Durban duel decisive for perennial pretenders
26 Oct 2010
RYAN VREDE wonders if the Sharks didn’t play their final a fortnight ago?
The Sharks will feel that their 16-12 semi-final victory over the Bulls was the defining performance of their season. Certainly the manner in which they blunted the defending champions at Kings Park was inspirational.
They bullied them at the tackle point and in doing so never allowed them any momentum. Robbed of the platform to play the multi-phase game that has become their trademark, the Bulls looked impotent. The scoreline was flattering to them given the wealth of possession and territory the Sharks enjoyed.
On attack the Sharks were physical, intelligent, patient but not penetrative or incisive. They often squandered good scoring opportunities which, if taken, would have had the scoreboard reflecting their utter dominance.
It was undoubtedly their finest performance of the year, made even more notable by the fact that they achieved the victory without their inspirational leader John Smit, with a side vastly inferior in terms of experience in play-off matches, and against a unit boasting key Springboks.
They explored a depth of resolve I haven’t seen from a Sharks side for years, and exhibited a level of commitment and self-belief to complement and amplify their talent. It was an epic performance.
The pertinent question now is whether they can replicate that wonderful showing. Champion sides can. The Sharks need look no further back than 2007 for examples.
The Bulls, on the back of Derick Hougaard’s excellent goal-kicking, defeated the Crusaders in the semi-final, then struck in the dying minutes of the final at Kings Park to secure their first Super 14 title.
The Springboks romped to victory against Argentina in the World Cup semi-final later that year, then reverted to a more pragmatic approach in the final. While the opposition dictated that the methods differed significantly, the performances were equally dynamic, equally clinical.
In their memorable double season in 2009, the Bulls mimicked their feats of two years previous to oust the Crusaders in the semis and Chiefs in the final of the Super 14, then battle through a brutal Currie Cup play-off against Western Province at Newlands, winning with a touchline penalty in the 78th minute, then claiming the domestic title with a polished performance against the Cheetahs.
Herein lies the challenge for the Sharks. The performance against the Bulls will be greatly devalued, certainly in terms of its psychological benefits going forward, if they fail in the final.
The Stormers are at a similar point in their evolution, although their desire for success will be further fuelled by the disappointment of defeat in the Super 14 final earlier this year. They’ll be acutely aware of the importance of victory beyond the obvious instant pleasure of breaking their nine-year title drought.
In every way it is a battle of South Africa’s great pretenders. Which one progresses from shallow posturing to sustained success rests heavily on Saturday’s result.
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45 Comments
26 Oct 2010, 09:39 am
Go Province!!!
26 Oct 2010, 10:03 am
Thats the key aint it Ryan? Sustained success.
Whose the flash in the pan and who can do it on a regular basis?
Who my son? Sharks put the points on the board when the Bokke were unavailable for the Bulls. The WP the same. These mediocre teams have a penchant for talking themselves up but they are nothing more than pretenders.
The semi should have been cancelled because of the bees and played at another time to make it fair. Sure, it was out of the Sharks control but they were the home side and were always going to be favourites after such an incident.
So don’t think your Sharks and WP teams are too awesome because they are in a Currie Cup final. Its a watered down competition that is no longer relevant in a 11 month rugby season.
26 Oct 2010, 10:08 am
Sharks by 20+
26 Oct 2010, 10:35 am
So BlueBlood – I take it the Bulls will no longer be taking part in this “watered down” tournament. Suck it up twat.
and @ Ryan – if these are the great pretenders then who are the real players. They may have behind the Bulls over the last few years but man I certainly remember the Bulls position just a few years back – generally propping up the Super 12/14. The wheel turns. There are no pretenders, just winners and losers. And nobody gives a toss about what happened last year or the year before or last week. What matters is Saturday.
26 Oct 2010, 10:48 am
2. BlueBlood(BlueBlood):
Go sulk in another corner
26 Oct 2010, 10:52 am
BlueBlood: So its the bees fault????? LMAO. And the CC is so watered down and of insignificance to the bulls that they picked their best available players and the bulls supporters are still in mourning? Try another one pse.
