further penalty five minutes later evened the scores, before April nailed his fourth to again edge the Sharks ahead.
The damn wall did eventually break, with Landers winger Matt Faddes ducking under a Wille le Roux tackle, then stretching out to score in the right-hand corner. Sopoaga’s missed conversion saw the Sharks trail just 14-12 and it took a huge effort to get back into the right area and win a crucial scrum penalty, which April converted to retake the lead late in the game. Strong defence in the final moments secured a close, but very significant win for Gary Gold’s team.
Scores: Highlanders (14): Try Matt Faddes. Penalites Lima Sopoaga (3).
Sharks (15): Penalties Garth April (5)
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GUTS! well done, great for SA rugby….ugly but any win in Kiwiland special….made us all proud today Sharks….now Go Cheetahs!!
Well done Sharks!
Fist pumping!!!
Congrats Sharks, and Shark supporters.
I think the title of this article should have read “How to stuff up 180 000 people’s SuperBru in 80 minutes”
Important win for you guys
Congrats Sharks. An ugly win is still a win.
So far on tour we have a narrow loss and a narrow win…should we win next week the tour will be a definite success
Ja Rob they almost did not get out of the deep hole they dug! ;-D
@SheldonK (Comment 6) : We are on par with what I expected for the tour – 1 win.
Did not watch whole game but seemed guts was shown and some nice skills at time. We would have received yellow for shoulder charge but they get only penalty. Red was clear and tmo suggested un intentional. When the player was clearly looking at Willie and not at ball. See we do not only complaint when we loose. But lets take the win and apply the same level of intensity against rest of tour. Nz teams dont like it.
So we’ve got 5 points from 2 on tour so far. Thats exactly the point counted I thought was reasonable at this point and therefore am fine with where we are on tour. Another win next week would be bliss. Didn’t see the game but sounds like it was a top effort from the boys.
I can only imagine great character
was shown 😎
@Bokhoring (Comment 8) : I bet you expected that win to have been last week. 😀
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 11) : Yip – definitely not this week.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 11) : I definitely did.
Crucially showed big improvements over last week in similar situations.
Set-piece misfired horribly at key stages against the Blues
Adriaanse on in the final quarter made our scrum a different animal (and it won the decisive penalty), and Chili found his mark with his first throw of the game in a key lineout – something Kyle couldn’t do last week.
@Shakes34 (Comment 14) : ja must say Adriaanse made a huge improvement in the scrum. He must start ahead of Coenie.
Keegan Daniel and Philip van der Walt make a big difference.
Well done Sharks, I was not expecting to win this one and seems like we ground it out.
Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.
Why o why did I listen to the stupid wp biased journalists? Sharks won. Feels good to say it
@SeanJeff (Comment 19) : ja feeling a lot better than last week!!!
Although the Du Preez twins are talented, you can’t help but be reassured by the experience that Keegan Daniel and Jean Deysel bring to the team.
Really good to see them back.
Not to discredit the Sharks, but the Highlanders were poor tonight. They let themselves down with that red card early and overcooked their attack way too often.When Esterhuizen had his clearance kick charged down, they had a good chance to win it. Luckily our basics held firm.
@The Great Couch Shark (Comment 21) : Deysel looked good and had some huge runs! All of that said the Ginger Ninja was huge and really hope he’s OK and can play next week!!!
@The Great Couch Shark (Comment 21) : No substitute for pace, strength and experience. Deysel,Keegan and Phillip will always rate higher. Love the twins,I’m in ore of where they are in relation to their age. Just wish Gold would realise that these boys need to be blooded from the bench with 30 minute spells instead of at this stage expecting the world from them each and every game. Remember how Marcel was introduced….granted there was probably more competition back then but point still remains.
@GreatSharksays (Comment 24) : I got to admit I didn’t see Jean-Luc’s name come up once during the game. Did he have a quiet game? The twins are going to be great but I’m with you and feel some bench time may help them want to work even harder on their strengths and weaknesses. Glad Deysel had a good game.
