Muir banks on big guns
2 Aug 2006
The Sharks will play a “formidable” side against the Valke in their final Absa Currie Cup first round game according to coach Dick Muir.
This weekend’s game was meant to see the team rotated under Muir’s dual squad system, but a 31-19 loss to the Vodacom Cheetahs has placed the Sharks under pressure not to lose touch with the leading group.
“You will see a formidable side run out against the Valke,” Muir told keo.co.za. “It will be a side closer to the one that will take us into the second round of the competition. We don’t see it as a weaker or stronger side. One is simply younger and more inexperienced than the other.”
According to Muir some of the youngsters who have formed part of the alternative side are touring with the Under 21′s to Welkom and Kroonstad, in preparation for the National League which commences on 19 August.
But the coach rejects the notion that his decision not to rotate the team is because of recent results. “There’s no pressure to win this game as far as we are concerned,” he said. “We’ll not be forced into drastic changes and we’ll continue to play the exciting brand of rugby that you’ve seen from us so far.
“Against the Cheetahs mistakes cost us the game. We were not able to convert scoring opportunities to points and we have to do that this weekend. It’s something we’ve been working on and I think you’ll see us rectify that situation.”
Muir continues to endorse the squad system and highlighted it’s benefits over the first half of the tournament.
“It’s unfortunate that we lost those two games [against Griquas and the Cheetahs] but that’s not the end of the world,” he said. “We’ve seen exponential improvements in our players conditioning and our skill levels have improved. But our primary aim at the outset was to be able to identify talented players who can play at Super 14 level and I think we’ve achieved our goals. We know now who can cut it and who can’t.”
Flyhalf Brad Barritt is unlikely to start as a result of a shoulder injury sustained in the Cheetahs game and Muir has hinted that Ruan Pienaar could fill the role in Brakpan on Friday. Pienaar is widely thought to be a better No 10 than a scrumhalf and Nick Mallett has even suggested that he is the answer for the Springboks in the position. The 22-year-old ended Saturday’s game at flyhalf and his halfback pairing with Scott Mathie created attacking opportunities late in the game.
Muir will reward fullback Francois Steyn with a run on start after the 19-year-old showed why he is so highly rated with a series of piecing runs and astute tactical kicks on debut against the Cheetahs. Andries Strauss and Waylon Murray will form a new midfield combination while Ryan Kankowski is likely to start at No 8 with captain AJ Venter shifting to the second row. Wouter Moore or Steven Sykes will shift to the bench.
Muir is awaiting the results of a disciplinary hearing of prop Brendon Botha, who was cited for stamping on the head of Richardt Strauss, before announcing his team.
By Ryan Vrede
39 Comments
2 Aug 2006, 11:36 am
A tour to Kroonstad and Welkom – ooooooooo they gonna get bliksemed
2 Aug 2006, 11:38 am
yes 2 de
2 Aug 2006, 11:39 am
3rd again
2 Aug 2006, 11:40 am
Skunk u Punk
2 Aug 2006, 11:42 am
I’m glad they sited that vuilgat m@er. Should get a 3 match ban – at least
2 Aug 2006, 11:58 am
all these young 19 and 20 year olds in the team,how are they goin to feel when aj and ackerman try bang their mothers at official functions?
2 Aug 2006, 12:18 pm
Cummon the Sharks!!!! Disappointed after the Cheetahs game, especially with such a statistical advantage in the 1st half. But the Falcons wings will be severely clipped on Saturday…Anyone keen to watch a realy good club game in Jozi on Friday night.. Old enemies Wits and Wanderers are playing at Wits Uni. 1st team at 21:00. Cummon Wits!!!
2 Aug 2006, 12:31 pm
The Sharks should have won that game. Fortunately the Cheetahs played a spoiling game and got away with slowing the ball down at the breakdown by lying on it.
In the young Sharks defence they played a brilliant game and were willing to keep ball in hand and pass down the line, only to have it punted back by the Vrystaters at every opportunity. It must have been frustrating for the laaities but then they knew that the Cheetahs would adopt those boring tactics.
