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Lang Park, Brisbane Referee: TBA Referee: TBA Referee: TBA Referee: TBA The Reds surprised everyone by winning the Australian conference on the final day with the Brumbies losing without getting even a losing bonus-point. The Reds jumped from 7th to 3rd and will have a home play-off when they host the Sharks. The Sharks defeated the Cheetahs by 34-15 scoring 4 tries and without conceding even 1. Earlier this season the Reds traveled to Durban and lost by giving away a 17-0 lead, only to lose 27-22. Quade Cooper is uncertain due to a possible suspension. Can the Reds make the semi-finals and continue the quest to retain their title or will the Sharks win a play-off match for the first time since 2007?
Originally Posted by TRF_Ezequiel The Reds surprised everyone by winning the Australian conference on the final day with the Brumbies losing without getting even a losing bonus-point. The Reds jumped from 7th to 3rd and will have a home play-off when they host the Sharks. The Sharks defeated the Cheetahs by 34-15 scoring 4 tries and without conceding even 1. Earlier this season the Reds traveled to Durban and lost by giving away a 17-0 lead, only to lose 27-22. Quade Cooper is uncertain due to a possible suspension. Can the Reds make the semi-finals and continue the quest to retain their title or will the Sharks win a play-off match for the first time since 2007? The didn't surprise me - I had money on them winning the Aussie conference (at 20:1 odds), so I am a rich man now Anyways this will be a very interesting match. I would have backed the Sharks to beat the Brumbies, but I'm not really sure who to pick now - I will have to wait until I see the two teams named until I make my prediction!
It depends if Quade is playing or not.
Apple is the hair of my motor Yeah, pimped and ready to roll
Originally Posted by Amobokoboko It depends if Quade is playing or not. Will be very interesting to see what happens, I think it will either be 1 week or nothing, Berrick ducked into it slightly, the fact that he didn't get up possibly made it look worse, I'd imagine they will argue the fact that he has quite a history of concussion and what not. If he does get off I think they will be too good for the sharks at home as they appear to be looking pretty good all round for the first time this season. If he doesn't play it won't be the end of the world as they have coped without him for much of the season and can manage okay without him and the game is still at suncorp which has become somewhat of a fortress for them. Interesting times ahead though.
Sharks suffer triple Super rugby blow for Reds clash The Sharks have suffered a massive triple blow ahead of their Super Rugby play-off as Springbok pair Patrick Lambie and Frans Steyn and Lock Pieter-Steph du Toit have been ruled out of their match against the Reds. http://www.superxv.com/news/super15_...s.asp?id=35917
Well that's a shame. I was looking forward to seeing more of Steyn - he's one of my favourite players. On the other hand, this means Chiefs are more likely to face Reds, which I would prefer to Bulls or Crusaders. I'm hoping for a payback for their loss in Round 12.
Last edited by nemui10pm; 15-07-12 at 10:00 PM.
A genius, a philosopher, an abstract thinker
If our inside backs are McLeod, Michalak, Bosman I won't even bother watching. Add the possibility of Sykes featuring in the 22...
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Best possible line-up for the Sharks would be this: 1. Tendai Mtawarira 2. Bismarck du Plessis 3. Jannie du Plessis 4. Jandre Marais 5. Anton Bresler 6. Keegan Daniel 7. Marcell Coetzee 8. Ryan Kankowski 9. Cobus Reinach 10.Frederic Michalak 11.Lwazi Mvovo 12.Tim Whitehead 13.Paul Jordaan 14.JP Pietersen 15.Louis Ludik 16.Craig Burden 17.Wiehahn Herbst 18.Willem Alberts 19.Jacques Botes 20.Charl McLeod 21.Meyer Bosman 22.Odwa Ndungane
Viljoen for Ndungane and I agree. I think we will see this, changes with respect to your 22, Eze: 1. Tendai Mtawarira 2. Bismarck du Plessis 3. Jannie du Plessis 4. Steven Sykes 5. Anton Bresler 6. Keegan Daniel 7. Marcell Coetzee 8. Ryan Kankowski 9. Charl McLeod 10.Frederic Michalak 11.Lwazi Mvovo 12.Tim Whitehead 13.Paul Jordaan 14.JP Pietersen 15.Louis Ludik 16.Craig Burden 17.Wiehahn Herbst 18.Jan Andre Marais 19.Jacques Botes 20.Willem Alberts 21.Meyer Bosman 22.Odwa Ndungane
I know, but that won't be our strongest 22
Originally Posted by TRF_Ezequiel Sharks suffer triple Super rugby blow for Reds clash The Sharks have suffered a massive triple blow ahead of their Super Rugby play-off as Springbok pair Patrick Lambie and Frans Steyn and Lock Pieter-Steph du Toit have been ruled out of their match against the Reds. http://www.superxv.com/news/super15_...s.asp?id=35917 Fail to see where its a triple blow. Steyn wasn't going to play regardless
It would have been really bad if Steyn had been allowed to play for the Sharks but not Sinclair for the Stormers in the play offs. This is a very tough one to call, Reds being at home is an advantage for them and they have been on a roll as of late I have them by 2 on the Superbru, but could easily see this going either way. Especially since the Reds play in the weaker Australian conference which makes it harder to compare the two teams records.
