Warm-up woes for Sharks

Warm-up woes for Sharks

7 Feb 2008

After two warm-up matches that yielded little in value, the Sharks go into their campaign opening match against the Force more than a little undercooked.

Last night they romped to a 33-5 victory over a understrength Lions, but the aggressive nature of the (friendly) game was highly counterproductive for them.

Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis and AJ Venter all spent time in the sin bin for various offences forcing the coaching staff to reshuffle the decks in their absence. This had an adverse effect on the team’s gameplan and structure, where they were hoping to smooth some rough edges prior to their February 15 kick-off against the Force.

“From the start it was extremely physical and the cards were definitely disruptive,” Sharks assistant coach Grant Bashford told keo.co.za.

“We had trained in a certain way and wanted to execute accurately, which for the most part never happened because we were a player short for most of the first half.

“Conditions also made it difficult. It was very wet and the players didn’t adapt their game accordingly. We were still trying to run the ball from everywhere, instead of punting it downfield and playing a territorial game.”

Bashford said the second half was better from a structural perspective but conceded that there was a significant amount of work to do before the Force match.

The Sharks were average against the Cheetahs last week, salvaging a draw with an injury-time penalty. While the results are relatively irrelevant in these warm-up matches, coaches hope to see their structures and patterns of play employed to good effect. The sense that one gets when speaking to the Sharks coaching staff is that the team have missed the mark in this area.

They still remain a good bet for a play-off berth, but they will have to quickly settle into the groove that saw them start the tournament so brilliantly in 2007 (their first defeat came in round seven to the Brumbies).

Meanwhile, Frans Steyn (foot), Frederic Michalak (calf) and JP Pietersen (foot) will undergo scans today to determine the extent of their injuries.

Steyn hurt in his foot in practice on Monday and failed to recover for last night’s match. JP Pietersen took over, but he too limped off with a foot injury, while Michalak felt a twinge in his calf and was substituted immediately.

However, none of the trio are expected to miss the Force game.


86 Comments

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  • 51.shark-tank: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:15 am

    Loosehead…Jake hardly mentioned Gert Smal in his book, why? I would rather see Naka there than Gert. Should Naka go you guys could always consider Kobus…he does’nt have a coaching job yet…lol

  • 52.Green Machine: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:26 am

    I don’t know where there is such hatred towards the Sharks. The haven’t won a trophy in 12 years. That settles the argument.

    Please Loosehead and Bluehard, cut us some slack. We are a force to be reckoned with… until knock-out stages.

    ;-)

  • 53.Green Machine: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:26 am

    I don’t know WHY there is such hatred towards the Sharks. The haven’t won a trophy in 12 years. That settles the argument.

    Please Loosehead and Bluebarb, cut us some slack. We are a force to be reckoned with… until knock-out stages.

    ;-)

  • 54.LD: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:34 am

    Green Machine,

    They are all knocking the Sharks coz they FEAR them!

  • 55.Steve B: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:35 am

    Lions will definatly win the wooden spoon in this years S14

  • 56.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:36 am

    well, i sat with my skoonpa, skoonma and swaer last night at the shark tank. they are all lions supporters.
    they were quiet. very quiet.

  • 57.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:37 am

    almost as quiet as the bulls supporters when ludeke was apointed coach.

  • 58.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:37 am

    quieter than ollie at a spur steakhouse.

  • 59.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:39 am

    Freegin hell,

    I battled with Helkom ADSL ISP earlier today…….. could not get into keo at all, also not into yahoo or rugby 365 or hp or a few others, but had no problems with my banksites, google, news 24

    All seems fine now though.

    I see the top thread is a cricket thread, damn I don’t feel like discussing or reading cricket today !

  • 60.LD: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:40 am

    Hey Rangerman,

    You heard, seen, smelt Katman today?

    Quite a conspicuous absence?? mmm

  • 61.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:40 am

    hey gbs!
    forget the cricket, rugby is on! game time.

  • 62.LD: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:42 am

    GBS,

    Until we beat Australia in cricket im over those okes.

  • 63.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:42 am

    he was on the beast thread….momentarily. but he is as quiet as my skoonpa at the moment. and thats quiet.

  • 64.LD: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:45 am

    jeez, I cant wait for this damn S14 to start now!

    i am keen to see these new laws in action.

  • 65.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:46 am

    only thing i worry about is the heat. it was steaming at 8 o’clock last night. it definately affected the players handling. how well will they handle durbs on the 15th of feb?
    seems ludicrous to me. it drives up my costs for entertainment too as i usually end up on the east stand and i have to make more beer trips due to the late afternoon sun.

