Chasing greatness
13 Dec 2010
SIMON BORCHARDT, writing in SA Rugby magazine, says the Sharks must aim to emulate the Bulls.
The Sharks have lifted the Currie Cup twice in three seasons. Now they need to win a Super Rugby title.
No amount of domestic success will erase the painful memories of 2007, when the Sharks lost 20-19 to the Bulls in the Super 14 final at Kings Park. Had Frans Steyn kicked the conversion of Albert van den Berg’s late try or booted the ball into touch after the hooter, or referee Steve Walsh spotted Wikus van Heerden’s transgression in the move leading up to Bryan Habana’s try, the Sharks would have won that game, but they didn’t and their record in Super Rugby finals remains zero from three.
As the Bulls have shown, good teams win the Currie Cup, but only great ones win a Super Rugby title. The reality is that southern hemisphere franchises are now judged on their Super Rugby campaigns, just as European football clubs are judged on theirs in the Champions League. Look at Chelsea, who have won three English Premier League titles since Roman Abramovich bought the club, but have yet to win the Champions League (they suffered similar heartbreak to the Sharks when they lost to Manchester United on penalties in the 2008 final). And Abramovich will not be satisfied with the return on his investment until they do.
The good news for Sharks fans is that their team has an excellent chance of becoming Super Rugby champions next year. They have a powerful pack that dominates the set pieces and collisions, backs who can play an attacking, ball-in-hand style of play that is perfectly suited to the new law interpretations, a good tactical kicking game and an almost impenetrable defence.
However, in order for the Sharks to break their Super Rugby duck, you feel they will need to top the South African conference and earn more log points than the teams that finish first in the Australian and New Zealand sections so that if they do reach another final, it will be at Kings Park. Hosting this year’s Currie Cup decider gave the Sharks a massive advantage, as they admitted afterwards, while the Stormers/Western Province discovered just how difficult it is to win a trophy away from home.
The Sharks will be tested mentally if they reach another Super Rugby final (the ‘choker’ tag will probably crop up again considering what happened in 2007) but by winning the Currie Cup in 2008 and 2010 they have proven that they can handle the pressure of the big occasion and even thrive on it. They will need to do so again in 2011 if they hope to build a legacy to match the Bulls’.
88 Comments
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13 Dec 2010, 16:32 pm
@Dusky :
i dont think the SA teams are going to do that well next year.
13 Dec 2010, 16:33 pm
@stormersboy :
does everyone now copy the Bulls pre-season preparation routine?
13 Dec 2010, 16:34 pm
@gunther : Ja, I’m sure they won’t mind doing a little dental job on you. Want me to see if I can get you an appointment?
13 Dec 2010, 16:34 pm
Brigadeer
I would have liked another centre.
Our midfield looks about as thin as the crotch on a strippers panties.
13 Dec 2010, 16:35 pm
@gunther : You broke the last one we gave you.
13 Dec 2010, 16:35 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl : 52 no Brigs, the Bulls are the only SA team that dopes.
Bok duo to face ‘doping tribunal’
2010-12-13 15:15:02
The South African Rugby Union have revealed that Springboks Chiliboy Ralepelle and Bjorn Basson will face a doping tribunal.
The hearing, at a date still to be confirmed, will investigate the allegation of an anti-doping offence committed by the pair.
Ralepelle and Basson were suspended after producing positive tests for a banned substance, following the Boks’ Test against Ireland.
The two players tested positive for the prohibited stimulant methylhexaneamine, following the match in Dublin on November 6.
Both players asked for their ‘B’ sample to be tested, which confirmed the findings of the ‘A’ sample.
The players will not contest the testing procedures or related matters under the 2010 year-end internationals anti-doping programme and therefore the investigation and hearing will be conducted in South Africa.
Investigations remain on-going and a date for the hearing, as well as the composition of the tribunal, will be announced once those have been completed in the new year.
13 Dec 2010, 16:37 pm
Katters
You can try but they are probably all to busy figuring which boot goes on which foot.
13 Dec 2010, 16:38 pm
@Transformation : I remind you all of my post a while ago where i said:
“588. stormersboy :
December 5th, 2010 at 11:00 am
Ok, so now that we have come to the end of the season, I have some, well let’s just call them “predictions” (some here will know what that means):
JS to play a very large role at loosehead next year.
On the subject of John Smit, he’ll make some news again soon. I could tell you more, but then I’d hav e to kill you.
Bjorn and Chilli will, unfortunately, NOT play much of a role in rugby next year, they are, in laymans terms, a bit farked. There’ll be no “it was in the whole teams’ supliments” excuse, no “my doctor prescibed flu medicine” excuse. So there’ll be a sanction. How big? Watch this space.
There are some more, but I’ll post them as I “feel” them.
Save this post, see how close I am.”…..
13 Dec 2010, 16:39 pm
@Transformation : Impotent enough to score 30 points against WP in a final. I must agree, only scoring 30 points against WP is pretty impotent.
Listen, I dont really care what you think to be honest, BUT – what I will say is that I am relieved the Sharks have handed over their choker mantle to WP.
I mean two rear endings in two consecutive finals in the same year. Damn ! WP are taking the chokers tag with great enthusiasm !
13 Dec 2010, 16:40 pm
Katman
Are you talking about jaco?
The guy is as much use as a chocolate teapot.
He’s about as fragile too.
