The fact that the Blues have beaten the Sharks only once in recent history – that being in 2016, the alst time the sides played – will be scant consolation as Robert du Preez’s embattled side limps into Auckland this week on the back of a big hiding in Melbourne.
Is there any way the Sharks can turn this awful season around and record a surprise win over the Blues?
Kick-off is at 08h35 SA time.
Blues: 15 Michael Collins, 14 Jordan Trainor, 13 George Moala, 12 Rieko Ioane, 11 Melani Nanai, 10 Stephen Perofeta, 9 Jonathan Ruru, 8 Akira Ioane, 7 Murphy Taramai, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Josh Goodhue, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 3 Mike Tamoaieta, 2 James Parsons (captain), 1 Pauliasi Manu.
Replacements: 16 Leni Apisai, 17 Ross Wright, 18 Sione Mafileo, 19 Jimmy Tupou, 20 Kara Pryor, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Bryn Gatland, 23 Thomas Faiane.
Sharks: 15 Curwin Bosch, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Tera Mtembu, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Philip van der Walt, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Ruan Botha (captain), 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 John-Hubert Meyer, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Tyler Paul, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Marius Louw, 23 Kobus van Wyk.
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Chilly starts in place of Akker – I assume injury enforced
What is that look on the team’s faces as they exit the dressing room? Focus? Dread?
Tera looks quite motivated
3-0 Sharks
Sharks exits are a mess
First time this year we manage a proper maul
JLDP putting in a really dominant tackle
Botha scores a try after another strong run from JLDP
10-0 Sharks
What a turnaround from last week so far. Good to see improvement.
SO good to see hunger and aggression at last
Sharks playing a lot better tonight
13-0
What wonders it will do if you fight for territory. Let’s hope it’s stays that way.
Sharks box kicks too deep
Silly kicks from Sharks on attack give Blues the ball to score
13-7
16-7
@Bokhoring (Comment 16) : Silly quick lineouts instead of getting your forwards back and use set piece structures when you are able to. Reverse gear from there onwards.
Sharks have not managed one clean exit tonight
Try saving tackle from LS
Why does Bosch not take all the line kicks?
Chilli boy trying to find a jumper in the top stands. Amateur….
Try from JLDP after great break from Andre
That strength is beautiful, JLDP you beauty!
23-7 Sharks. But can we get a clean exit now
First box kick that works
Philip taking the kicks and fluffing every bloody time and the box kicks are doing my head in
Sharks taking all kicks to poles tonight. Sensible
26-7
Where the [email protected]&# have these guys been for 6 weeks???? Passion, guts, haert!!!! This is what we want
😯
@Mephisto_Shark (Comment 11) : finally
Much more aggression at the breakdown and defense
@Bokhoring (Comment 34) : 😯 😀
Why are we kicking at posts if our maul is making meters?
Bonus points could’ve been in the bag already
I’m so happy right now. This is the rugby we want to see our boys play! EVERY aspect has improved. We take the points on offer, we defend well and we attack well! Bosch is playing his heart out as is JLdP
@jdolivier (Comment 36) : Decision making has been good from the Sharks. They took the points on offer while the Blues haven’t. This is exact why they are three scores behind at the moment.
@Bokhoring (Comment 34) : I think it’s those two men Phillip and Jean Luc who brings the hunger. The rest now have something to follow. And with that hunger came much better possession and for a change better territory. Why was that so hard to see previously. They should be fighting every meter even when in opposing half as I said previously with the names we have that should not be so hard.
@boertjie101 (Comment 39) : Personally I think after going 9points up, we should really have gone for tries.
Has anyone noticed that even tera is having a good game
@jdolivier (Comment 42) : He has been busy but he has lost all his speed. Way too slow for an 8
@Bokhoring (Comment 43) : Defence and rucks he has been great today. But yes, he has lost any form of pace
Sharks need to keep it up for another 50 minutes
Wow this is looking a lot better!!! Now to keep it going for the second 40!!!
@jdolivier (Comment 41) : Let’s agree to disagree. It’s been a disease of local teams to overestimate their abilities just to stuff it up at the line. The game is still long. Let’s win the game first before worrying about the bonus point. NZ teams have the ability to score 14 points in no time, so we must keep building.
Yellow for Nkosi
no arms on Mvovo, scrum continues but a high is a yellow 🙄
@boertjie101 (Comment 47) : Hence the reason that 2 tries is a safer buffer than 3 penalties
Poor start to second half by Sharks.
26-14
Bosch really not keen on taking high balls
Sharks game folding now
Get cam on the field now
Unreal
Where the Fuck was our fullback Mr curwin toss
Poor tackling from Andre and a forward and 4 runs straight through. 26-21. Blues going to win this game
Cam and kobus on for some urgency
Sharks have now stopped tackling and Blues 10 run through entire team
Welcome back Sharks where have you been we missed you.
