Final: Sharks vs Bulls

[Dumbo]

Welcome to the finals, great effort from the Bulls and the Sharks and both teams deserve to be where they are.

Who's going to win? not sure but one things for sure... they'll be some big parties in SA!

 

[Juggernaut]

I would love to party with those Sharks cheerleaders....win or lose.


Sharks by 10.

 

[shtove]

I would love to party with those Sharks cheerleaders....win or lose.


Sharks by 10.
[/b]

I dunno ... what happened to their gold bikinis? They turned up in denims for the semis.

Bull gores Shark in stomach, lots of little Kiwis spill out.

 

[BokMagic]

It`s actually an amazing atmosphere out here- not too many people give a rat`s arse about who`ll win it here in J`Bay- even the most hardcore Bulls supporters over here are just absolutely stoked that a local side is gonna win the S14. Honestly, there`s a helluva lot more open hostility during Currie Cup matches than for this one. Tickets sold out in 1hr15mins about says it all.

Even myself, as a true-blue, die-hard mountain goat, and thus hater of everything North of the Jukskei, would be perfectly content with either a Bulls or a Sharks win. It`s a strange vibe really, and I reckon the most die-hard Sharks and Bulls supporters will both party equally hard after the game.

Right- now onto prediction time. If both sides bring their A-game, it`ll be decided entirely up front. The 2 consistently best tight 5`s in this year`s comp. going head to head. I reckon that the Bulls, on semi-final form anyway, might just be the favourites. They conrolled their play much better in their semi, playing to their traditional strengths. Then again, if the Sharks youngsters in the backline can muster the sort of freedom they showed in some of the earlier rounds, and play off a good platform like their forwards should produce, they might just swing it.

Close to call this one- I`m going with my gut, Bulls by less than 10.

 

[The TRUTH]

Bull gores Shark in stomach, lots of little Kiwis spill out.
[/b]

...and out from those Kiwiz spill 103 years worth of little green turds.

 

[QKXV]

It`s actually an amazing atmosphere out here- not too many people give a rat`s arse about who`ll win it here in J`Bay- even the most hardcore Bulls supporters over here are just absolutely stoked that a local side is gonna win the S14. Honestly, there`s a helluva lot more open hostility during Currie Cup matches than for this one. Tickets sold out in 1hr15mins about says it all.

Even myself, as a true-blue, die-hard mountain goat, and thus hater of everything North of the Jukskei, would be perfectly content with either a Bulls or a Sharks win. It`s a strange vibe really, and I reckon the most die-hard Sharks and Bulls supporters will both party equally hard after the game.

Right- now onto prediction time. If both sides bring their A-game, it`ll be decided entirely up front. The 2 consistently best tight 5`s in this year`s comp. going head to head. I reckon that the Bulls, on semi-final form anyway, might just be the favourites. They conrolled their play much better in their semi, playing to their traditional strengths. Then again, if the Sharks youngsters in the backline can muster the sort of freedom they showed in some of the earlier rounds, and play off a good platform like their forwards should produce, they might just swing it.

Close to call this one- I`m going with my gut, Bulls by less than 10.
[/b]

To me the two semi's were finals and I honestly don't care who wins this one. I got my wish when both these teams beat their opponents last Saturday but because I'm a Bull supporter I'll say Bulls by 20 plus . Good luck to both sides.

 

[fokkenkak]

From what i saw, i only watched the Bulls first half it bored me, the Sharks will dominate come scrum time but rucks and lineouts will be the Bulls. I think it will be tight and come subs time Sharks have the gamebreakers.

We need to put Hougaard under pressure and get Butch and co to attack his channel. Kicking wont be as easy for him out of that thin air.

Moan the Sharks. Die bloubulle is kak

 

[esoj]

bulls I think we will win this one. the sharks have the flashy backs but they don't always come off and the bulls will be able to finish the game off if they are ahead unlike the blues who let it slip in the final few mins. should be a good game and at the end of the day the first SA super rugby winner will be known

 

[Groen_en_Goud]

.... at the end of the day the first SA super rugby winner will be known
[/b]

If I remember correctly there was a Super 10 comp just before the Super 12. It went for 3 years I think, and an SA side won it once.


...anyway...

I'm quite relaxed about it all. If the Sharks win, Fantastic!!! But I'm still going to be partying and celebrating if the Bulls win because I know that the silverware flys to SA and stays in SA.
Still it's going to be one hell of a match.

A crucial match up is going to be the clash between BJ Botha and Guthro Steenkamp. Who ever gets the better of the other, will do their side a huge favour.

Sharks by 6.

 

[Dumbo]

I'm going for the Sharks all the way.
Comparing the two teams is like comparing chalk with cheese, differant playing styles, completly differant game plan.

Sharks are just playing plain out winning rugby... go the Sharks!

 

[dobrien7]

Sharks at home for me, should be good game regardless.

 

[Boggle]

Lions won the Super 10 back in the day.