On a brighter note the flasher girls had on lovely bikinis and the weather was fantastic.
Note to oneself: Never order the steak role ever again. I could barely find the steak amongst the garnishing and it cost me R20-00.
2 Aug 2006, 12:53 pm
Predawn
Before there was Dawn…there was Predawn. I hope you two can get together. They say the darkest hour is just before the dawn…
2 Aug 2006, 13:03 pm
sharks cant play rugby they got a hiding from cheatahs and we all know that the wp will beat them
2 Aug 2006, 13:27 pm
Jinx,
That joke is about 3 years old….
2 Aug 2006, 13:34 pm
Is die rotasie nou iets van die verlede ****?
2 Aug 2006, 13:34 pm
Drunkmonkey has been smoking his shorts again.
2 Aug 2006, 13:35 pm
suparugby it’s just begun. I say Muir should stick to his guns and continue that policy.
2 Aug 2006, 13:39 pm
Well I have heard about the crack of dawn (as have all of the regulers down at the Red Lion on Southampton street) but is there such a thing as the crack of Predawn?
2 Aug 2006, 13:40 pm
Oh about rugby……I think DM should have stuck to his policy for at least one more rotation
2 Aug 2006, 13:43 pm
Believe me, you don’t want to see my crack. Even I don’t want to see it.
On rugby, the Sharks side is still young and the guys coming through are going to be the players who will hopefully shine in next season’s Super 14.
2 Aug 2006, 13:49 pm
Well I guess there is some consolation if you still CAN see it…..
I think **** is working on a S14 dynasty to rival the Crusaders.
2 Aug 2006, 13:49 pm
pop guns
2 Aug 2006, 13:50 pm
windbuks
2 Aug 2006, 13:50 pm
“Is die rotasie nou iets van die verlede ****?”
Supa, thats the difference between the Sharks and the Bulls. The Sharks can change tactics to suite the situation; the Bulls gets an idea in their heads and it’s kop af en fok voort.
2 Aug 2006, 14:00 pm
Ja the jealousy towards the Sharks is typical South African stuff. South Africans in general hate to see their compatriots doing well and can be counted on to be there to laugh if or when someone fails instead of hoping that some of this innovative thinking might brush off and affect another franchise in a positive way. Imagine if all the franchises adopted a workshop to think of a way forward for South African rugby instead of thinking of ways to cripple one another..we might even see more South African teams in the top five places of the Super 14 and win a few more tests.
2 Aug 2006, 14:02 pm
**** still has enough players to implement a rotation policy – it was the dual team system that was ambitious. If the U21 players are going to be released – it will be difficult to maintain 2 teams – but I wouldn’t be suprised if we still see significant changes in players from one match to the next
2 Aug 2006, 14:08 pm
The dual squad system must be costing the Sharks a fair amount.They must have more contracted Currie Cup players than most other teams.
2 Aug 2006, 14:17 pm
londonshark,
If the Sharks win the S14 it will all be worth it!
2 Aug 2006, 14:27 pm
Sharkie,how true.
2 Aug 2006, 15:17 pm
Saint Shark, stop talking about Dawn’s crack!
I’m really happy things are turning around for our Sharks. After our lows over the last few years it looks like the forward planning and management are starting to pay off!
May it long continue!
2 Aug 2006, 15:20 pm
sharkie, agreed…
It looks like our main focus is on the S14, and winning that will definately be worth it!
2 Aug 2006, 16:06 pm
mystic hoer
Ja, hulle het mooi hulle gameplan Saterdag verander ne?
4 Aug 2006, 16:43 pm
ha ha
4 Aug 2006, 16:43 pm
sharks to win
4 Aug 2006, 16:44 pm
dark horses for the CC ;(
4 Aug 2006, 16:44 pm
underdogs
4 Aug 2006, 16:44 pm
stormers to crack :8
4 Aug 2006, 16:45 pm
stormers to fade :
4 Aug 2006, 16:45 pm
watson to burn out :&
4 Aug 2006, 16:45 pm
grrr
(
4 Aug 2006, 16:46 pm
woof ::(
4 Aug 2006, 16:46 pm
grrr :+
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