Steely Sharks compound Blues’ woes
13 Apr 2012
RYAN VREDE reports on a 29-23 victory for the Sharks over the Blues that plunges the Auckland franchise into crisis.
There was a shared sense before this fixture that technical and tactical superiority would be less important to the Blues than sheer guts and grit. They have endured a battering in the press and public for their mediocrity and their rebuttal had to be good. It wasn’t. Far from it. There was only a small measure of the guts and grit their situation demanded. Their attacking play was sterile and their defence continues to be generous. Coach Pat Lam is surely now on the brink of losing his job.
Coming back from 15-0 down to trail 15-13 at the break suggested that they still had a little character. They were undoubtedly the better team in the first half, the Sharks’ two tries in that period coming thanks to two intercepts. Outside of that the Durban side failed to trouble their hosts. Certainly they were physical and organised on defence, but they profited from the Blues’ wastefulness in excellent positions. The Blues would finish with 17 handling errors and this was ultimately terminal to their cause.
The best of their spurned opportunities fell to Ma’a Nonu, who knocked on 7m short of the tryline. The Blues had reigned themselves in after a tactically cavalier start to the match and by the 30 minute mark were troubling the Sharks with their ability to play through multiple phases as well as their lineout and breakdown contest, the latter being the source of numerous broken field opportunities they failed to exploit.
But they would have been satisfied with the two-point deficit going down the tunnel and then elated at scoring a converted try just after the restart to take the lead for the first time. However, in typical Blues fashion, they fell into a deep defensive slumber and conceded two converted tries in five minutes, the first from Keegan Daniel and the second a controversial Tim Whitehead score. The midfielder clearly knocked the ball forward into a Blues player but recollected en route to the tryline.
The Sharks’ bench gave them fresh attacking and defensive impetus but they couldn’t manage the try that would surely have sealed the result. With 13 minutes to play Gareth Anscombe kicked his side to within a converted try of taking the lead. But the Blues looked every bit a team who lacked the belief to grab a win from that position. They made fundamental errors, while the Sharks were tactically masterful in closing down the game.
They return to Durban with five points from this match and two tour wins from four matches – an acceptable return that aids their push to top the SA conference. The Blues are left to pick up the pieces of a season that one senses is yet to reach its nadir.
630 Comments
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13 Apr 2012, 08:36 am
Sharks for the win!
13 Apr 2012, 08:41 am
Go the Blues
13 Apr 2012, 08:43 am
SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRKS
FOREVER!!!!!!!!
Go You Good Things…
13 Apr 2012, 08:43 am
@wpstormerbok(wpstormerbok)-2: another one shouting against SA sides?
Cape Crusader twat.
13 Apr 2012, 08:49 am
C’mon Blues stuff the Chokers.
13 Apr 2012, 08:51 am
@trupisero(trupisero)-4:
Nope, think you need to read through the blogs a bit before calling people twats and Cape Crusaders.
Ask FishFood RFC’s PRO at post 3 what he thinks about the Stormers.
Ask Tacitus aka Captain Whoop-@ss what he thinks about the Stormers.
13 Apr 2012, 08:52 am
Wulf Viljoen…. Sharks
Parkes Mvovo… Sharks
Stanley Pieterson… Sharks
Nonu Whitehead… Blues
Ludik Ranger… Blues
Anscombe Lambie… Sharks
Matthewson McLeod Sharks
Lowry Daniel Evens
Braid Deysel Evens
Braid Coetzee Sharks
Moli Bresler Evens
Paulo Sykes Evens
Woodcock JdP Evens
Mealamu Burden Blues
Faumuina Chadwick Evens
Bench: Sharks
Homegame: Blues
Ref: Blues
Sharks 7
Blues 5
Sharks win.
13 Apr 2012, 08:53 am
@wpstormerbok(wpstormerbok)-6:
Its pro rugby, good on you mate.
13 Apr 2012, 08:53 am
Go Sharks
Saffas should support Saffa teams end of
13 Apr 2012, 08:53 am
Sharks coach John Plumtree is at odds with the South African Rugby Union over its decision to include the Southern Kings in Super Rugby next year.
New Zealand and Australia are adamant the competition can’t be expanded to include 16 teams under the current Sanzar agreement so one existing South African franchise will have to go.
Plumtree says it was premature to include the Kings before the current broadcast deal expires in 2015.
“But unfortunately the South African Rugby Union made this announcement before they’ve gone through a detail of what can happen to the other teams, but that’s how they operate over there so we’ll just see what happens,” Plumtree told Newstalk ZB in New Zealand.
13 Apr 2012, 08:54 am
@wpstormerbok(wpstormerbok)-6: HG is delusional, Tac sees life in blue and pink.
What’s your excuse?
13 Apr 2012, 08:54 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-7:
Woodcock evens don’t think so
13 Apr 2012, 08:55 am
WPstormerbok
Any Saffa win takes points from Kiwi and Aussie team, making a home semi and final a reality for a SA team
13 Apr 2012, 08:55 am
Meanwhile Piri Weepu is in the news again about his weight gain; will the controversial player get game time today?
Apparently his skipper went public by saying that ‘a fully fit’ Weepu can make a difference
Just the other day the Blues’ woes were attributed to Pat Lam’s being non-pakeha (well that’s the implication)
What is going on there in New Zealand?
13 Apr 2012, 08:56 am
@wpstormerbok(wpstormerbok)-6: why bother? they wish all things kak for the Stormers and then demand patriotism
i see plum’s gone for a 5-2 split and CLEARLY not deviating from the “bash it up” script.
come on you f(ucking Guppys!!!
