Currie Cup: Natal Sharks - FS Cheetahs @ Kings Park, Durban (30-07-2011, 14:00)

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Kings Park, Durban (30-07-2011, 14:00 GMT)

Ball retention will be key for the Toyota Free State Cheetahs when they travel to Durban to face The Sharks on Saturday afternoon.

According to Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske, his team only had themselves to blame for losing against the Vodacom Blue Bulls last week after they lead by 17-3 shortly before the break.

The Sharks have also been solid this season and kicked off their defence of the Absa Currie Cup with a superb victory over the Bulls at Mr Price Kings Park two weekends ago.

"The Sharks are the form team at the moment and we know it will be very tough down in Durban, but we placed ourselves under some pressure for throwing away the game in Pretoria last weekend," said Drotske.

"We have done well against them before, but last year they beat us twice, so I don't think we can be regarded as The Sharks' bogey team any more. They were very impressive against the Bulls and we'll have to play well on Saturday.

"The most important area for us would be ball retention. The stats show The Sharks score 70 to 80 percent of their tries from bad kicks by their opponents, so we need to ensure we keep the ball and build momentum, which is when we're at our most dangerous."

The Sharks vs Toyota Free State Cheetahs
Date: Saturday, 30 July
Kick-off: 15:00
Venue: Mr Price Kings Park, Durban
Referee: Jason Jaftha
Last year in Absa Currie Cup:
31 July – The Sharks won 25-13 in Bloemfontein
18 September – The Sharks won by 30-16 in Durban

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Sharks: 15. Louis Ludik, 14. Mark Richards, 13. Stefan Terblanche/Marius Joubert, 12. Meyer Bosman, 11. Sibusiso Sithole, 10. Jacques-Louis Potgieter/Frederic Michalak, 9. Ross Cronje, 8. Keegan Daniel (Captain), 7. Marcell Coetzee, 6. Jacques Botes, 5. Ross Skeate, 4. Anton Bresler, 3. Wiehahn Herbst, 2. Craig Burden, 1. Dale Chadwick
Replacements: 16. Kyle Cooper, 17. Eugene van Staden, 18. Jan Andre Marais, 19. Francois Kleinhans, 20. Jacobus Reinach, 21. Heimar Williams/Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 22. Gouws Prinsloo

Free State Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Riaan Smit, 13 Corné Uys, 12 Andries Strauss (captain), 11 Rayno Benjamin, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Boom Prinsloo, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Johan Wessels, 5 Waltie Vermeulen, 4 Francois Uys, 3 WP Nel, 2 PW van Vuuren, 1 Marcel van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Michael van Vuuren, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Izak van der Westhuizen, 19 Pieter Myburgh, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Philip Snyman, 22 Philip Burger.

 

[Seaton]

Great to see Sibusiso starting, now we can better look at him at this level.

As for the conditions, well its raining today, and there is a 30% chance of raining tomorrow, and is still going to be 'cold', which means that regardless of whether or not it rains tomorrow, the field is still going to be damp.
So we can't expect a great spectacle, and I think in terms of kicking, Daniller is much better than Ludik, whilst Riaan Smit is also an astute kicker, which niether of our wings are, so we need to keep the ball in hand before it turns into a kicking comp.



Gooooooooooooo Nataaaaaaaaaallllllll!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Draggs]

I'm guessing it will be a matchday call on Michalak and Joubert.
Seems like be have further filled our backrow with Coetzee. We could have two full backrows better than other CC or S15 sides.
I've not heard much about Sithole, was he good at the younger Sharks levels? We could do with a few more wings.

 

[Seaton]

Well, Michalak has been declared fit to start, whilst Joubert is only fit enough for the bench.
So Prinsloo drops out

Also see that Hoffman has resumed training

 

[Seaton]

Yay, the weather gurus have got it wrong... again.

Bright and sunny, probably enough to have made the field dryish by now!

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

5 tries within the first 40 minutes... It's a shame the Cheetahs scored a second try at the death, now it might still be a scary second half... 31-17 with 2 tries for Botes, 1 for Ludik, 1 for Richards, 1 for Sithole (all Sharks), an intercept try for Riaan Smit and a late chrusher by Boom Prinsloo (both Cheetahs)

 

[Seaton]

Have seen but haven't been able to 'watch' the game.

After such a dominant first half an hour, the Sharks have been as porous as a sieve

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Welll....That was some exciting second half.... 43-34 final score... Only penalties for the Sharks in the second half, while the Cheetahs scored 2 tries. Cheetahs miss a final second penalty to deny them a losing bonuspoint

 

[Seaton]

And earn you around 100 000 in vBookie dosh

Eagerly await the highlites, what forced Ross Skeate from the field?

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

An injury


He mentioned it in a sideline-interview but I forgot. The vBookie win is nice haha.