26 Oct 2010, 10:55 am
2. BlueBlood
No rugby for you this week? So now you can practice for the internationally acclaimed games korfbal and jukskei. Sterkte daarmee.
26 Oct 2010, 11:07 am
this BlueBlood oke makes all blue bulle breker fans look like poepholle
26 Oct 2010, 11:26 am
only if you are enough of a d00s to judge fans by the words of others
26 Oct 2010, 11:37 am
9. gunther(gunther): gotcha
! more to come…
26 Oct 2010, 11:40 am
transie
why has your smiley turned green?
is it infected?
something you ate maybe?
26 Oct 2010, 11:42 am
Sigh.
“Durban Duel Decisive for Perennial Pretenders”
Nothing’s changed here.
26 Oct 2010, 12:10 pm
Blueblood how did the miscarriage go, heard you were expecting a Currie Cup.
26 Oct 2010, 12:17 pm
speaking of miscsarriages..
26 Oct 2010, 12:25 pm
11. gunther(gunther): yeah, a can of whoopass
hahaha 
26 Oct 2010, 12:33 pm
The only pretenders are the Sharks… How dare they even think they have a chance against the mighty WePee – the true “Giants” of the SA game…
26 Oct 2010, 12:33 pm
@BLUEBLOOD **** you are Pathetic!
If you were a True sportsman you would congratulate and respect that sharks team for that game and their performance!
Coming out and trying to make excuses as to why you lost (and because of bees) you truly are putting the Bulls to shame!
what a sore loser….
26 Oct 2010, 12:37 pm
Blueblood! You were singing a different tune last year when the Bulls won! Pathetic really!
Sometimes teams lose and other teams get better! Just a thought.
26 Oct 2010, 12:57 pm
People
You heard it here first. WP to hammer the Sharks.
Just watch.
26 Oct 2010, 13:58 pm
It seems us Sharks fans are experiencing the same thing in the week leading up to the final as we were leading up to the semi.
We have the opposing team’s fans celebrating the win even before the kick off, and honestly that is just they way we like it!
26 Oct 2010, 14:08 pm
just do’t play ricky @ 9, and province will go all the way
26 Oct 2010, 14:21 pm
correct, they just have to arrive in durban and pick up the cup moto, u know us durbanites are so hospitable, we’ll just hand it over – just save us the hammering please
26 Oct 2010, 15:14 pm
Go the Sharks! Poke the WP… I want to see Schalk cry again like he clearly did after the S14 final
26 Oct 2010, 15:23 pm
the Sharks are overwhelming favourites !!!
26 Oct 2010, 15:40 pm
Well I guess Ryan is back to his old Blue Bull loving self. Perennial pretenders…..Only in the last 10 years boet. This decade is a new one, and new champions will be crowned. Regardless of the champions on Sat, WP have reached 2 finals this year, with the best defensive record and points difference in both. No longer pretenders.
26 Oct 2010, 15:44 pm
I think the Cheetahs will edge it.
26 Oct 2010, 15:45 pm
cmon sharkies, don’t become like the bulls. All the province fans I know are very nervous about the weekend. Of course we want to win! And I think province will win it. Buuuut, will not be surprised in the least if the sharkies take it. So let’s leave the political games and just discuss the rugby? Please?
What do you reckon will happen in the front rows?
26 Oct 2010, 15:46 pm
25. stormersboy(stormersboy): The last 10 years? Did you see the Bulls record in Super rugby 10 years ago?
26 Oct 2010, 15:47 pm
haha, now i fall for the same nonsense myself – so, back to the frontrows!
26 Oct 2010, 15:48 pm
That’s my point. They basically didn’t exist as serious contenders in the Super 14 10 years ago…
26 Oct 2010, 15:56 pm
@wpjoulekkading (27)
I must say that I was impressed by the Shark front row in their semi (I am a Bulls supporter). The Du Plessis brothers certainly stepped up to the occasion and also managed to keep their penalty tally very low (a rare occurrence). Jannie in particular had an absolute blinder of a game. It is definitely going to very interesting indeed!
26 Oct 2010, 15:58 pm
@Werner Beytel (31)
Let’s try that again: It is definitely going to BE very interesting indeed!
