The Sharks Thread

[JJR]

Agree; don't ever see Bosman getting one over on JDV and Jaque Fourie....M.Joubert/Jacobs combo could give them a good go though.In my opinion they(JDV/Fourie) are the best centre pairing in World Rugby...hard to get the better of those two.

The Sharks should win Currie Cup, again...i mean just look at the team we will have. When Boks are gone The Sharks always dominate.

Possible Currie Cup Side-

1.Van Staden
2.Burden
3.Herbst
4.Mostert
5.Hargreaves
6.Daniel
7.Deysel
8.Kanko...don't think he will make Boks; Alberts will take his place.
9.Mcloed
10.Freddy
11.Mvovo
12.Bosman
13.Joubert
14.Ndungane...not sure if he will sqeeze into bok squad.
15.Ludik

16.Cooper
17.Chadwick
18.Bresler
19.Botes
20.Marcell Coetzee
21.JLP
22.Jacobs...if he makes Boks it will then be between Vulindlu/Paul Jordaan/Mark Richards/Sbura Sithole.

 

[JJR]

Sykes pick up a knock to the knee yesterday and Mossie had his knee strapped and was able to continue playing. I expect Sykes to be out for The Bulls game; but Mossie should be fine. Expect Bresler to come onto The Bench as lock cover. Sharks showed signs of what they can do when they play the right style of play...EG. Play with the Currie Cup mentality. If The Sharks beat Bulls they can count themselves as True Contenders for the ***le; but if they lose and still make the Knockouts they should not have enough mental strength to lift themselves for a possible game far away in New Zealand against Saders. Big Alberts and Deysel should be a Big boost going into The Vital Bulls game.

Possible Sharks Lineup against Bulls...very early prediction.

1.Smit/Beast
2.Bissie
3.Van Staden
4.Mostert
5.Hargreaves
6.Daniel
7.Deysel
8.Kankowski
9.Mcloed
10.Lambie
11.Mvovo
12.Bosman
13.Terblanche
14.JPP
15.Ludik

16.Smit/Beast
17.Herbst/Jannie
18.Bresler
19.Alberts
20.Botes
21.Michalak
22.Jacobs

We have the Personnell; all i am worried about is the mental approach; hopefully that second half comeback against Lions paves the way to playing the more expansive Traditional Sharks play based on dominating the advantage line and quick ball using playmakers like Jacobs and Michalak to find and create holes for the outside backs. Mvovo and JPP in good form, so Sharks best make use of it. Win or Lose it will be a great Showcase of South African Rugby at Loftus on Saturday. I must say the Bulls are playing The Brand of Rugby that made them very difficult to beat last year...gonna be a Hugely tough game for The Sharks.

The Sharks bench will once again play a huge role in the outcome of the game on Saturday; they have totally swong games the last few weeks in The Sharks favour. Mainly Adi Jacobs...if Alberts comes off the bench against Bulls i would expect a similar impact. I think after Alberts huge Workrate so far this season he will best be utilised off the Bench against a very physical Bulls team.

 

[Draggs]

If they start McLeod we have no chance, simply put.
Same with Smit and Terblanche. Time to make some tough calls.
Who could take over captaincy? Hargreaves perhaps?

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Sykes for once before he leaves

 

[Draggs]

Sykes for once before he leaves

Possibly out for this match.
They will have to win it for him then!

 

[JJR]

I got that strange feeling that Smit is going to be at loosehead again this weekend....hope this feeling changes. Plum is going to have some tough dicisions to make. He will have 5 Top Class loose forwards to choose from and the possible Return of Odwa Ndungane could also mix things up...interesting Team announcement awaits.
How the Loose Trio and Front Row looks will probably be the most interesting areas. I do expect a 5-2 split on the bench though with the Backs being Freddy and Jacobs. If Ndungane Returns i would Hope Ludik is Dropped out of the 22. Mvovo can't be dropped...his form is coming back. What will **** me off the Most is if he Drops Jacobs to accomodate Ndungane and an Extra Loose forward in the team; Plum has done it before and it never made any sense to me. Jacobs is our only Established international Centre and he has been sensational in sparking second half comebacks for The Sharks in the past Month. We will see what happens; hope Plum comes up with The Best 22 to beat the Bulls on Sat.

 

[JJR]

Pumas Scrumhalf and former Durbanite Tian Meyer has started training with The Sharks again; possibly as back up to Mcloed and Michalak for the Scrumhalf position. Or it could be that Freddy is not ready yet for the role of a Scrumhalf in Superugby, due to it's very high pace; therefore Plum might be looking to only using Fred at 10 and have Tian as scrummie Cover. JLP won't really offer us too much coming off the Bench unless Lambie gets injured; then JLP goal kicking will be required.

The Sharks have also left to go to Rustenburg and train at the Awesome Facilities which England used During the Football World Cup. This must be an attempt to get the Guys fully focussed on the task that lies ahead this weekend in Pretoria. C'mon Sharks; i know you guys can do it!!!

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Funny how you say Michalak might not be ready for Super Rugby due to the high pace when McLeod is the one who is struggling the most with the high pace.

I wish Hoffmann was still fit. His injury is a serious blow

 

[JJR]

Plum himself said Freddy was a bit short of fitness. But Mcloed was as you say struggling...he takes too long to get to the breakdown lately; but i feel that is because he has only missed around 40 minutes of Superugby this season. He needed a Rest.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

At this stage I even prefer Ross Cronje over Charl McLeod.