  • 66.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:47 am

    ja LD, the new laws will be intersesting. definately speed up the game but the prob is that they encourage slower ball at the breakdown due to less penalties. just what i noticed last night, with players flying into the rucks with abandon.
    we shall see.

  • 67.katman: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:48 am

    I’m here, LD. And I’ve already commented on the game on the Breast Feed thread.

    So far so good. We haven’t showed our hand yet. Our rapier is still very much in its sheath.

    Lions for a home semi.

  • 68.LD: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:50 am

    Yeah, but our players should be used to those conditions, they train in them everyday.

    The opposing teams will hopefully battle to acclimatise!

    hell u got Kings Park and all the sun angles mapped out! Commitment!

  • 69.shark-tank: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:50 am

    rangerman…with the game being faster did the ref manage to keep up with play?

  • 70.LD: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:51 am

    Yo katman!

    was looking for your competitive banter. I hope the Lions have a good season, they have got some talented youngstars.

  • 71.cane: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 11:59 am

    Our rapier is still very much in its sheath.

    Lions for a home semi.

    Comment by katman : February 7, 2008 @ 11:48 am

    Has someone stuffed Luke into a Condom?

  • 72.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 12:03 pm

    shark-tank
    to be honest, i thought Mr ref didnt have the best day out. the application of the new rules is definately an issue.
    i think half the spectators didnt know what was going on either.
    seems that there will be a lot of howling about refs decisions in the early stages.
    but what a place to be again. love that stadium!
    if they ever destroy it, i will get me a brick to be passed down as a family heirloom!

  • 73.shark-tank: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 12:08 pm

    rangerman
    We can expect the first 3 rounds or so to be a bit chaotic for both players and refs. You can practice the new laws as much as you like, it’s a different story when being applied in a match situation!

  • 74.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 12:10 pm

    ja shark-tank
    we are playing them at club level this year! sheesh it is going to be a laugh. in fact, i forsee much complaining on the field as some of our players barely know the “old” rules!
    LMAO!!

  • 75.Manhattan: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 12:11 pm

    Question: does one need to warm when the temp is a searing 40°C?

  • 76.cane: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 12:14 pm

    Rangerman 72,

    I agree, I think some of the games in the first half of the S14 are going to a lottery.

    The match officials(the Ref) will be under a lot of pressure. Like the players their instinct/outlook will need to adjust………not an easy thing to do.

    Old dogs, new tricks.

  • 77.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 12:19 pm

    howdy cane!!!

    lottery indded.
    how are the canes looking? they have had some good warmup games it seems and some wins under their belts.
    what say you of their chances and ow about a post of their squad?

  • 78.Green Machine: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 12:31 pm

    well, i sat with my skoonpa, skoonma and swaer last night at the shark tank. they are all lions supporters.
    they were quiet. very quiet.

    Comment by rangerman : February 7, 2008 @ 11:36 am

    almost as quiet as the bulls supporters when ludeke was apointed coach.

    Comment by rangerman : February 7, 2008 @ 11:37 am

    :-)

    Nice. Tell me, why don’t you get West Stand tkts? East Side is for one-timers without season tickets. Although, I sat on the East Stand during the S14 final in that heat. Oh hell, it makes me weep every time!!!!

    :,-(

  • 79.Loosehead: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 12:34 pm

    shark-tank, please never mention Fester and Freestate in the same sentence again.

  • 80.shark-tank: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 12:42 pm

    Loosehead….sorry, was just a suggestion. grin

  • 81.Grrrr....I'm a Lion!: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 14:51 pm

    Can somebody please enlighten me why there are these monstrous French guys walking around the V&A Waterfront??? I can see they are rugby players, any game I’m missing….??? Under 21′s???

  • 82.ReturnoftheStorm: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 15:29 pm

    dont know what the lions are still doing in the super14…..

  • 83.Choking_Sharks: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 18:32 pm

    Oh NO

    Here comes a choke again …

  • 84.LD: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 18:46 pm

    #83

    thats a cr*p nickname! who do u support?

  • 85.Grrrr....I'm a Lion!: Reply to this comment
    7 Feb 2008, 18:47 pm

    dont know what the lions are still doing in the super14…..

    Comment by ReturnoftheStorm : February 7, 2008 @ 3:29 pm

    Wonder if you are a Shark or as your nic might suggest a Stormer. Either way, LOL! The Sharks will keep on chocking and the stormers…. ag, do I really need to say something there???

  • 86.scar: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2008, 21:30 pm

    What’s the humidity like in Durban?

    Last year it turned the ball into a skinless watermellon!!

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