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Round 12: Chiefs v Sharks

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The Chiefs (sitting at 4th on the ladder) take on the rampant Sharks in Hamilton.
Both teams showed last week that they are a force to be reckoned with (the Chiefs humped the Force and the Sharks took the Blues apart).
This one will be a BIG one with both teams on fire, the Chiefs ability to score tries and the Sharks ability in defence should be well worth watching.
For the Chiefs though their defence this year has not been up to the standard set by the Sharks and think that in this game it will be their undoing.

Look for a hell of a battle in the lock department as big Keith Robinson may just have a go at the opposition to unnerve them.
Also looking forward to seeing the Chiefs line-up as they backline may look a bit different from last week.
 
I thought this would've been the match of the round.

Sharks are gunning for a home semi, and the Chiefs are just trying to cement 4th place.

Chiefs showed they got the firepower outwide, but can their defence keep up?
Sharks showed they can grunt it up, and boast a defensive record 2nd only to the Blues (although they tie 1st for tries conceded).

I'm hoping for a Chiefs win here, although something tells me the Sharks might pull it off.
 
With the Sharks walking over the Blues they are easy favourites in this one.
Just watched the Blues game again and noticed just how good the Sharks are with their off the ball **** - very good. This could be a problem for the Chiefs as they are noted for keeping their heads together.

For the Chiefs though the main problem will be their defence and that they really don't have one.
So far the forwards are keeping the defencive effort from looking like a joke.
The backs have been shitful really with players like Masaga and Lavea having no idea of what defence is.

Fingers crossed the Chiefs don't try and mirror the effort from the Blues and kick pointlessly to the Sharks.

Watch Ackerman on Robinson, if there's two guys that are going to have a go... I'd put money on those two.
 
Once again I am going for the opposition on this one should be a comfortable victory(30-17) for the chiefs as it is hard to put in the same intensity 2 weeks running, as that was one hell of a tough match against a very good blues side who should still be in the final( to much quality). The only problem is the Dave Nucifora having a brain fart after the game and losing his cool which means he is feeling the pressure and that could seep through to the players.

The Chiefs are starting to fire at just the right time! Lets not forget they won the NPC last year so they are a quality side.

My heart as always backing the boys come on SHARKS!!!!!!!!!
 
I think Nucifora has helped the chiefs by critizing the ref, now particular attention will be payed to the sharks. The sharks have already had the intensity running for two weeks straight and had it running for 5 games straight at the start of the season so i dont see how that changes things especially since they are much more of a refined unit now making less and less mistakes each week.

When i see the sharks team ill decide who will win but i dont think the same tactic will work this time like it did against the blues. Chiefs will probaly plan to stop that aswell
 
The Chiefs should put up a much stiffer challenge up front than the Blues did last week. The Chiefs also have a big, physical pack of forwards, so it certainly won`t be a walk in the park for the Sharks.

Out wide, the Chiefs have plenty of gas in Masaga et al, but it`s also true that they`ve leaked tries at almost the same rate as they scored them.

According to Dick Muir, the Sharks will play a more conservative game this time, which might just frustrate the living hell out of the quicksilver backs, and it could just work into the Sharks` favour. I`ll be tipping the Sharks in a close one, by about 5 points.
 
The Chiefs will take apart the Sharks defence. The Sharks will take apart the Chiefs defence. This will be another high-scoring game. Look for Steyn with 5 drop-goals. Look out for Lavea with his tactical kicking. Watch Lauaki bash the Sharks loosies.

Chiefs by 3.
 
Crunch time here for the Chiefs, they need to win this match to keep their fairytale playoff hopes alive. The Chiefs will need to tackle their hearts out if they are to win this match.