Was an envelope passed at half time or something, wtf is going on
28-26 Blues lead
checked off camera 😯
@Mephisto_Shark (Comment 64) : He was behind the kicker
Tera scores after Sharks decide to play. Kobus started the move by running the ball back
To the sharks: do whatever the hell you want, but I am done
@Bokhoring (Comment 66) : Now for cam
33-28 Sharks now
Game really entertaining now
Cam finally on
Great offload by JLDP, great run for Lewies and Robert scores
40-28 Sharks
Great game
Lovely character to bounce back, this is all we want as fans guys
That should be a yellow
Fucking cynical, unfortunate my arsehole you cheat ref
43-28
That should also be a yellow
@Bokhoring (Comment 79) : And Blues 14 off
Too many aimless kicks from Bosch on attack
@Bokhoring (Comment 81) : yeah that out of hand kicking of his is pretty awful
@Bokhoring (Comment 81) : Sharks making so many metres at will ball in hand and then one doos loses patience and kicks possession away. He should get a klap from ach player for that.
Should have gone for the lineout on this one
46-28
Morning guys. How is the tank going in the scrums?
Van Wyk scores. 53-28 Sharks
Can Blues score 4 tries in 8 minutes?
Blues score in the corner
Just be patient keep making those gainlines ball in hand. Bosch schreauder and du Preez not kick out of impatient or oppertunism. Keep stealing territory. That is what works. The forwards really showed up on attack today.
53-35 now
Need to support in the tackles as well. If the man is up go help leg drive him backwards.
56-35
Tera having a good game
For a change a good record in our favor.
Blues score after overthrow from Marais
56-40
Sharks will win although game is not over yet
Once again, it’s the massive character shown that put the smile on my face. Playing every minute of the game, even after some stupid errors and lapse in defense leading to soft tries. Commitment like this every week, win or lose, just keep passion in the jersey until the final whistle 😉
And Bosch with 3 to one advantage on the outside decides not to pass….
Bosch scores the final try.
@coolfusion (Comment 100) : And he takes back the one he lost. Nice..
TMO being stupid there
Robert has a 100% kicking record with something like 13 out of 13
Could this be the turnaround game of the season? Well done Sharks.
Awesome to have forwards present today. Hope they grace us with their presence again next week.
@Bokhoring (Comment 105) : Let’s not jinx
JLDP my man of the match but it has been a team effort for a change
Must give credit, that was a team result, the one we’ve been begging for for 6 weeks, very proud
I’m saying again. Our decision making won us the game today. Equal amount of tries scored. Difference being Sharks took the points when it was on offer. If after that 10min on Nkosi in the bin, the Blues had been up by 10+ points, things could easily have turned out ugly for the Sharks. Well played guys.
Im going to call it. Bosch is a much better fullback than flyhalf. More time and space. Joins the line like no player has done since Andre Jobert. Big boot. Much improved defensively
@Bokhoring (Comment 103) : just have to love the NZ commentators saying “now that’s 35 seconds from our lives we not getting back” after being very annoyed with the TMO for getting involved after the try was already awarded!!!
@byron (Comment 111) : for sure! He has looked very good at 15!
JLDP my MotM too, he was like a pitbull today. Well done lad.
Much better performance by the Sharks and really glad I decided to watch the game!
Team victory. Our Captain rallied his team, Rob jnr stepped up, Terra stepped up. And our bench players made an impact, Kobus came on and to me swinged the momentum back to us with that one run. He wants his starting berth back
When Schreuder knocked a ball on after JLDP won us the ball and the anger from JLDP showed me the hunger, How much did the message from Teichman help towards the Sharks improvement?
Ha Ha Ha 😉 😉 😉 😉 😉 😉 😉 😉 😉 😉 😉 😉 😉 😉 😉 😉
Think of this first South African team to win overseas this year that includesArgentina and Japan,only S.A team with a favourably away win record against the Blues.
To put this game in perspective Stormers haven’t won a game in New Zealand since 2009.
The coaches sons were amazing today and good news is that the best one didn’t play today.
Blues by 40 my arse 😉 😉 😉 😉 😉 😉 😉 😉 😉
@byron (Comment 111) : I be said same. He must just keep cool head
@The hound (Comment 118) : Glad to lose that argument. Easily.
@YamYam (Comment 116) : Knock on effect from forwards showing up attacking gainline keeping possession. The whole team looks better that way.
@JD (Comment 112) : Ja that was Petty from them. Nothing to gain
@Mephisto_Shark (Comment 114) : Ginger also adding grunt. Even Tommie monstering a tough challenge.
@The hound (Comment 118) : call it personal choice but JLDP is the best one imho. An absolute bully at the tackle line
@byron (Comment 124) : It is more his overall play as a 7, check when he was carrying the ball? how many it took to stop him? he draws in so many defenders.
Thanks sharkies for a great easter weekend. I can finally have a relaxed weekend. Great stuff boys.
@The hound (Comment 118) : You have always considered Dan the better of the 2 twins. What is your thinking behind that again? You probably have explained it before, but I can’t remember. I’m not saying I don’t agree, just curious. He had a lot more injuries over the last 2 years,so struggling to outshine JL most of the time.