13 Dec 2010, 16:40 pm
@gunther :
same as last season, flyhalf could also be an issue if morne gets injured, there’s only a very green Brummer now, if memory serves correct.
we do still have Wako Jaco though.
I kind of like the idea of watermeyer at 12 with olivier at 13.
would be a brave call from the coaching staff.
the Crusaders backline looks pretty formidable…only way that team will lose this year is if they get manhandled at first phase and collisions. Saying that, Richie and Read haven’t had a lot of rest, so expect to see those 2 fall away later on in the comp.
13 Dec 2010, 16:42 pm
@stormersboy : 58 there go the Bulls’ millions
13 Dec 2010, 16:43 pm
Stormersnooi….
You are our very own Nostradamus…
Barney for president.
13 Dec 2010, 16:44 pm
@Transformation :
can imagine Chilli needing supplements with his injury trackrecord…but Basson?
nontheless…we won the supercomps without either of these 2 remember.
13 Dec 2010, 16:45 pm
@gunther : Yeah. That’s me. the modern “Siener Van Rensberg”
13 Dec 2010, 16:45 pm
@gunther : Uh, he worked fine when we dropped him off at your house. In fact, he was a springbok. So not sure exactly what you did to him.
13 Dec 2010, 16:46 pm
Transie
If the Basin is a doper we shall seek a refund.
Nasty griekwas
13 Dec 2010, 16:46 pm
Oh, and Barney for President. That too.
13 Dec 2010, 16:47 pm
@Dusky : 59 we’ll see how far the All Blacks’ gameplan will take the Sharks
i bet you Plum has been at IRANZ since the currie cup final, sweating studiously over their photocopier making copies of their set moves/game plans…
13 Dec 2010, 16:49 pm
Katters
I would rather buy a rolex from cash crusaders than buy another rugby player from the lions.
You guys belong in a souk.
13 Dec 2010, 16:51 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl : you reckon Matfield & MSteyn won’t need rest?
13 Dec 2010, 16:51 pm
@Transformation : At least he is doing something – not sitting picking his nose wondering how his team turned from favorites to whipping boys in the Currie Cup final.
By the way – I spoke to someone the other day that does some of the PR stuff for Vodacom’s sports sponsorships. They told me that apparently WP had a huge party organised, and even had special badges made and specially engraved silver beakers from the WPRU to hand out to the players after the Currie Cup final.
Eina bliksem ! That must have hurt !
13 Dec 2010, 16:53 pm
Korporaal
Don’t forget we have Eltons younger brother coming through the ranks.
They say he is even better and he has cooler hair…
All we know is that he’s called the stig
13 Dec 2010, 16:57 pm
Hahaha Transie
You think that tinker henry leaves the AB gameplan lying around mexted’s rugby school?
It wouldn’t help plum anyway.
Apparently the part of the gameplan that covers the final has gone AWOL.
13 Dec 2010, 17:09 pm
@gunther : remember that photo of his notes taken before they played the wallabies this year?
GH and his sidekicks are to have a hands-on approach this year, “helping” at particular franchises all in aid of creating synergy between provincial & national goals. so you won’t find SBW playing fullback when GH wants him at 12 or 13.
plus they can’t only start the AB gameplan @ senior level, Mexted has the copies @ IRANZ
13 Dec 2010, 18:05 pm
@Dusky : Just ignore Tranformation. The team he supports is still trying to hack it in the Vodacom Cup. pfft.
13 Dec 2010, 18:15 pm
@LD : hey LD this thread is about the Sharks innit?
13 Dec 2010, 18:16 pm
bloody stormers….can beat all the kiwi teams, win all over the planet….but in SA they go further than the Liesbeek river and they roll over like bloody Pugs wanting there bellies scratched!
Stormers will lose all away SA games….thats my damn cross to bear….
Long term prediction.
Sharks saders final.
13 Dec 2010, 18:59 pm
@grant10 : You’ve been right before, but in this case I hope not.
13 Dec 2010, 19:16 pm
@stormersboy : do you have more news on Smit?
Can you share?
13 Dec 2010, 19:27 pm
Grant are u blogging from the tub?
(i did not mention the two S’s)
13 Dec 2010, 19:44 pm
@grant10 : No, been out of circulation last week or so. Working can you believe it?
13 Dec 2010, 19:53 pm
Stormersgoy
Please give grantie a titbit on Barney.
I am concerned for his blood pressure.
13 Dec 2010, 20:27 pm
Plumtree has been a revelation. If the NRU can retain him for another four or five seasons The Sharks will grow from strength to strength. The Bulls and Stormers are already having sleepless nights.
13 Dec 2010, 22:54 pm
@iori Yagami : My Sharks backline:
15. Odwa
14. JPP
13. Adi
12. Bosman
11. Lambie
9. Mcleod
Bench:
Ludik
JLP
Kockett
14 Dec 2010, 11:44 am
@psycho : The way you have stacked the bench and only left 6 backline players on the pitch, that’ll definitely confuse those Bulls players into submission.
17 Dec 2010, 02:57 am
@stormersboy : lol ‘whoopass’, I don’t think tac should ever be allowed to forget that. Sharks need to hold on to their players, there are rumours of more players being targeted by French clubs.
17 Dec 2010, 02:59 am
@grant10 : Stormers can beat the NZ teams because they can dominate them up front and defend well but other SA teams can match or better the WP forwards and for all their backline stars they don’t have much of a plan B.
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