13 Apr 2012, 08:56 am
2 babies are lying next to each other in the maternity ward. The baby boy says to the baby girl “I am a blue bull”. She says “Show me.”
“OK, I will once the nurse leaves”. The nurse leaves a short while later, he pulls down his blanket and says “See? Check my pink socks”
13 Apr 2012, 08:58 am
@Sheriff(Sheriff)-14:
That can’t be right there are very few racist NZ born people.
13 Apr 2012, 08:58 am
@trupisero(trupisero)-16: LOL.
13 Apr 2012, 08:59 am
@greentea(greentea)-12:
I see your fellow Kiwi brethren (Maori’s and all) have been labelled despicable racists for flooding the comment boards with anti-Lam vitriol… stating he cannot coach as he’s an Islander!
Glass houses and all eh bro… chur!
13 Apr 2012, 09:04 am
@Sheriff(Sheriff)-14: hey Lawman, Piri must stop eating, klaar!
13 Apr 2012, 09:05 am
Don’t need an excuse as I don’t see the Boks playing today. That’s the only time I need to support all SA teams.
Anyway it’s not that I have something against Bulls or Sharks, I just have something against some of their grootbek supporters.
So good luck to Sharks, except for HG.
13 Apr 2012, 09:05 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-19:
Pat’s a kiwi through and through we love our brown brothers in NZ we are all equal in gods own.
13 Apr 2012, 09:05 am
Wpstormersbok… Just because 1 Sharks supporter is against the Stormers doesnt mean all are… And secondly there are alot more Stormers supporters on here who bash the Sharks than HG does the Stormers!!
13 Apr 2012, 09:07 am
@greentea(greentea)-17:
Mate that’s what they (Kiwis) always tell us
They always say: Please understand we are not racists ok!!!
I compare the Kiwi pakehas with what we call here in SA ‘souties’ ; there are no soutie racists in SA… or so they say
13 Apr 2012, 09:08 am
@wpstormerbok(wpstormerbok)-21: Mwaaah Daahling!
13 Apr 2012, 09:09 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-20:
It’s awfully disappointing that the man they look to to lead the haka is overweight
What message does that send?
13 Apr 2012, 09:09 am
@Sheriff(Sheriff)-24:
thats how it is mate, there would be no more than a dozen NZ born racists in NZ maybe less, in fact i’ve never met one so that number might be too high
13 Apr 2012, 09:11 am
@Sheriff(Sheriff)-26:
a wc medal, 4 or 5 tri nations, grand slams, bledisloe cups
13 Apr 2012, 09:11 am
Today we will see what kind of a impact Lambie has on the sharks. I think he will make the difference.
13 Apr 2012, 09:14 am
Piri Piri Weepu to lead the charge of the Fat Brigade… Fried Chickens coming home to roost…
Buffalo wings artillery…
Drumstick stormtroopers…
Giblet guns at the ready…
Aim…
Eat…
Aim…
Eat…
13 Apr 2012, 09:14 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-25:
1/4
13 Apr 2012, 09:14 am
@greentea(greentea)-27:
I’m not sure mate – remember private thoughts also count
You cannot say I’m not a racist purely because you never utter racist words; it would appear that kiwis’ private thoughts versus what they say = miles apart
But I’m happy to accept it if you say that there are hardly any racist in NZ
Do you think kiwis are cheaters?
13 Apr 2012, 09:16 am
@greentea(greentea)-28:
My concern is that people are going to say the haka is an outdated ritual
They might say that it is ‘ an outdated ritual led by overweight men’
Do you see my concern?
13 Apr 2012, 09:26 am
WE ARE BLACK…
13 Apr 2012, 09:26 am
WE ARE WHITE…
13 Apr 2012, 09:27 am
WE ARE…
13 Apr 2012, 09:27 am
My Kiwi heart says the Blues will rediscover their mojo and win.
My objective brain says that is highly unlikely and the Sharks will probably win.
13 Apr 2012, 09:27 am
FARKEN DYNAMITE…
13 Apr 2012, 09:27 am
Blues are going to be up for this one. A quality side like this cannot continue losing like they are at the moment. The Sharks will always be there-and-thereabout., but they will never be a champion side… JMHO
13 Apr 2012, 09:27 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-36:
Plum-for-brains shite…
13 Apr 2012, 09:27 am
does anyone know if their is an online radio feed that i could catch the game on please?
13 Apr 2012, 09:28 am
Sorry Heavens Game about that, didn’t mean to interfere.
13 Apr 2012, 09:32 am
@Todd W(Todd W)-42: No worries… Your head is in the right place…
Your heart… not.
13 Apr 2012, 09:34 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-40: Ye of little Faith…
13 Apr 2012, 09:36 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-7:
You forgot to add:
Blues by last weekend, Blues +1 to all players!!!
TMO – Bryce Lawrence +100 to Blues.
13 Apr 2012, 09:37 am
What can I say, I’m a Kiwi. And even though the Blues are those bloody “JAFAs” and “wankers” whom I hate (I joke I joke!!!), they’re still me fellow mates. I still want them do kick some Springbok arse.
It’s just that, well, I think the Sharks are going to have the Blues for supper. Sad but true.
13 Apr 2012, 09:40 am
which one of those two numpty teams is more
S H * T
than the other ?
13 Apr 2012, 09:40 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-44:
There’ll always be ‘gees’ wins and individual excellence… but until the dour, boorish Plumtree is replaced they’ll never make the play-offs again!
13 Apr 2012, 09:40 am
@Guns(Guns)-45: Chrissakes… Forgot about Bryce as TMO…. We might be fcked…
13 Apr 2012, 09:41 am
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-47:
The question is more which two Kiwi coaches are shiter than the other!
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