Sharks

[QLD]

Why are the Sharks so bad this season?

Last year they were ***le favourites after round 4, they were undefeated after four rounds but this year they haven't won a game. Their all Springbok front row is getting demolished by weaker opposition.

Then losing to the Waratahs. Pathetic.

 

[Steve-o]

Why the Sharks doing so bad this season? Honestly I don't know.

I've spoken to many fellow Sharks supporters and we can't put our finger on it. Previous games it appeared to be confidence and disorganization, the last game against the Waratahs was lost due to poor discipline but I'll also put out there that Carter's try should of never been awarded.

On our frontrow, I'm very disappointed with Jannie Du Plessis. He's suppose to be our specialist tighthead, the who'll finally take the burden off John Smit, but no he's worse than the converted hooker himself! Beast is doing fine, he has jacked up his scrummaging. Smit is still a good hooker and Bismarck is better. However the Currie Cup has already showed that the Sharks frontrow is simply not up to scratch, it's just that simple, this is why the Cheetahs are beating us recently.
Their frontrow should actually be the Springbok frontrow. Is it better coaching, better skill, or they've tapped their potential? Probably a bit of all 3.
Quite simply the Sharks frontrow (Beast/Du Plessis/Smit) has never been that good, but much like with the Boks, the rest of the team carry them.

Again the exact reason why we are sucking so bad is unclear. We've been floating on potential for a while now though imo, we won the Currie Cup '08 and been poo ever since, or at least in games that actually matter.
My gut feeling when I watch the Sharks is that of an unbalanced team. Frontrow is too open play orientated, loose trio too light weight (thank goodness for Alberts though), half-back pairing none existent and our centre's don't know what their roles are but then again the Sharks haven't had a decent center pairing since the days of Halstead & Kayser.

 

[QLD]

Thanks for the insightful in-depth analysis of the Sharks in your post.

Last year the Stormers underachieved but now it's the Sharks. Even the Cheetahs are overachieving. Lions haven't been that bad in their 4 losses either.

Everybody hates losing to the Waratahs, they always seem to get a leg up from the officials and referees. No way the Sharks should have lost to NSW, that was a clear penalty try if he was given a yellow card FFS.

 

[SaintsFan Webby]

How can anything be expected from a team that's decided (of their own free will) to sign Andy Goode.

 

[Bull]

Maybe the Sharks should buy Derick Hougaard?

 

[Jer1cho]

Well, the were a lot better than the Waratahs. Just a shame the Tahs cheated by paying that referee. Disgusting.

 

[Bull]

As much as I hate the Sharks that was a penalty try and they should have won the game. The refs are far too inconsistent and one would give a penalty the other a yellowcard. The breakdown is also a problem - one example on Saturday Francois Louw was on his feet contesting the ball he then went of his feet and left the ball alone, correct; the Highlanders had then already recycled the ball but Mark Lawrence then blew them for holding on :huh:

I would love for the day to come where referees are reviewed and receive punishment of some sort.

 

[Boggle]

Technically that already happens, although it never seems to make any difference whatsoever, they probably get called up by the IRB and told to "do better next time" or "we're all rooting for you jimmy"

I say if a ref constantly gets it wrong for about 3 games in a row just suspend him for a couple of matches, hell even the whole tournament, that'll f***ing straighten them out, because it seems to me that sometimes they really do nothing more than guess anyway.

I remember the same thing a week or two ago, Habana had tackled the man, got up to his feet, made a deliberate movement to -release- the player then went back in to play the ball, textbook, exactly how the law says you are allowed to do it, and yet the ref still blew him for it. I wanted to strangle him.

 

[Bull]

The same happened to Francois Hougaard against the Tahs, he tackled Anesi got to his feet and by that time Anesi had already flicked the ball back so he wasn't in control of it anymore, Hougaard dived on the ball but was blown for diving over or something. This is confusing because it wasn't a ruck yet.

 

[stormer2010]

Problems at the Sharks in no particular order:

1 bad luck (ref, injuries to flyhalfs)
2 over-rated or even **** players (Jacobs, Pienaar, Ndungane, Murray, Jannie, Smit, Goode)
3 no direction/playmaker
4 slow backline, slowest back three in the world probably
5 low conifdence
6 players out of position (Alberts, Smit, Jacobs, Pienaar)
7 no gameplan or confusion as to how they should play
8 invisible locks
9 recruiting; rather back your junior systems and younger players than signing overrated players from other unions/countries.
IE; you had Steve Meyer and Lionel Cronje but lost them because of rather backing has-beens or playing F Steyn and Pienaar out of position

RE #8; in fact, the locks are so ****, I forgot to mention them as **** players. Buy some decent fringe locks from other unions then if you don't have any coming throught the ranks: Fondse & Steenkamp at the Stormers are quality. So are van der Merwe (Bulls), Vermeulen (Cheetahs) and less so Mostert and Lombaard (Lions).

 

[Jer1cho]

That cheating referee was fired.

http://www.keo.co.za/2010/03/11/controvers...xed/#more-53921

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

According to the Australian media, referee Paul Marks has been sacked by Sanzar following the Sharks’ 25-21 defeat to the Waratahs.

Sanzar reviewed Marks’ performance in the Super 14 clash last Saturday after complaints from the Sharks’ camp.

Marks made a controversial call towards the end of the game where he did not award the Durban franchise a penalty try when fullback Kurtley Beale obstructed a clear scoring opportunity. If the try was scored, the Sharks would have won the match.

After Sanzar’s evaluation of the incident, it was reported that Marks has been fired indefinitely.

Sanzar head of referees Lyndon Bray said Marks should have awarded the penalty try.[/b]

Good. They shouldn't be allowed to referee if they do what he did.

 

[stormer2010]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jer1cho @ Mar 11 2010, 07:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

That cheating referee was fired.

http://www.keo.co.za/2010/03/11/controvers...xed/#more-53921

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE

According to the Australian media, referee Paul Marks has been sacked by Sanzar following the Sharks’ 25-21 defeat to the Waratahs.

Sanzar reviewed Marks’ performance in the Super 14 clash last Saturday after complaints from the Sharks’ camp.

Marks made a controversial call towards the end of the game where he did not award the Durban franchise a penalty try when fullback Kurtley Beale obstructed a clear scoring opportunity. If the try was scored, the Sharks would have won the match.

After Sanzar’s evaluation of the incident, it was reported that Marks has been fired indefinitely.

Sanzar head of referees Lyndon Bray said Marks should have awarded the penalty try.[/b]

Good. They shouldn't be allowed to referee if they do what he did.
[/b][/quote]

It was almost more that he penalised them for nada at the resulting line-out that got me off my feet. Great news in principle but it doesn't help the poor Sharks any. LOL. Stooooooooooooooormers. Go,go Lions!! Avenge the Sharks.

 

[Boggle]

YES YES YES YES YES !!!!

FINALLY !

I hope this forces them to get their acts together,

 

[Steve-o]

We won???

We won! Beat the mighty Highlanders! Just...