Reds will win this one I think. Crusaders will take the Bulls. Don't know who plays who after that?
Originally Posted by FlukeArtist Reds will win this one I think. Crusaders will take the Bulls. Don't know who plays who after that? If that happens it will be: Stormers vs Crusaders Chiefs vs Reds
This will be that one or two occasions that I will be supporting the Bulls. They can shock the Crusaders.
I agree with the Reds having the edge at home. It's some bullshit though IMO with the Sharks deserving to be higher on the log. But it is what it is and each nation is assured at least 1 play-off hosting. I have to admit that I'm really hoping the Sharks take this one as I would much rather see the Stormers face a Sharks team that had traveled to Brisbane and back than the Crusaders at their fortress of Newlands. That said, its about time we get that particular monkey off our backs.
And it's official! Quade Cooper will miss the match against the Sharks! http://planetrugby.com/story/0,25883...903930,00.html Suspension for 1 week!
It would be awesome if we had 3 SA teams in the semi's next week... The Sharks have the edge IMO even without Lambie and Steyn. if their forwards play like they did against the Bulls, no team will stop them...
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Our pack needs to bring their a-game, easy as that. The only question is whether to start Kanko (dry weather) or Alberts (wet pitch). I prefer Kanko starting with Alberts having the enforcer-role off the bench.
Originally Posted by TRF_Ezequiel Our pack needs to bring their a-game, easy as that. The only question is whether to start Kanko (dry weather) or Alberts (wet pitch). I prefer Kanko starting with Alberts having the enforcer-role off the bench. Weather to be fine all week, Will be a very interesting game now quade is out, I think he adds a lot more than just playmaking, they seem to be more composed when he is playing for some reason. I still think they will do it as benny lucas will be FH and he was when they beat the chiefs and they were solid.
Sharks are on fire, travelling east is way easier that flying back. I think they have the players to win this one
Should be a close game anyway.
The last time the Sharks won in Brisbane, they went on to play the final. It was 2007 and the Sharks won 16-59 with tries by AJ Venter (2), JP Pietersen (2), Jacques Botes, Bradley Barritt, Waylon Murray, Bismarck du Plessis and Keegan Daniel. It would be nice to see a repeat of that, but in all fairness I give the Reds a better chance to win, even though they are without Quade.
Maybe a stupid question. But why was Schalk Brits allowed to play in the Play offs last year and why Steyn can't?
I think the Stormers used a loophole in the system and SANZAR blocked it this year
Nope, they used Brits as a dispensation player for a specialist position (hooker). The Sharks have enough fit centers which makes the ruling on Steyn different.
Stand by my point as that loophole was filled this year and so the Stormers can't use Jebb Sinclair although 4 players in no 8 is injured
Yes, but no. 8 is not a specialist position. Only hooker (2), both props (1 and 3) and the scrum-half are considered specialist positions.
"SANZAR CEO Greg Peters confirmed to SuperSport.com that while few changes were expected for the 2012 Super Rugby tournament, there was definitely going to be a change in the player regulations which governed eligibility. There was unhappiness in both Australia and New Zealand earlier this year as the Stormers “exploited” the regulations by flying in Britz, who plays for Saracens in England, to play at flank for them in their semi-final against the Crusaders at Newlands, a game that the Stormers ultimately lost. And while the Southern Hemisphere's controlling body won’t be making any moves in 2012, it expects some agreement to come to allow Argentinean players to participate in the Super Rugby competition as part of one of the SANZAR country franchises. Peters said that while Sanzar had allowed Britz to compete, it certainly would be “closing the loophole” ahead of the 2012 competition. “We won’t be making substansive changes, but there is definitely the situation regarding eligibility that we will look at. We want to change the current loophole in the regulations that enables players to play in the finals series having not contributed in the league stages,” Peters told SuperSport.com. “What we are looking for is a declaration of a squad of players that will be eligible through the entire season, and if anyone else needs to come in there needs to be injury proof. Apart from that, to play in the finals series, you need to be eligible, playing in the country by a certain date to qualify.” Peters said while it had always been left up to the individual countries to nominate players, there now needed to be a better system with dealing with eligibility. “Teams will now announce a squad of players who will all be eligible throughout the competition, and they can then bring other players in until the cut-off date. After that, players can only be brought in if they have played four games, or as an injury replacement if they are in the country by a certain date. “The principle is we don’t want to see competition-hopping, we want teams to play through. We don’t want the example of this year’s series when the Stormers exploited that loophole. We say good on them, but now we are closing that one.” and http://www.superxv.com/news/super15_...s.asp?id=32849 for the full details
With Cooper out I see the Sharks as favorites for this match. If the Reds bring Ben Lucas in at 10 I think they still have a chance, but if they move Harris into 10 and bring in Tapuai at 12 (which I think they will) I think they will struggle. This is nothing against Tapuai (who I actually rate as a better player than Lucas), it is just that with Harris at 10 the Reds will struggle to play an expansive game-plan, which I think they must do if they are going to match the Sharks.