Anyhoo, Sharks for me on this one, I know the bulls look like an unstoppable machine going into this game, but I just get the feeling the sharks will be able to stop them.

thing is sharks have the forwards to answer the bulls and the backline players to put a lot fo points on the board, I just got the feeling last weekend that of the 2, the bulls were more in control of their game.

Still, sharks for me, in a close one.

 

[Huckleberry]

This one is going to be a cracker!!!!!!!!!!!
I think the SHARKS will win this one!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[QKXV]

A crucial match up is going to be the clash between BJ Botha and Guthro Steenkamp. Who ever gets the better of the other, will do their side a huge favour.

Sharks by 6.
[/b]

For me the matchup of the game has to be Jon Smith & Gary Botha, these two oaks had a great season. It adds that they are essentialy bok hooker one and two and they are very different in both the approach to their roles and to what they bring to the particular style of their sides.

 

[Huckleberry]

And lets not forget the battle of the scrumhalfs between du preez and pienaar!!!!!!!!
They both had great seasons!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BokMagic]

Hmmm, lots of interesting duels on the cards here. So let`s have a closer look:

Back 3- the Sharks will have just a touch more flair, Pietersen and Steyn in particular are game-breakers, while the Bulls have the very real gas of Habana, and the solidity of Ndungane and Roets. Sharks slightly ahead here.

Centres- Sharks all the way- Olivier vs Barritt will be a great contest, but at 13 Murray is light years ahead of Nel.

Halves: Pienaar/James vs Du Preez/Liefling. The Sharks pairing looks the more complete package, being more adaptable to either kicking or running. The Bulls have the form 9 in this year`s comp, a playmaker like few others, but I suspect that Liefling might be a liability. He`s excellent when on the front foot, so the easiest way to stop him is by fighting fire with fire up front, which the Sharks will be able to do. That said, if James has another shocker like last week, the Cup`s going to Pretoria, no matter what.

Back row- Bulls by a long way. 3 reasons for this: Pierre Spies, Pierre Spies and... Pierre Spies! Spies vs Kankowski can yet become a great battle in future, but at this stage Kankowski needs another season before he can challenge for the no8 spot.

Locks- Bulls by a long way. The 3 best locks in SA, Matfield, Botha and Rossouw, all in the same squad. Although the Sharks have got a warhorse in Ackers, a stringbean for the lineouts in V D Bergh, and a colossus in Muller, they`re miles behind.

Front row- where this match will be won and lost. BJ Botha vs Guthro Steenkamp, John Smit vs Gary Botha, Rayno Gerber vs Deon Carstens. Sharkies have the better backup at hooker, Bulls the better backup at prop.

So in terms of the teams on the day, Sharks have the right stuff in the backs, and the Bulls have the right stuff up front. Impossible to separate in terms of playing personnel really.

Still reckon it`ll come down to composure and control. The Bulls have the experience of 5 CC finals in the last 5 years, including 3.5 wins. And they were much the more composed side last weekend.

 

[fokkenkak]

I dont think because they have Pierre Spies they are miles ahead of the Sharks back row though i agree with what you said for the most part. From what ive seen of Spies he hasnt been at all that special but i have hardly watched any Bulls games, he looked pretty ordinary compared to when he donned the green and gold whereas Kankwoski played an exceptional first half last game and Bobby looked pretty damn good when he came on. I would say the back row is at least even.

 

[Huckleberry]

Piere spies can be great on attack but his tackling isn't that good!!!!!!!!!

 

[BokMagic]

While I agree that Kankowski had an excellent game against the Blues, and Bob`s certainly been red-hot this season, I just think that Spies has something extra special. Huge bloke, serious gas, brilliant hands- and pretty sharp on the ground too. The Bulls also feature Van Heerden and Wannenburg in the back row, 2 warhorses who do the hard graft and gain the territory effectively, inch by inch.

Sure, the Sharks feature AJ Venter, one of my favourite players, a real hard ******* in the Van Heerden mould, a tireless workhorse. But Kankowski and Botes are just a bit on the light side for a game against the Bully boys. Sure, Botes is very good on the ground, and Kankowski`s a great linking player with very sharp pace. But I don`t believe they`ll be up to the physical challenge posed by the very big, and pretty skillful, Bulls back row.

The main reason for my point on Spies being the difference in the backrow is this- while the Bulls have always had big boys who can carry effectively in their back row, since Spies` return from injury, his pace has been one of the main reasons, IMO, for the strong showing of the Bulls in the 2nd half of the comp. He`s added a new dimention for the Bulls.

 

[esoj]

<div class='quotemain'>
.... at the end of the day the first SA super rugby winner will be known
[/b]

If I remember correctly there was a Super 10 comp just before the Super 12. It went for 3 years I think, and an SA side won it once.
[/b][/quote]

super rugby being in this case from the start of the super 12 aka the professional era of super rugby.