Pressure builds on errant Sharks
6 Mar 2012
JON CARDINELLI writes the Sharks will need to be more disciplined and clinical if they hope to record their first win of the 2012 tournament on Saturday.
It was always going to be difficult to come away from Loftus Versfeld and Newlands with the winning points, but the Sharks will know that they let themselves down badly. They lacked aggression, or ‘attitude’ as John Plumtree described it, in that performance against the Bulls. They produced an improved showing against the Stormers, but lacked the ability to finish the Cape franchise off.
The Sharks were manhandled in Pretoria but the game in Cape Town was there for the taking. Stormers fullback Joe Pietersen did miss four attempts at goal, which would suggest that the hosts should have won by a more comfortable margin than 15-12. But considering Pat Lambie also fluffed two kicks at goal and that the Sharks were stronger in other facets, Plumtree and his charges should be more than a little disappointed that they didn’t walk away with the spoils.
They had 58% of the territory and 52% of the possession, stats that indicate there were a fair number of opportunities to strike at a Stormers defensive line that was not at its best. While the hosts were better in the second stanza, they slipped 12 tackles in the first half. They were fortunate that the Sharks didn’t capitalise on this attacking momentum and establish more than a 9-6 advantage by half-time.
The Stormers scrum enjoyed a good evening, but neither side was particularly dominant at the lineout and breakdowns. There was plenty of intent, but not much accuracy and this impacted on the Sharks’ ball retention.
There were 21 lost possessions when they faced the Bulls (a stat that includes breakdown turnovers and handling errors among others) and 21 lost possessions against the Stormers. In that second match, they were guilty of nine handling errors.
They also battled to string many phases together, only managing to take the ball through seven or more phases on five occasions. And when they did keep the ball for long enough to stretch the opposition defence, they failed to translate this possession into points.
They looked underdone in that match against the Bulls, and there were still signs of rust in the fixture against the Stormers. But there will be no margin for error come Saturday.
They’ve now lost two from two, and are desperate to record their first win. They’re back in Durban to host the Lions, and must settle quickly in this fixture if they’re to end this losing streak.
It’s a game you’d expect the Sharks to win, given their record against the Lions at Kings Park in recent years. Minimising handling errors and penalties at the breakdown will be crucial in their drive to retain more possession. Achieving that, they will need to be more clinical than they were in Cape Town and they will need to translate sustained periods of pressure into points.
There have been complaints about the weather in Durban at this time of year, as the heat and humidity can make handling difficult. Nevertheless, the Sharks will need to produce a more controlled showing. The Lions are a dangerous side on the counter-attack, and so spilled ball will not only rob the Sharks of possession and potential scoring chances but also create scoring opportunities for the Lions’ excellent broken-field players.
The discipline at the breakdown will also be under scrutiny. The Lions have some talented players in this area, and while the Sharks shouldn’t be lacking in attitude, they will need to be more accurate and mindful of the referee’s law interpretations. It’s been a problem in the past two matches where they’ve conceded 12 and 14 penalties respectively. Twelve of those 30 penalties have been at the ruck.
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112 Comments
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6 Mar 2012, 09:28 am
@Bod(bod)-41:
the only hattrick you need concern yourself with is the
2007
2009
2010 (against you know who)
stick to your day job, if anyone has been daft enough to give you one yet. I did hear that the Bronx is looking for a new owner though,maybe you interested in that?
6 Mar 2012, 09:32 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-51:
to be fair Bod doesn’t have a day job.
his employment commitments are more seasonal in their nature.
6 Mar 2012, 09:34 am
@LarryNkomo(LarryNkomo)-44:
Common sense ey? Your sense maybe, not so sure about common…
Let me explain it to you like this… At this level of rugby, the margins are so small. If a team is slightly off their game on the day, be it mentally or physically, and the opposition are on top of their game, a blowout can occur. Like the Bulls vs Cheetahs this weekend. Meaning, that on any given day, any team in this comp can beat any other team.
So can Lions the beat the Sharks? Most definitely.
6 Mar 2012, 09:35 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-46:
That we certainly shall…
Care to slap a little wager on your new found voyeur skills? How about a small 100 bucker on the Stormers not/making the semis, with the loser donating to charity.
