Cheetahs to KO Sharks?
6 May 2008
The foot-of-the table Cheetahs will have a telling say in the final-four standings if they pull off a win in Durban this weekend.
There’s hardly a soul who doesn’t bemoan the fact before a local derby. The South African franchises reserve their best and roughest displays for their own countrymen. It is because of this universal maxim that you cannot write off the 13th-placed Cheetahs when they face the Sharks, who desperately need a win to remain in the play-off hunt.
The stats paint a bleak picture if you’re a Cheetahs supporter. The central franchise have conceded 335 points and 44 tries in 11 matches, a try-concession that is already worse than their 2007 tally (37 in 13 games).
But the Super Rugby history between these two teams suggests Saturday’s outcome will be anything but predictable. The Sharks won comfortably in Bloemfontein last season after a couple of tries against the run of play, but in the only Super Rugby fixture staged at Kings Park (in 2006), the Cheetahs took the spoils 27-26. This was the year the Sharks were denied a semi-final spot on points-difference, and it could certainly be said that a modestly-talented Cheetahs team influenced their final log standing. Will the Cheetahs have a similar say in 2008?
The loss of several top players has cost the Cheetahs in the tight finishes. The one-on-one defence is a shambles and the ball security in contact is an ongoing problem.
But the Sharks have also had their problems at the breakdown. They won some ugly games before leaving for Australasia, but have been sorely exposed Down Under. The loss of the big names has also taken its toll (read John Smit, Butch James, Bob Skinstad and Percy Montgomery) and the question needs to be asked if they are champion material. The answer in 2007 was clear, but the 2008 performance probably has the most loyal supporter in doubt.
The Sharks have one of the best defensive systems in the competition, having only conceded 18 tries. The trouble is they have the worst try-scoring record having only crossed the line 20 times. The only bonus point they’ve gained for four tries was against the Bulls in a 29-15 win.
This is another reason they could miss the play-offs, and once again the Cheetahs could be the team to deny them. The central franchise may not win when they head east this Saturday, but in a typically forward-oriented South African bust-em-up, a four-try bonus seems a big ask.
Of course, things could fall into place if the Waratahs beat the Stormers, the Force beat the Hurricanes, the Highlanders down the Blues and the Lions do the unthinkable in edging the Chiefs.
But the Sharks can’t afford to sneak a win and hope all these results go their way. A four try-display this Saturday is mandatory, as the Sharks may struggle to put four past the Chiefs in their final league match.
By Jon Cardinelli
109 Comments
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6 May 2008, 19:34 pm
#98 Robzim:
I understand what you are saying but at the beginning of the season the only form that matters is the previuos year – hence my comment IRO ‘Top Team’.
Stormers have only been in the top 4 for one weekend and might well slip in 5 days time.
Log positions change weekly so one can only judge by the previous year.
However, I’m hoping we have 2 in the semis – and that has to be the Stormers and the Sharks. Gives SA a 100% better chance of winning. Sharks have to play the ‘Saders as I doubt Stormers stand a chance of beating them.
Stormers have done well this year but to go from Zero to Hero in a season is stretching things. Mind you, there’s always a first time!
7 May 2008, 00:37 am
without a doubt it’s the WORST Cheetahs backline in 30 years! Nobody from 10-15 can tackle! Even a spluttering Sharks team can run holes through this weak backline – and all the people talking up Meyer Bosman in Bok15 – please see how many tackles he misses, and how many times he either loses the ball at contact, throws a looping pass that is intercepted, or just goes ‘dead’ with the ball. According to Craven, worst thing a back could do!
7 May 2008, 08:03 am
#95 bonzo: No Bonzo my husband does not even like rugby! He watches it because I force him! Our backline is not firing, when they do get the ball instead of running it they kick it away! Prove one game where they did not! Richie McCaw was on the bench serving his 10 minutes, and for those 10 minutes Ruan and Stephan kicked the ball back to the Crusaders! You mentioned the Blues game being the only time the backs got a run, please tell me who scored those tries 2 of them by Keagan, a good back I have to say! Created by? – Bismarck and Botes (I tend to remember)! Last time I watched Rugby the Halfback was a back not a forward – if he is the one kicking – again the back! And frankly I do not blame our forwards for taking matters in their own hands when they work so hard to get the ball and some silly back kicks it away!
7 May 2008, 08:38 am
Girlshark, I am also a huge sharks supporter, but i have to agree with Bonzo on this one.
How many times this year have our forwards been pushed off the loose ball because we are only committing one or two of them to the ruck or mall? It is driving me crazy!!! It is so damn obvious and all the teams have picked up on it. Watch the Cheetahs this weekend commit a bucket load of players to the loose and drive us off the ball.
Unfortunately the problem is that DM has rotated too many players ala Henry (and look where that got them) and he has one eye on the Springbok assistant position. (no matter what spin he puts on it it is there for everyone to see)
7 May 2008, 08:47 am
have to agree with girl shark on that one. i mean what the hell was that ping pong affair of kicking by the sharks on sat when you know that you are one man up on the crusaders. when playing a team of that caliber you try and give them as little ball as possible. maintaining possesion is the only way you can beat a team like that and for stephan to kick it away 3 or 4 times in a row to gain what about 5 metres in the and waste about 2 minutes of game time was riduculous. lets not mention how strong the crusaders can also be on counter attacks when you kick the ball to them like that. at one stage they were (and probably still are) renowned for scoring from situations such as thoughs. so i also dont blame the forwards for taking matters into their own hands. run the bloddy ball and they might just start scoring some tries.
they can take a lesson from the stormers in that regard who try to hold on to possesion as much as possible and only kick when necessary.
7 May 2008, 09:01 am
with the elv’s now in place making the game much more faster i really don’t understand why teams kick away possesion so easely.
7 May 2008, 12:45 pm
I hope KING CHEETAH reads this… man what a loser you are! Brain dead bozo. You say you are a Bulls supporter yet you log in as King Cheetah….? It seems your frontal lobotomy was a success. Doos!
7 May 2008, 14:12 pm
#107 Dogz: Dogz and how do you know that Kign Cheetah is a Bulls supporter? I have always thought he was a cheetahs’ supporter!
7 May 2008, 15:15 pm
Hullo GirlShark,
where was I. You have it exactly backwards. The backs I am talking about are those 2 centres and 2 wings. The others are half backs and Terblanche is an old plodder who has no idea what to do with the ball except kick it and hope. ‘Kick and rush’ is what they call it in soccer.
The kicking away of the ball is because of captain’s orders. Do you not know this? The captain is a forward. A big slow forward. He wants to play a game that suits him. He instructs others, half backs and fool backs to kick the ball away all the time.
Not passing before the tackle is a tactic the captain has ordered, he and the rest of the tight forwards (and Venter) couldn’t keep up with the game otherwise.
Ditto for lining deep and running into space instead of at the opposition.
You don’t think they do this because they just happen to think it’s a good idea at the time? The Sharks play to a very rigid gameplan.
The rest of the time the forwards drive it up with their favoured one-pass rugby. It seldom gets them anywhere. But they don’t stop.
Of course the forwards score most of the tries, the few that they do score, the very few, they are the only ones allowed to carry the ball!
How many times do the forwards turn the ball over compared to the backs? How many penalties do the forwards concede compared to the backs?
A lot, lot more. Still think they’re so wonderful?
Focusing on the try scorer is misleading, it tells you nothing about the build up to the try.
We’re talking about tactics and game plans here.
I remember going to King’s Park when Natal was possibly the most entertaining Union in the world. Now they are one of the most boring.
And some think it is the fault of the backs.
Believe me they want to run.
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