@GreatSharksays (Comment 24) : at the start of the season they had to play due to injuries. With the other players fit again maybe they can work on a rotation basis to keep every player fresh and ready to play.
K Daniel was massive and April made a difference on attack. In in all, a very good, gutsy win.
@Shakes34 (Comment 14) : @JD (Comment 15) : I’ve watched the second half again without any emotion…and must say this about the forwards:
1. Chilliboy definitely added grunt to our scrum efforts! And he was spot on with his lineout throws. Good to have him…
2. Coenie actually wasn’t bad in the first and third quarters…but (before you abuse me) Adriaanse was clearly better. I’m glad Adriaanse has finally put his woes behind him and for me he is and must clearly be our number 1 TH.
3. Oosthuizen has been pretty good this season, but he’s not a great lineout jumper.
4. Ginger is brilliant. I hope he is not out for next week! Deysel was very impressive. Welcome back! Keegan was good and better in the second half than the first.
5. Our breakdown was very untidy in the first half…and much better in the second. Keep that going…
@Ben (Comment 16) : I’m glad they are there…and I hope vd Walt is ok…
@The Great Couch Shark (Comment 22) : That, by the way, was why Joe has been kicking line kicks and not AE…
@GreatSharksays (Comment 24) : I’d be very happy with a loose trio of Daniel, Deysel and vd Walt. If vd Walt is out then Daniel, Deysel and one of the twins…
@Hulk (Comment 25) : He was good on defense, had the occasional carry but otherwise was pretty quiet. Deysel was far, far more prominent…
@Vonno13 (Comment 27) : I know some guys complained about April…and he made three clear mistakes I can recall…but in general I was very happy in his game. He showed enough that I am really disappointed that we have had to wait up to now to see him start and I hope Gold backs him and gives him another go…
@pastorshark (Comment 33) : His goal-kicking, by the way, was spot on and we didn’t miss Joe in that department at all…
@pastorshark (Comment 28) : ja don’t think Coenie was bad today but just remember they scrumed with 7 players for most of the game. Yes EO has been good in general play but Sharks lineout was poor when Lewies was off. Would like to see Chili start next week just to see what he can do.
@pastorshark (Comment 32) : When Phillip came off did Jean-Luc move to 8th man or did Deysel pack down there?
@pastorshark (Comment 33) : for sure think April must start again next week. He showed some good touches.
@pastorshark (Comment 31) : me to.
@Hulk (Comment 36) : Think Keegan played at 8.
@JD (Comment 35) : The only time our scrum creaked was while Lewies was off…and Coenie got in much better positions today. Not a bad outing. Adriaanse is just a better scrummager though…
@JD (Comment 35) : Scrummed with 7? A midfielder was carded. Unless you’re saying they moved a loosie into the backline on defence?
@Hulk (Comment 36) : @FireTheLooser (Comment 39) : Yeah, Keegan moved to 8…
@pastorshark (Comment 42) : Most of the time…
@pastorshark (Comment 43) : I think…
@Shakes34 (Comment 41) : They did sometimes have a loosie defending in the backs…but not every scrum…depended on field position…
@pastorshark (Comment 45) : Okay, thanks – I didn’t notice that.
@pastorshark (Comment 45) : @Shakes34 (Comment 46) : think they moved a loosie into the backs most of the scrums.
2/2
@Shakes34 (Comment 41) : lewies was yellow carded ,too.
There is no 3rd scrummy on tour correct? So if Reinach ruled out someone has to get on a plane…either that or take the risk going in with only 1 scrummy
@pastorshark (Comment 28) : “I’m glad Adriaanse has finally put his woes behind him and for me he is and must clearly be our number 1 TH.”
Seriously? Don’t you know that the TH is number 3? 😉 😆
@pastorshark (Comment 28) : @Ben (Comment 51) : I’m just kidding, of course. 🙂
@SheldonK (Comment 50) : rest reinach and fly ungerer over.rest vd Walt .need him for canes at home and jaguares away.willie also should be rested.