Be careful before you answer, as DAWG Cape Town gets very exited every time I have a similar wager with Katman… he remains one of their higher sources of donor income thanks to me
6 Mar 2012, 09:38 am
@ufo(ufo)-48: in hindsight, you are correct, there should be no correlation. Mostly (I recall seeing an article by the esteemed Jedi master keo himself) the defending team gets penalized more than the attacking team which sort of makes sense. So you would think that if the Sharks won the territory and pocession stakes they should in all likelihood have won the penalty count. However as stated earlier (and aristotle pointed out whilst watching rugby in 350 BC @welcome to my life, hugh…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-40: toss) logic and sport just don’t go.
6 Mar 2012, 09:41 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-51:
I have already applied for the Bronx job, but turned away as I never knew the answer to what the words “Brokeback” and “Closet” meant.
Apparently some oke North of the Jukskei got the job.
Glad to hear that you are closely following my travails though…
6 Mar 2012, 09:42 am
making bets on a rugby match is ok…
making bets on a rugby match with todays refs is a no-no in my book.
die spul is hopellos.. ok i know i am ranting. I will get over it.
6 Mar 2012, 09:43 am
hopeloos
6 Mar 2012, 09:44 am
@Bod(bod)-56:
maybe you could apply for a vacant bartenders job there.
You know how to give head (on a beer that is), don’t you?
6 Mar 2012, 09:46 am
@Dazzler(Dazzler)-53: I always wondered how the bookies made money, how do they choose their favourite? Previous form, players, stats or maybe wait for – they guess who will have the mental edge on the day. And yes I know they get it wrong but they get it right more often than they get it wrong. They must all be frikken mind readers… I suspect, and this is a real long shot because I’m no bookie, they maybe look at previous results and form.
On a point of agreement, yes at this level the margins are small. My point made right up front was that the margins in SA between the Sharks, Bulls and Stormers are far smaller than those between these teams and Lions and Cheetahs.
6 Mar 2012, 09:48 am
@Staal(Staal)-57: Haha, ek stem!
6 Mar 2012, 10:01 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-59:
Buurmannetjie, you too are becoming a voyeur in own right
Strangely enough I did apply for that job as well and they asked me that very question….. Do you know how to give head? I replied no and didnt get the job.
The job went to some oke North of the Jukskei that wears some pink and purple rugby shirt that apparently pulls in the patrons.
When I enquired about other jobs in the establishment they said they generally only employ from North of the Jukskie as most from that region truly understand the words Brokeback, Giving Head and Coming out of the closet
Its hard enough finding a job here without being forced aside by the massive infux of boys from North of the Jukskei into Somerset Road
6 Mar 2012, 10:05 am
@LarryNkomo(LarryNkomo)-60: Looking at previous results and form, you’d say its the Bulls and the Stormers can’t stop winning at the moment, the Lions win some and lose some and then the Sharks and Cheetahs as the easy beats?
Thanks for explaining how it all works, I’m off to the bookies!
6 Mar 2012, 10:07 am
@LarryNkomo(LarryNkomo)-60:
Cant disagree with you there!
6 Mar 2012, 10:07 am
Was Saturday at Newlands and must say best phase of Sharks was there defence. I was later telling the guy next to me do the Sharks not have an additional player on the field?
They will be much better once they drop Michalak and have Alberts back!
On Newlands the Sharks backline was much better than the Stormers. The problem that I have with my Stormers is that it looks like they do everything half pace, they must up their speed(this the Bulls does very good at the moment.
It looks like the Stormers is too much concentrationg on defence. Dewald was checking for too ling where all his players was and checking that they are each time all in position before he made a pass. That is maybe the main reason why it was so easy to defend against them.
Bismarck was very very good in stealing balls! Stormers are really missing Flo big time!
6 Mar 2012, 10:17 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-50:
the sacrilege lies in how highly you rate ‘this’ sharks outfit.
like the stormers, tac… give them nothing…
6 Mar 2012, 10:20 am
@Jonck(Jonck)-65:
Stormers attack through the backline is either a predictable crash ball or just lateral with no straight running. It’s frustrating to watch as it is exactly the same issues as in previous seasons – opens no gaps, is predictable (and therefore easy to defend) and relies on one player making a break out of nothing.
Really needs to be mixed up a bit – either via 2nd line attacks, change of angle etc, but they need to stop running bladdy sideways.
