Sharks’ game needs further polishing
26 Mar 2012
JON CARDINELLI writes that while the Sharks have made significant strides over the last two weeks their ball retention and defence still require work.
Two wins from five doesn’t make for satisfactory reading, but the good news for Sharks supporters is that John Plumtree’s charges have improved steadily over the past fortnight.
They rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat the Reds, and so nearly beat the Waratahs in Sydney last weekend. A higher degree of accuracy at the set pieces and breakdowns has contributed to their overall improvement, as has their discipline.
The most recent clash in Sydney was always going to be a challenge, even more so given the Sharks’ depleted second-row stocks. Nevertheless, the Sharks lineout functioned well, securing all the possession on their own ball.
They missed a specialist No 5 in terms of contesting at this set piece, as the Waratahs also boasted a solid and dependable lineout. A player of Ross Skeate’s height and skill would also have helped them at the kick-offs.
The stats from Saturday’s clash highlighted the fact, as of the Sharks’ seven kick-offs, they only regained possession on one occasion. The Waratahs were far better at disrupting the Sharks in this area, as they regathered four of their seven kick-offs.
Unfortunately, the Sharks will have to make do without Skeate or another specialist No 5 in Alistair Hargreaves for the time being. They will need to produce an improved showing at the kickoffs when they they play the Brumbies this Saturday, and will also need to bank their lineout ball to ensure the Brumbies do not build momentum.
The Sharks were combative at the collisions last week, and also showed a greater degree of control at the breakdowns. They conceded just six penalties in all, and only three at the breakdown, a massive improvement from their earlier showings where they battled to adapt to the referee’s harsh interpretations in this area.
While they were typically physical, they were still too inconsistent. Flank Marcell Coetzee had another massive game making a whopping 25 tackles, but overall the Sharks missed 27 tackles. It allowed the Waratahs to make inroads into Sharks territory, and pressure the Durban-based side until they eventually conceded points.
It might be said that the effects of travel caught up with the Sharks, but the stats don’t support this argument. The visitors had 49% of the possession and 53% territory in the first half and still managed to lead the Waratahs 17-13. In the second stanza, they enjoyed a dominant 68% of territory. Late defensive lapses cost them in the closing stages, but so too did their inconsistent efforts with ball in hand.
The Sharks made nine handling errors in all. Some of these were made in promising field positions where a player didn’t expect the pass or got in the way of a team-mate, and so on some occasions the Sharks allowed the Waratahs to escape from the danger zone without conceding points.
It’s been hard to define the Sharks style in 2012, as they have looked clinical at times and completely disjointed at others. They can hurt the best defences when they build up a head of steam and bring their dangerous backs into play, but often it is poor 50/50 decisions with ball in hand that see them surrendering possession as well as the initiative.
They have the makings of a good team and should pose even more of a threat when forwards like Skeate, Hargreaves and Jean Deysel return from injury. But unless they can start stringing some 80-minute performances together on tour and recording big wins, they are going to leave themselves with too much to do in the second half of the competition.
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12 Comments
26 Mar 2012, 12:20 pm
Concentrated too much on attack and forgot to defend!! Twats!!
26 Mar 2012, 13:42 pm
How does the draw work here,consider the Sharks draw,
away to the Bulls ,then the Stormers,at home to the Current Currie Cup champs and then the Current Super 15 Champs then on the plane all the way to Sydney.
Now the Stormers first up against the Hurricanes who flew in from N.Z.,then 2 weeks of rugby at home to the team that played the Bulls the week before,a week off and then a game against the Lions.
If I was given the choice of those 2 schedules,I know which one I would choose
26 Mar 2012, 14:19 pm
I would suggest black kiwi polish…
26 Mar 2012, 14:22 pm
look, lets be honest arnold.
the sharks might as well go polish their teeth at the dentists for all its worth.
26 Mar 2012, 14:37 pm
“they are going to leave themselves with too much to do in the second half of the competition.”
Same story every year
They have tried to build a Crusaders style squad and Not close to getting there
26 Mar 2012, 15:27 pm
Sharks are not going to make the playoffs. I’ve tried to be positive and yet they cost me Bru points last weekend.
Against the Scumbies – hard to call, I might just have to favour the home team…
26 Mar 2012, 16:03 pm
I blame plumtree for this loss, his tactical changes during the game left a lot to be desired……………why he took of bosman ( who was having his best game of the season) and putting on Joubert (why doesn’t he use Jordaan – what I saw of him looked awesome in that first game against the bulls). Also bringing on the replacement Hooker Craig Burden, as flank, when we had the attacking scrum in the last minute….killed all chances of winning the game
26 Mar 2012, 16:13 pm
Watching the game I felt the sharks ran out of gas with 20min left in the match. The hand off by Dean Mumm on Marcel Coetzee was proof to me that the Tah’s wanted the win more, or at least that is what it looked like as a spectator.
26 Mar 2012, 17:47 pm
KAK frustrating as a Sharks supporter at the moment – Some great players and decent form for parts of the team, but our forwards aren’t sealing the deal at scrum and lineout time… Anyway – I’ll stay faithful and hope for the best.
The Bulls look the best bet at the mo from SA, but this w/end will tell more… Stormers remain pretenders (despite finally looking good up front). Cheetahs play a great style but are very naive and lack the killer touch and the Lions are average and puching above their weight category. The 2nd best bet is the Sharks if they can start closing out games and playing for 80min.
27 Mar 2012, 02:10 am
There was one statistic that hasn’t been mentioned yet – the penalty count. Let’s be honest – it kept our boys in the game (whether rightly or wrongly). The second half was dominated with a number of penalties for the Sharks, while the Tahs managed very few. This made the scoreboard appear a lot closer than it probably would have been.
Bissy was again awesome but he needs some help. The tahs were really beginning to dominate in that second half. Hopefully the Sharkies can recover a bit for this weeks game – it would be good to see them make the finals this year.
27 Mar 2012, 07:39 am
WTF is wrong with some of these Sharks “supporters”.
Super rugby is 18 rounds.
5 games have been played against top teams and they have missed a few key players in second row, loosie and front row.
Sharks have won their home games.
They are playing an enterprising style of rugby that is only going to get better.
Farken wind your necks in chaps.
27 Mar 2012, 07:49 am
@welcome to my life, hugh…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-4: Yeah, talk big PinkKoei… Sharkies could have quite possibly won that first game at Loftus with a few key players missing. Return game at Kings Park we’ll see who’s who in the zoo… We also know of the Bulls predilection to fall apart against Kiwi sides, especially on tour….
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