@50shadesofshark (Comment 53) : Yeh will be interested to see what they do. Beast surely also needs a rest
@Ben (Comment 51) : Thats a brave Fri comment…hahahaha
@DuToit04 (Comment 48) : unfortunately only 1 from 2 with no margin point.
@Ben (Comment 51) : @SheldonK (Comment 55) : ja very cheeky for a Friday. ;-D
@SheldonK (Comment 50) : that is correct they only took 2 on tour. I’m sure if Cobus is injured they will fly in cover for the last game.
@JD (Comment 15) : Agreed 100%
@The Great Couch Shark (Comment 21) : Yip experience. Also would like to see us use the experience of Claasens more effectively going forward.
@Ben (Comment 51) : 😆 That’s exactly why I wrote it like that…
@Ben (Comment 52) :
@50shadesofshark (Comment 53) : Not a bad idea…
@JD (Comment 56) : Same for me…
Really good win against a top outfit. Not pretty, but we showed mental resilience and there were some very good attacking phases too.
Good win for the Team! Really please with the effort! And really pleased for Gary Gold.
OMG I was terrified when I saw Le Roux landed like that!!!
I pray he has no after effects or anything!!
Congrats guys! An unexpected win but a good win all the same
Do you guys not think that Coenie is suited to being an impact player? Big and physical but not a great scrummager. 127kg of charging bull for the last quarter.
@pastorshark (Comment 32) : Isn’t that a trademark of Sharks rugby? To have at least 2 loose forwards that make serious metres with ball in hand? Think Keegan, Alberts, Kanko, Deysel….our rugby is better when our loose forwards are prominent on attack. No Sheldonk, I’m not saying our loose forwards do not have to tackle, hit the rucks, hold up mauls etc…
@MikeSebMatt (Comment 69) : Most people have been saying that Adriaanse should be the starting prop. Coenie seems slower with a lower work rate so I would agree he should be on for the last 15 -20.
This is the first game since the streamers game that I’d watch again.
Our defense and attack was on fire….we just need to finish the opportunities we create – but we are creating opportunities with ball in hand.
I’m not too concerned about the Highlanders’ red, as the Sharks played 20mins. with 14 – Sharks also beat the Saders in 2014 with 14 men (and at times 13) on the field.
Never stop backing the Sharks for the win.
The Sunwolves have beaten the Jaguares. 😯
Why are the Jaguares so kak?
@Ben (Comment 73) : It was a lovely game to watch. Well done, Sunwolves…
@pastorshark (Comment 74) : Terrible for Superbru though!!
The Canes/Chiefs game is a real beauty…15-14 to the Canes at haltime…and Barrett has missed 8 points…
@pastorshark (Comment 76) : I’m still convinced that he isn’t good enough to be the All Blacks’ flyhalf. He seriously needs to improve his kicking.
@GreatSharksays (Comment 70) : Yup…
@GreatSharksays (Comment 70) : I got that warm bubbly feeling watching Deysel yesterday…
@MikeSebMatt (Comment 69) : It’s a fair comment…but I just think Coenie needs game time after being out so long. I’d be happy if he gets it from the bench…
@pienaar111 (Comment 67) : It was heart-stopping…
Just wow…Canes Chief have played uninterrupted for 3 and a half minutes from the kick off in the second half!
Wow…so 4 and half minutes…what a passage of play…both sides could have scored and in the end the Chiefs did…
The Chiefs run such wonderful lines!!!
Canes strike back brilliantly and score through Perenara!!
Barrett misses ANOTHER…that is now 10 points missed…
Chiefs lead 20-21 after 49 minutes…
Ohhh…the skills…Chiefs score. This McKenzie kid is special…
The game has got a bit scrappy now…
The Canes lineout is so rubbish…
20-28 after 62 minutes…
@Ben (Comment 77) : Agreed…he has missed 13 points today and missed a few linekicks…
Canes through…but the last pass was forward…
Canes are dropping a lot of balls at the moment…
Barrett scores a beauty!