6 Mar 2012, 10:21 am
I agree with Jonck……Michalak needs to be dropped for McCleod and play off the bench. For the first time last week since coming to the Sharks I thought that Meyer Bosman (who I can’t stand) had a decent game….it’s taken two years!!
As far as I’m concerned Plum is fresh out of idea’s……and it’s showing!! I think he’s shot his bolt and there is nothing left in the bag for him to impart to the Sharks. As long as they hang on to him and his poor coaching staff……Sharks are NEVER going to be contenders!!
Bismark, Jannie and Daniel (who isn’t a captains ***) are fast becoming liabilities to the Sharks……Daniel being the main culprit on Saturday. With his stupidity and lack of discipline he cost the Sharks at least some points they would have got from a draw…….and the week before it was the Bonehead Bro’s that got penalized so much that Morne Steyn thought it was his birthday!!
If the Sharks are going to compete…..they need a new coaching staff……and someone needs to sit the three stooges down and explain to them that if they continue to lose games for the Sharks – the only “game time” they will get is on Playstation!!
6 Mar 2012, 10:21 am
@LarryNkomo(LarryNkomo)-55:
i like your logic
6 Mar 2012, 10:22 am
@welcome to my life, hugh…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-66:
Over the last decade we have only had one South African rival team in Super Rugby. And that team was the Sharks.
Don’t get sucked into the Stormers hype.
6 Mar 2012, 10:26 am
@HongKongSlong(HongKongSlong)-63: stoooooopid
6 Mar 2012, 10:33 am
CT Shark I am dating Bosman’s cousin and she knows I don’t rate him! But he did have a good game!
6 Mar 2012, 10:34 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-70: Not entirely true. There were three seasons in the last decade when both the Sharks and the Stormers finished above the Bulls on the log.
6 Mar 2012, 10:35 am
@Tartan(Tartan)-67:
did you ever see robbie fleck as a player?
always ran sideways and thought he was the only centre who could do anything.
now he’s the stormers coach – and they play just like he used to.
6 Mar 2012, 10:38 am
@charo(charo)-74: lol – and he has the same hairdresser as Mark Lawrence
6 Mar 2012, 10:40 am
I would like to share an experience with you all, about drinking and driving.
As you well know, some of us have been known to have had brushes with the authorities on our way home from the odd social session over the years.
A couple of nights ago, I was out for a few drinks with some friends and had a few too many beers and some rather nice red wine. Knowing full well I may have been slightly over the limit, I did something I’ve never done before …. I took a bus home. Sure enough I passed a roadblock but as it was a bus they waved it past.
I arrived home safely without incident, which was a real surprise, as I have never driven a bus before and am not sure where I got it from! If you know of anybody missing a bus please let me know so I can arrange to return it.
6 Mar 2012, 10:43 am
@charo(charo)-74: My lasting memory of Robbie Fleck was being tackled from behind by Deon Kayser after he intercepted and had an open tryline in front of him. Was waving to the crowds, straightening his hair then BANG, oops. I still tell my kids about it to this day. Something along the lines of “you see that toss there with that pathetic hair style, well let me tell about the day…”
6 Mar 2012, 10:46 am
@charo(charo)-74: Speaking of which, have you seen Matthew Proudfoot lately? And he is the forwards coach.
6 Mar 2012, 10:46 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-76:
D’urbanville is truly a different world.
6 Mar 2012, 10:47 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-76:
6 Mar 2012, 10:49 am
@LarryNkomo(LarryNkomo)-77:
remember that vividly – wellington ground i think.
farken hosed myself.
6 Mar 2012, 10:51 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-78:
believe weigh-less are going to use him as a “before” model
6 Mar 2012, 10:55 am
@charo(charo)-74:
Ja, I remember Fleckie’s playing days, maybe at least he can tell everyone to keep an eye out behind them when through, and to be fair to him, at least he could get through.
6 Mar 2012, 10:59 am
Fleckie was great at breaking the line, had that classic 13 acceleration. Not the best defender in the world.
Good, not great. As Springbok 13′s go.
6 Mar 2012, 11:08 am
How are we now discussing Fleckie? My 2 cents worth – he is an arrogant plick. I had the misfortune of meeting him a few years back and did not think highly of him at all.
As a coach – nothing special, and if he was not an ex player, would be lucky to be coaching UCT 2nd XV.
