Dickie’s big call
7 Mar 2006
Sharks coach Dick Muir says his side will beat the Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday.
Muir’s optimism is based on the return of several key players to the squad, including Tony Brown at flyhalf, John Smit at hooker, Warren Britz on the flank, Henno Mentz on the wing, Adrian Jacobs at centre and scrumhalf Craig Davidson on the bench.
“We will beat the Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday. No question about it. We will do it,” Muir told the Mercury. “I believe we are blending together nicely as a team. We have not been too far off the money in our recent games – we have just lacked experience in key positions, and that is because injury dealt us that hand. We made the best we could of it, but now it looks like we will be able to field somewhere near our optimum combination.
“Honestly, I believe we will win this one. We started our tour off well against the Crusaders, took a step backwards against New South Wales and now we are coming together nicely for this one.”
Meanwhile, Brumbies fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper will spend up to three weeks on the sidelines after an MRI scan revealed minor ligament damage to his left ankle.
Ashley-Cooper was injured shortly after scoring his second try in as many matches during the early stages of last Friday’s victory over the Cats.
Rather than opting to re-shuffle his backline for this Saturday’s clash with the Sharks, coach Gandalf Fisher has opted to bring in a recognised No 15 to replace his in-form fullback.
“There was the option to shift Mark Gerrard off the wing, but he’s been playing some outstanding football on the left wing so we’ve decided to bring in a recognised fullback in Ben Batger,” he said.
Batger started his Super Rugby career in stunning fashion last season when he crossed for a try with his first touch of the ball in the Brumbies’ three-point victory over the Stormers at Canberra Stadium.
35 Comments
7 Mar 2006, 08:33 am
Thats what you also said last weekend Dicky.
But good luck, you have my support.
Smit and Mentz will make difference.
7 Mar 2006, 08:35 am
Whatever dickie. Talk on the field. I for one dont listen to the **** spewed from SA coaches mouthes any more, just so that their actions on the field show otherwise. Please whatever you do, at least get your team to hold onto the ball and make teh Brumbies defend for their lives. Lets back ourselvs to make the attacking plays, instead of relying oon defensve errors. Use the Cheetahs as an example – good running rugby. Stretch their defenses and their lungs for a change…
7 Mar 2006, 08:37 am
And I dont think Jacobs at centre strengthens anything. He was a good attacking player, but we have not seen any twinkle toes action from him for a while. Perhaps because there is no playmaker inside him, I dont know. But he is defnsive liablity.
7 Mar 2006, 08:37 am
Jees Dickie you talk just as much kuk as Stan – I will remember this statement…
7 Mar 2006, 08:43 am
Whatever you do Dicky, dont do a Stormers….
7 Mar 2006, 08:56 am
Man just rather keep quite, you were hardly on the money this last weekend, i still believe this is a good side and with the players comming back they will be even better. But rather Shush, or you end up looking like a stormer supporter
7 Mar 2006, 09:04 am
and he doesnt want to look like that, hey wls?
7 Mar 2006, 09:07 am
It seems that the sharks does’nt realy have speed outside , the game they played they missed Russel
7 Mar 2006, 09:27 am
Yes STan, Smit a good difference and Mentz a bad. Can’t understand why anyone rates Mentz. Can’t catch, can’t tackle, but can run, I’ll grant him that. To think that he has a Bok cap, but Etienne Botha never did…
7 Mar 2006, 09:31 am
Well Tony, then he is not much different from most of the other wingers in the country. They can all run, but nothing else. Yes, there were worse centres that played for the Boks than Ettiene.
Mentz might not be good enough for Bok, but he is good enough for S14, compared to our other S14 wingers.
7 Mar 2006, 09:33 am
Tony – only one cap, and he was aweful. Yeh, Menz is a strange player,has pace, but lacks skill.?
7 Mar 2006, 09:36 am
Go Sharkies!!!
7 Mar 2006, 09:49 am
Obviously ****’s foot isn’t far enough in his mouth… He’s still speaking
7 Mar 2006, 09:55 am
Tony, Stan,
Mentz is another Bok never to have played in the green and gold. He played against Ireland at home, in the white strip (Bloem.) Can’t recall if he got a run against them at Newlands as well.