Kicker changed and Woodward nails the conversion…27-28 Chiefs with 10 minutes to go…
Chiefs under pressure…but they have a defensive scrum…
Oh man! Barrett clean through…Woodward knocks it on with an open try line…ohhhh!
And that’s it…uncontested scrums and that knock saved the Chiefs…that and 13 missed points off the tee…
Chiefs win 27-28…a bit lucky there. We need to target their tight 5 big time. The Chiefs were weak there today!
Close game. So gents anyone want to put it on the table, who the top teams will be for the series?
@pastorshark (Comment 79) : I’m glad Jean has sorted his head out. He was going through a rough patch last year but he is and always was a quality man.
@coolfusion (Comment 102) : Next to Willem Alberts he is the bone crusher I would want on my team. If we could have him keegan and Marcell doing duty at the same time I would be happy. Add ginger to the mix and we have some serious firepower.
@coolfusion (Comment 102) : Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It was only one game. But I really do hope he’s back to his best.
@Ben (Comment 104) : At this point optimism is all I have. The performance has me baffled for a team sheet like ours.
@coolfusion (Comment 105) : Nothing wrong with that.
I was pleasantly surprised by the result. Sadly my Superbru pick did not reflect the result. 🙁 Sorry Sharkies but I went with my head and not my heart and as a result I now earned a Bogey Team badge.
Well done. By the way I did not watch the game apart from the highlight package on SS Blitz, but I did see that fall of Willie and man I cant believe he walked away from that. 😯
This van der Merwe bloke is one crap referee… 😯
Two tries by the Reds in less than a handful of minutes and they lead the Stormers…
17-22 Reds after 50 minutes…
Stormers lead again 27-22…Reds have missed a few kicks…
Wow, van der Merwe is a fantastically useless referee…misses so much and doesn’t know the rules… 😯
Sharks XV won 48 – 18
@FireTheLooser (Comment 113) : Oh well done!
Lions and Kings are underway…
@pastorshark (Comment 115) : That sounds like a catchy title for a novel: Lions and Kings…
Lions have an early kickable penalty that they kick to the corner…
Maul illegally defended…another penalty…another kick to the corner…
And Faf puts Combrinck in…try time…
TMO intervenes and it is disallowed due to a knock on…30 points lost in my fantasy league!!
Good defence Kings and they get a turnover scrum…
Mnisi in…TMO to check again…
Not awarded? 😯 Wow. Ball dislodged but clearly went backwards, then Mnisi put his hand on it. Try in my book…
@pastorshark (Comment 112) : Spare a thought for European teams, which have the likes of Poite and Garces week after week.
@pastorshark (Comment 112) : van der Merwe is actually a crook he is the very worst referee I have ever seen its embarresing to be a South African when you watch such one sided refereeing.The only thing as bad is the one sided commentary of Pierce and that idiot Shimange.
@pastorshark (Comment 123) : Joel Stransky…ha: It was just too messy to be a try. What does messy have to do with it? Did it go forward or not is the only question…
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 124) : Shame…ai, shame…
@The hound (Comment 125) : I can’t say anything against any part of that statement…
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 124) : van der Merwe is the worst in the entire history of the game total poephol
Still no score in PE on 20 minutes…
@The hound (Comment 129) : I agree, but he has tough competition up north.
Whitely is in for the first try…hint of forward in there but the scoreboard finally has some work to do…
7-0 after 22 minutes…
Sarries vs Wasps is an intense game! 😎
@pastorshark (Comment 126) : I think it did.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 131) : van der Merwe has no competition when he was made they broke the mould,he is the only referee that made me understand why that Piet van Zyl guy actually went onto the field to punch that Irish ref.
@pastorshark (Comment 126) : @Ben (Comment 135) : He lost it backwards initially and then he tapped it forward with his hand. Watch it again.
Jantjies misses a sitter from right in front…
@Ben (Comment 135) : Hmmm…I think the one angle (only shown once) showed two knocks/juggles both go backwards. Be that as it may, messy still has nothing to do with it…
Well done, Zuks!