Stats preview from the Chiefs site.

http://www.chiefs.co.nz/The-Team/Analyst%5...hiefs-v-Sharks/

• Loose forward Sione Lauaki has scored a try against the Sharks in each of the Chiefs' last three meetings.
• Sitiveni Sivivatu has scored three tries against the Sharks.
• The Sharks have already defeated four New Zealand teams this year.
• A J Venter is set to play his 100th game of Super 14 Rugby - the second South African to do so.
• The Chiefs have won four out of 11 encounters with the Sharks, although the Chiefs have taken five bonus try scoring points compared with the Sharks' four over those 11 games.
• Last year Percy Montgomery scored 25 of the Sharks 30 points against the Chiefs.
• The Chiefs have scored 280 points and conceded 247 points this season.
The Sharks have scored 259 points and conceded 166 points this season.
• The Chiefs have scored 34 tries and conceded 28 tries this season.
The Sharks have scored 28 tries and conceded 13 tries this season.
• The Crusaders with 43 are the only team to have scored more tries than the Chiefs. On the other side of the coin, the Reds (33) and Waratahs (29) are the only teams to have conceded more tries than the Chiefs this year. These statistics are as at the end of Round 11.
 
This is an extremely important match for the Brumbies... yes, that's right. If the Sharks take the win the Brumbies should - with a win themselves - take fourth place back. This was an incredibly convenient setup one week after our bye.
 
You're forgetting about the Bulls :)

They're the favourites to take out 4th spot, mainly cos they got home games left, and we all know how good they are at home :)
 
huge match-up with plenty on the line for both teams. I think the chiefs simply have too much firepower out wide and will just simply out score the sharks. the chiefs will proabbly let in a fair few themselves but when you have guys like masaga and sivivatu they will always get plenty themselves. the chiefs problem could be getting enough ball against a sharks pack that is ruthless and will do anything to upset the opposition. this is defintely the match of the round imo and it should be fairly high scoring too. chiefs by 10
 
Will be great to see the clashes of the wings!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pitersen and Ndungane vs Masaga and kinikinilau. :D :D :D :D :D
 
Sharks have too much firepower all over the pitch, people are saying that there backline is lethal and using that kicking tactic against wont work this time but is that not what everyone was saying before the Blues game? The Chiefs are in 4th place for losing well and hopefully they will today. I think it will be closer than the Blues game

Sharks 22

15. Percy Montgomery
14. Odwa Ndungane
13. Waylon Murray
12. Bradley Barritt
11. JP Pietersen
10. Francois Steyn
9. Ruan Pienaar
8. Bob Skinstad
7. AJ Venter
6. Jacques Botes
5. Johann Muller
4. Johan Ackermann
3. BJ Botha
2. John Smit (Capt)
1. Deon Carstens

Replacements:
16. Bismarck du Plessis
17. Beast Mtawarira
18. Albert van den Berg
19. Warren Britz
20. Ryan Kankowski/Butch James
21. Rory Kockott
22. Adrian Jacobs
 
Excellent looking Sharks team there. Especially happy to see that BJ Botha is cleared from his midweek injury scare in this one. Carstens, Smit, Botha, Ackermann, Muller- geez, there`s some real size and power in that front five. Add to that Venter and the form shown by Skinstad in the last 2 rounds, and that pack is looking more fearsome than ever. No real weaknesses in that line-up, although obviously the Chiefs will have the edge in pace out wide with Masaga, Sivivatu and Kinikinilau.

Match of the round for my money.
 
Haha, as a blues supporter that game was pure karma baby. The sharks got dealt to and this time the calls didn't go there way and yet they still tried their dirty off the ball tactics and now overtake England in the whingeing at the referee stakes.
Sure you might say they came back towards the end, but it was more because the chiefs took their foot off their throats and jumped the gun with a couple of subs.
 
^ ha

Anyway Sharks were outplayed overall for about 60mins and left it too late to start a comeback though i think we could of reached within 7 points if he had not taken a dominating Bob Skinstad off for Britz of all people. If he was going to take Bob off rather Kankwoski or Daniels on. Jacobs should also have been on earlier and Percy should have stopped kicking earlier.

I knew Nucifora's whiney comments about reffing would result in a showing like that.
 

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