26 Oct 2010, 16:19 pm
Go Sharks!
26 Oct 2010, 16:20 pm
Ja for sure! I never really rated Harris, or for that matter Fourie in the tight stuff, but they also seemed to do pretty well against the cheetahs. But the Sharks for sure have the experience and the quality there.
26 Oct 2010, 17:07 pm
Not a chance Ryan. With a full 2 week’s off between the semi and the final, the physical intensity of the sharks last game will not be a factor on Saturday. And as for being mentally off their game, well it’s a currie cup final for pete’s sake! Each of the 44 players in the 2 squads will be as motivated and pumped as they can possibly be, and the only real question you should be asking is which team will execute their strategy the best and dictate the way the game is played. These two teams are evenly matched but with different strengths. If the Sharks dominate the forward collisions and deprive WP of ball as they did against the Bulls, they will win. If WP forwards produce another massive game like they did in cape town 3 weeks ago and get their fair share of ball to their centres and outside backs, then they will probably win.
26 Oct 2010, 18:04 pm
again **** article by a wp journo , anD no i aint accusing their supporters here, but seriously every article is about how superior the WP is and how it will be a miracle for the sharks to win
Ryan 1 word for you mate …. PATHETIC
26 Oct 2010, 18:21 pm
as for blueblood the less said the better , calling him a clown insults all good a clown stands for
26 Oct 2010, 21:18 pm
Blueblood @ 2
Look at it this way, you will be able to watch a fab game of rugby with not haveing to stress, chit happens, teams win and they lose.
You have to take the good with the bad, thats what makes it so wonderful.
S H A R K S S S S S S to give wp a bit of jaws action, but not the movie ending
26 Oct 2010, 21:34 pm
Blue blood is a doos. Lager mentality.
26 Oct 2010, 21:45 pm
The Sharks with homeground advantage have got to be the favourites.
But keep the hornets or whatever away from ABSA Stadium – I mean Kings Park.
26 Oct 2010, 22:17 pm
@Blue Blood. This is not the mentality we as Bulls and Bok supporters should have. You sound like PdV: in denial. This year have shown that the Bulls should be innovative and take their rugby to the next, even better, level. The introduction of Basson with the intellegent use of their 5 locks and 2 srumhalves should make for interesting selections next year. I would like to see something of the following:
15. Basson/ vd Heever
14. vd Heever/ Basson
13. Watermeyer
12. Olivier
11. Hougaard
10. Steyn
9. FdP
8. Potgieter
7. J Kruger
6. Stegmann
5. Matfield
4. Bakkies
3. Kruger
2. Botha
1. Steenkamp
16. Ralepele
17. Greyling
18. de Klerk
19. Rossouw
20. Spies
21. Brummer
22. Kirchner
Just imagine the injection of Rossouw and Spies with 30 min to go against a bruised NZ/Aus team at Loftus.
I read somewhere that Pieter Rossouw is exploring the possibilities of Basson at fullback and Kirchner at outside centre. I mean if J Fourie can become the “best” 13 in world rugby without having the ability to pass then surely Kirchner could also do it. He has the defensive game and he runs quite hard at the opposition defense.
27 Oct 2010, 00:56 am
The first sentence reflects what will happen: the Sharks have had their big day, and these things are not usually repeated.
WP to emerge triumphant. Sharks to blame refs, cheating etc.
27 Oct 2010, 17:07 pm
Being the leaders in log points and smashing tries in every game hardly puts The Sharks in the position of also rans.
Province are the ones under pressure mate.
27 Oct 2010, 18:30 pm
@43 gws:
It’s all about WP defence.
The Bulls were vulnerable to midfield smashing in a way that WP have not been. If WP shut down the Sharks big runners (forwards) in midfield then the Sharks platform is gone and the game will be played on WP terms.
That is the most likely outcome.
27 Oct 2010, 19:11 pm
Do they have the players to nullify the forwards? The Bulls could not stop them and if it wasn’t for The Sharks smaller midfield runners there might have been more tries. I have a feeling this game will be a higher scoring affair.
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