@The hound (Comment 136) : As an example of how kak Poite is he just decided that a Wasps player deliberately kicking a Sarries player in the head is just a yellow.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 141) : What’s the score?
@Ben (Comment 142) : 17-10 to Sarries…10 minutes to go…
@Ben (Comment 142) : Sarries 17 – 10 Wasps (72 min)
@pastorshark (Comment 143) : @Spirit of Rugby (Comment 144) : Cheers. Go Sarries!
Now penalty try to Sarries after a collapsed maul and Sarries leads 24 – 10
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 144) : Is the game any good? It is being shown here after the Kings vs Lions game. Haven’t decided if I’m going to watch it.
Ashley Johnson scores and it’s 24 -17 to Sarries with 4min to go
@Ben (Comment 147) : Great game! Well worth a watch!
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 146) : Great result for Sarries after they got a hiding from the Wasps a few weeks ago in the Aviva. That was during the six nations, though. Sarries were missing a lot of star players.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 148) : Damn!
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 148) : It has certainly brightened up in the last 10 minutes!
@pastorshark (Comment 152) : Having any problems with the Kings vs Lions feed on Supersport?
@Ben (Comment 153) : No, none…
Sarries win it 24-17…brave Wasps, better Sarries…
@Ben (Comment 150) : Wasps had two fantastic games in a row before this one. Sarries are class when it counts. I’d love a final against Montpellier!
@pastorshark (Comment 154) : Only Setanta then.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 156) : You know it’s not possible, right?
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 156) : @Ben (Comment 158) : But that would be great to watch.
@pastorshark (Comment 155) : Well said. Every Sharks supporter has that expression in the bag
@pastorshark (Comment 155) : Great news.
@Ben (Comment 158) : Sorry, I was thinking two different cups 😆
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 162) : 😆 I noticed.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 160) :
@Ben (Comment 163) : Was excited at the prospect of two “SA” sides making Euro finals 😎
Oh, by the way…it was 5-21 to the Lions at halftime…
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 165) : Yeah, like I said. That would be a great game!
And Combrinck has just scored a great try…and this one was not disallowed by the TMO…
5-28 Lions…
Now a try to Akker…
Starting to remind me of school: pakslae!
5-33 after 46 minutes…
If thats not a double movement then i dont know what is
@FireTheLooser (Comment 171) : Yeah, this could get horrible…Lions have scored their 33,points in 25 minutes…
@byron (Comment 173) : Yeah…should have been called…that was pretty clear…
Its a nice game to watch but rasta should stay in oz. Tge yellow was a terrible call. Flank was bound all the time and whitely was clearly detached when he was tackled. Had a major effect on game
Kings forwards dominant 5m out…their backline slow, ponderous and going nowhere…they do get a penalty though…
And thats 3 cinsecutive penalties by the lions within 5m and not even a warning
Kings backs are spectacularly poor…
@pastorshark (Comment 179) : I mean 10,12,13…Vulindlu and Jaer have been good…
And that is why jantjies wont be a springbok … falling over before contact
Cloete scores a lovely try…
@byron (Comment 181) : He will be a Springbok…but that will be a weakness…and he did get completely crunched!
Good try by Combrinck…makes it 10-38…
@byron (Comment 181) : What you talking about? Keohane has already written him into the Nr 10 jersey.
Whitely off, Kriel on…
Gotta love Pom commentators. Calling Montpellier the “Languedoc Boks”. 😆
Some scrappy stuff so not much to report…
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 187) : 😆
Lions held up over the line…
Good defence over the line by Am…
Janse van Rensburg scores…
10-45…
Lions ball is so quick…
Been a scrappy last 20,minutes…a minute to go…10-45…
Tighthead to the Kings…and their backs stuff it up again…
@pastorshark (Comment 196) : Their scrum has been surprisingly good – wonder if the mobi unit spent extra time with them this past week.