7 Mar 2006, 10:10 am
Go Sharkies…….really pleased for your commitment in the last few games…..
7 Mar 2006, 10:11 am
Thanks Bluecap.
You people are quick to judge.
Adrian looked good in the game he played on sat!
As for Henno, he’s all we got since Alex is still in England.
7 Mar 2006, 10:20 am
Not trying to be harsh on Mentz, just a whole bunch of my mates (granted they are Sharks supporters) rate him so highly and I still don’t know why. I’d pick him in my opposition 15 every week.
7 Mar 2006, 10:20 am
Tony, I’d rather play an ok-ish Henno, than an absolute **** Odwa or Dusty. They don’t even need to be tackled, they fall over their own feet. They can’t pass even if you 50cm from them and as far as tackling and catching goes… Henno is definitely better for the side.
7 Mar 2006, 10:21 am
**** must be careful… making statements like that .. he might just end up looking like a.. well.. lets just say he is aptly named lol.
7 Mar 2006, 10:25 am
Fair comment L-LEE, but I think that both would improve and be better than Mentz if offered the same oppotunities and game time as him.
7 Mar 2006, 10:29 am
Odwa has been in the team consistently for more than two seasons. How much game time do you need to become good. And how the hell does a player that is worse than Mentz even get past club level?
7 Mar 2006, 10:39 am
Mentz has played more games than Odwa LEE unless you confusing the twins
7 Mar 2006, 10:47 am
Sharks to beat the Brumbies in Canberra? Yeh right!
7 Mar 2006, 10:57 am
I think the talking must be done on grass and this is exactly what the opposition feeds on! The Brumbies are a wise outfit, and I think thath the sharks will need more than these players to make a difference in the sence of winning. They might play way better, but will it be good enough?
Rather shut the F**k up, say stuff that is not fueling the opposition and then you won’t have to look like a dumb *** the following monday in the newspapers!
7 Mar 2006, 11:06 am
Sharks to win the Super14 followed by the Cats…
7 Mar 2006, 11:09 am
well, adi jacobs might lack a bit on defense but atleast he can catch a ball and his attacking is good. obo has not exactly been tackling like a tiger has he.
7 Mar 2006, 11:11 am
Jacobs was put into the limelight too early and now everyone knows he has no defence. Ball in hand he too has gone down and don’t think he is any longer a threat. The same is going to happen to the Rose brothers. Currently he is having a ok season but one big knock he we nerver be the same at this stage of his career – there is a say that goes like this
If a cat sits on a hot stove it will never jump on a sove again even if it’s cold.
7 Mar 2006, 11:17 am
Jacobs is na my mening regtig net nie goed genoeg nie!!! Maar wie anders??
7 Mar 2006, 11:40 am
Now all we need is for **** to say no Brumbies would make the Sharks starting 15. For some reason Lansdowne Road, Ireland 2004 comes to mind. Its all good being confident in the teams abilities, but keep it to yourself and lets see the results on the field.
Please dont stoke any more fires.
7 Mar 2006, 12:06 pm
Staal, “maar wie anders?”
How about Dean Hall or Hennessey, they both had great games on sat for the Wildebeest team and are exactly what the sharks need.
7 Mar 2006, 13:58 pm
you go sharks – we need victory!!!!
7 Mar 2006, 18:51 pm
I can’t recall MacIntosh, Muir’s mentor talking so much during his tenure, why all that pre match trash talks?
7 Mar 2006, 20:12 pm
Typical Dumb Durban mentality. Dicky there are blinkered race horses with more vision than you mate.
8 Mar 2006, 03:52 am
big words mate!
If these players weren’t just coming of the crocked list, but in this case, very optimistic to say the least.
Larkham and Gitau to tear them to shreds.
8 Mar 2006, 05:01 am
I wonder what ****’s excuse will be when his side definitely does NOT do it in Canberra? Whine about the ref? Wrong length of boot-studs? City too boring? The hotel gravy too runny, perhaps?
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.