Back to the sharks and pressure building, I agree totally, 2 losses is never great, even if its away from home, and I think that some players with big egos will be more hindrance than helpful this year. (Read jannie and bissy)
I feel that ill discipline is something that cannot be condoned. Its very simple coaching to teach pkayers to come from on sides. If they cannot do it, drop them.
If sharks were more disciplined in both games, they would have won both (tough games on the road) and crucially, would have some serious confidence.
I don’t see how ill discipline comes from match fitness. Overrunning your lines, mis timing passes, mis timing lineouts, mis timing scrum hits and secondary shoves are by products of lack of match fitness. Coming in from the side, and diving off your feet are purely discipline.
Poor coaching!
6 Mar 2012, 11:08 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-78:
they need him to weigh down the scrum machine.
he’s taking several helpings for the team.
6 Mar 2012, 11:10 am
Sad to read comments like LarryNkomo’s! Sharks got hammered at Ellispark last year and in the CC!! Fool. As a Lions supporter I am concerned! The last 2 games the Lions played was not good at all. maybe after this weekends loss against the Canes, The Lions will wake up and start playing rugby! If not, The Sharks will hammer us and we will lose by 15 or more. No intensity at the breakdown was a big reason why we lost! Lions wake up please, The Sharks are die bliksem in, they will eat you alive if you don’t wake up!
6 Mar 2012, 11:15 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-86: I think the main reason why WP Rugby don’t want to move from Newlands to Green Point is that they don’t know how to get him out of the stadium.
6 Mar 2012, 11:29 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-70:
wow, tac.
i respect that you respect the sharks so much going on their past history.
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-76:
6 Mar 2012, 11:30 am
@Loyal Lion(Loyal Lion)-87: sorry you sad and thanks for being so loyal. My opinion. I think the Sharks will beat the Lions this weekend. Do I know they will, nope. Re the Curry Cup last year, well played. That was a whole different scenario with other factors playing a major roll in the end result.
6 Mar 2012, 11:30 am
Sharks have always been known to be slow starters in the S15, they hit their stride by the half way mark which is usually too late to make the playoffs.
Why on earth is Michalak playing scrumhalf?
6 Mar 2012, 11:47 am
@welcome to my life, hugh…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-89: cans of whoopasss are an equivalent to humbel pie
6 Mar 2012, 11:56 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-92:
it would seem they certainly are, in the world of tac.
probably memories of being knocked out of the running for a play off spot by the sharkies last season.
6 Mar 2012, 12:31 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-78:
well… you’d hardly expect him to be the back line coach…!!
6 Mar 2012, 12:40 pm
@BULLET(BULLET)-85: I agree with you to a certain extend.
Bissy and Jannie is a problem.
But at leat Bissy looked better against the Stormers. If only he can cut down on those penalties he`ll be back to his best.
Saturday will be a wet game with few opportunities. Look for the two young flyhalves to run the show. I might be mistaken but I think Elton has better kicking stats than Lambie at the moment?
Having said that, the sharks know they can`t afford to lose this saturday, the fans will tar and feather them if this slump continues for much longer. . .
6 Mar 2012, 12:45 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-88:
We could hire Bod to move him a handful at a time.
he’s doing nothing but sitting in Edgemead polishing his Toby Jug collection and listening to his old T Rex LPs.
6 Mar 2012, 12:53 pm
@Original-Pierre(Original-Pierre)-95: My prime beef with them both (Jannie and Biz) is that they do not demonstrate a team ethic in their approach to the game. The idea behind rugby is to gain and retain possession of ball, advance forwards as a team, put the other team under pressure, provide continuity and score. What happens when these 2 get the ball is that they run into the opposition upright and ready for an arm wrestle, it appears to be about showing how strong you are rather than how wise you are in committing the defenders to a ruck and recycling the ball to expose space in the defensive structures.
Just the manner they go about their business on the field makes me think they are too individualistc and that goes for their captain as well. This attitude permeates through the team in my opinion and as long as it does they will not win. They have to start doing things on the field as a team and the Bulls are a perfect example. The NEED to rely on each other and work together has not been more evident in any SA side than what it is in the Bulls set up and attitude.
6 Mar 2012, 13:20 pm
Bod has Toby jugs?
6 Mar 2012, 13:23 pm
@migs(migs)-33: 100% CORRECT
6 Mar 2012, 13:30 pm
hiyas bro ^5!
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