 

[Draggs]

Team for Bulls:

1. Tendai Mtawarira
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Gerhard Mostert
5. Alistair Hargreaves
6. Keegan Daniel
7. Jean Deysel
8. Ryan Kankowski
9. Charl McLeod
10. Frederic Michalak
11. Lwazi Mvovo
12. Meyer Bosman
13. Stefan Terblanche (Captain)
14. JP Pietersen
15. Patrick Lambie

Replacements
16. John Smit
17. Wiehahn Herbst
18. Ross Skeate
19. Willem Alberts
20. Marcell Coetzee
21. Adrian Jacobs
22. Louis Ludik

Am I the only one that thinks Ludiks is less of a problem than McLeod?
5-2 split on the bench, someone won't be happy!

 

[Amobokoboko]

Sorry for putting some oil on the heat but how do you rate the changes that the sharks will make it to the play offs? they have a 50% chance of getting there. But do you think they can beat the Bulls? The sharks had some highs and lows this season.

 

[Draggs]

Sorry for putting some oil on the heat but how do you rate the changes that the sharks will make it to the play offs? they have a 50% chance of getting there. But do you think they can beat the Bulls? The sharks had some highs and lows this season.

To be honest, I don't think the Sharks will reach the playoffs.
Maybe if they played like they did earlier in the season, but I don't seem them turning over the Bulls at Loftus, and the Brumbies beating the Waratahs.

 

[JJR]

Happy with The Sharks team named; except that i would go for Jacobs at 13 and Bresler at 18 in place of Skeate. The Sharks can beat anyone if they play the way they can; the whole season as strong Sharks followers we have seen how disjointed the team has been. In my opinion we have seen The Sharks play at around 70% potential in 20 minute spurts; but it calls for a 80 Minute performance to Beat a Bulls team, that when gets more than 7 points ahead are nearly impossible to pull back, due to their kickers in Steyn and Du Preez that play territory game brilliantly and therefore keep their team in the opposition half most of the time. I have no Doubt that if The Sharks can go into half time in the lead, they will Win. But getting a poor start against The Bulls will be very difficult to come back from.

If i was a neutral i would put my money on The Bulls; but i know that if The Sharks can play to the potential they have they could even give The Bulls a "beating" as what happened in the Currie Cup last year. The Biggest game of The Season so far in my Opinion...Gonna be Huge!! Literally!!

 

[Draggs]

We know the Sharks have the potential to beat anyone, as seen in the first half of the season.
The problem is, they haven't been anywhere close to this potential in weeks, and show no sign of returning.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

I give the Sharks 10% to make the play offs. Sad but true

 

[Amobokoboko]

Even when they make it and they gain the 6th spot they will most likely ( at this stage) face the Crusaders next week. Tricky mission.

 

[Seaton]

So what are we hoping for?

T'he Highlanders to beat t'he Blues, giving no BP
T'he Brumbies to beat t'he Tahs
Chiefs to beat Reds, Stormers to thrash Cheetahs.
T'he Crusaders to be beaten by Hurricanes, to finish third
Sharks to beat t'he dirt Bulls

That way t'he Stormers finish top, Reds second Crusaders third, potentially us fourth/ Blues fourth, Bulld sixth
Thus we'd' either be home or away against t'he Blues, Bulls travel to Crusaders
I don't know how t'he seeding goes for t'he semis, is it 1st vs. 3/6 with 2nd vs. 4/5, or t'he other way around?

Why are apostrophes appearing in some of my words? I hate Blackberry

 

[JJR]

We Beat The Bulls we play the Blues...Sharks have done very well in Auckland recently. Then if we beat Blues we will most Likely end up playing i think The Reds; if we beat The Reds it will then either be a home game against The Bulls in Durban or an way game to The Stormers. That is my prediction...lets see if it happens...that would be Sick!!!LOL.

When a Sharks team with this amount of Quality Players is totally written off; i can only expect The Sharks to prove everyone wrong...well i certainly hope so, it can be done!!

 

[JJR]

Youngsters Update-

In the Front Row; Njabulo Mkhize(Prop) and Nick Schonert(Prop) are both making big Strides in the Junior Ranks. Schonert is currently playing for SA U/20's. Both good scrummagers technically and both are as expected very well conditioned Prop forwards.

Loose Forward- Siseko Jafta(Flank) looks like a favourite to Captain Sharks u/19 and at 1.91 and 105 kg he is already quite a physical threat. He will be looking to add at least another 5 kg in the next couple of Years. Francois Kleinhans is currently in Italy with the SA u/20. In the U/21 Ranks; a Guy i first noticed in 2007, Brynard Stander at Big ball carrying loose forward with good mobility. 1.90 m tall; and around 110kg; but i am still to get confirmation of his current Weight. I am also told that Chris Cloete is also a promising fetcher coming through the system.

In The backs; mainly young S'bura Sithole(Wing) who i have spoken about before; talented u/19 Flyhalf Fred Zeilinga who plays similar to Lambie and then also Paul Jordaan(Have mentioned on a number of occasions) at Centre who has already played Springbok Sevens and is Currently playing for the SA u/20's.

I will come with more updates as soon as i see another young player that i think could represent the Senior Side in the Future.