10-45 is the final score…
@FireTheLooser (Comment 197) : It has…but I thought that they would be ok there…mind you, the Lions have lost Marx, Coetzee and Redelinghuis from the front row to injury…and today Dreyer early…
For those interested JW15 leading 12 – 0 against Dragons
Now 15-0 to Montpellier…
15-0 was the final score…Montpellier in the final…
@pastorshark (Comment 202) : Montpelier 22 – 12 Dragons
Actually. 🙂
@pastorshark (Comment 123) :
Even if the ball did go backwards. Mnisi was on the ground and was not allowed to play the ball from there.
@fyndraai (Comment 204) : He was. In goal some of the laws are “suspended”. But it would take a tough TMO to rule a rip and not a knock in that situation
@Baylion (Comment 205) :
Law 22 deals with in-goal and the only “suspensions” are that scrums, rucks and mauls cannot exist and tacklers don’t have to release.a tackled player (permission to “hold up”). All other laws apply as normal.
@Ben (Comment 203) : Aha…I was following on live scoring and it still has 15-0 as the final score!
@fyndraai (Comment 204) : That surely doesn’t count for grounding the ball in goal for a try, does it? So are you saying if the Kings player had then put his hand on it and grounded it it would have been a penalty try?! Never heard of that…
Just a completely different, but very noteworthy point: The Aussies are certainly by far the weakest conference. SA now has 3 teams ranked above the top Aussie team on points…and the Sharks, the 4th SA team, are above the Brumbies, the Aussies 2nd team….all that despite them being in the weakest conference. Hmm…and the fact that the New Zealanders clearly have the strongest conference shows how huge the difference is between the two Africa groups, one playing only Aussies and only New Zealanders. I remain completely underwhelmed by all this… 😕
@pastorshark (Comment 208) :
Actually you were correct.
I did a little more research and found this:
15.6 OTHER PLAYERS
(a) After a tackle, all other players must be on their feet when they play the ball. Players are on
their feet if no other part of their body is supported by the ground or players on the ground.
Sanction: Penalty kick
Exception: Ball goes into the in-goal. After a tackle near the goal line, if the ball has been
released and has gone into the in-goal any player, including a player on the ground, may
ground the ball.
@pastorshark (Comment 209) :
but then the Kiwis have an easy schedule – they get to play the Aussies and skip the Bulls. 😉
Don’t be fixated by the log positions. SR is now a tournament style competition like the world cup. Some teams have easier group rounds than others. To be champions they still have to win through the play-offs.
@fyndraai (Comment 211) : To be the best – You have to beat the best. Simple as that.
@fyndraai (Comment 210) : I thought that was the case. Thanks for the reference…I was looking for it earlier…
@fyndraai (Comment 211) : @Ben (Comment 212) : Look, at the end of the day it is true that, whoever wins it, has to beat the best side in the competition…that is not at issue here. What is at issue is whether the competition is too skewed. The comparison to the world cup is accurate as far as this being a “tournament style” competition is concerned. There are however some major differences:
1. The tournament pools in a world cup are drawn after sides have been seeded. The idea is that the best sides DON’T all go into one pool and that an attempt is made to keep the pools roughly to similar strength. It is impossible to exactly match pools and there is always a pool of death, but the pools are nowhere near as mismatched as Super Rugby Conferences are at the moment.
2. A world cup is played over the course of a month with only 3 pool games. Super Rugby stretches over about 6 months with 17 odd rounds before the knockouts. The length of the tournament exacerbates the differences between pools highlighted in point 1.
So my issue with the tournament structure is the extent of the difference in difficulty between what two sides like the Sharks and the Stormers have to face in the competition. It doesn’t change the fact that ultimately you still have to beat the best in the knockouts…but it does majorly affect the ability of two or three sides to have a fair shot at even reaching the knockouts and whether they then have to travel three times over half the world in the knockouts. You really are welcome to disagree with me. But I don’t like it…
Just watched the game. Our backline looked a lot more threatening with Garth April on at 10, imo. I really hope he is given another start.
@Culling Song (Comment 215) : Nice chilled monday you having 😉 I do fully agree though. Perhaps after his knock its best to rest Willie and let Pieterson play 15 where he is much better