Steely Sharks compound Blues’ woes

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

Pages: « 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 … 13 » Show All

  • 151.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:46 am

    Ohhhh yeah…

    My Boois…

    Schweet

  • 152.munkiboi: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:46 am

    @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-147:

    SA always has plenty of talent at hooker, loose forward and scrumhalf. current hooker talent sensational.

    bissie
    chilli
    strauss
    liebenberg
    burden..

    and even a few over in europe still going strong.

  • 153.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:47 am

    Lambie is definitely the best 10 in SA….

  • 154.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:48 am

    @munkiboi(munkiboi)-152: Yeah you right… Move Burden up above Fatty Liebenburg, and climbing, and then you have it about right…

  • 155.race of tan: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:48 am

    heaveans Game – Lambie was rock solid at the RWC last year

  • 156.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:49 am

    bad luck Piri Piri…

    Flap those Buffalo wings boy…

  • 157.Bagel: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:49 am

    @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-153: You seem to have gone quiet over the ref now?

    And no mention of the knock on.

    PaTheTic

  • 158.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:50 am

    @race of tan(race of tan)-155: Lambighini to you :wink:

    Now who the fck is Goosen again?

  • 159.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:50 am

    @Bagel(Bagel)-157: No need to repeat myself..

    The refs a one eyed twat, okay?

    Understand?

  • 160.logie_Jumpbuck: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:51 am

    is fatty on the field? how is he playing? See even his captain told him to hold off on the Mac’D burger specials for a while…..hahaaa.

  • 161.bryce_in_oz: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:51 am

    @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-153:

    If Sharks had better locks he’d be kicking tactically far more often IMO…

    Only thing worse than Lam, PLumtree and the Lions this year has been the Kiwi commentary… make Brosnihan sound like a rocket-scientist!

  • 162.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:51 am

    Lambie my boy… Beautiful kick

  • 163.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:53 am

    @bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-161: There I can agree… The Kiwi commentators sound like lobotomized one eyed sheep….

  • 164.greentea: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:53 am

    @bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-161:

    why don’t you turn the sound down and tune into a SAFFA commentary on the wireless then perhaps you’d stop whining

  • 165.race of tan: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:53 am

    Heavens Game – Apologies Lambighin.

    You’ve gotta hand it to Piri, he got the Kiwis to the final last year!! His kicking was very good!!

  • 166.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:54 am

    Dont let up Sharkies…

    Go you good things

  • 167.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:56 am

    @race of tan(race of tan)-165: Shows how fcked up that tournament was for fatfck Piri Piri to be the NZ match winner….

    He’s farken brilliant today, no? :lol:

  • 168.greentea: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:56 am

    @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-166:

    why so excited Blues are shite this year, Sharks will choke 17 years straight thats guaranteed

  • 169.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:57 am

    Time for Willem…

  • 170.bryce_in_oz: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:57 am

    @greentea(greentea)-164:

    I’d rather have Clarkie, Kafer, McArdle and for a bit of humour Kearnsey comment every game every weekend!

  • 171.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:58 am

    @greentea(greentea)-168: I thought Blues were definitely going to win… especially since they packed with RWC winners…. fatfcks as they are, yeah?

  • 172.greentea: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:59 am

    @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-171:

    choke choke choke

  • 173.trupisero: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:59 am

    typical sharks. back them on SB and they fck it up, go against them on SB and they win.

    Must pick them every time.

  • 174.munkiboi: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:59 am

    @greentea(greentea)-168:

    so are the sharks… a win for either team is absolute necessity at this stage… both coaches jobs on the line beyond this season.

  • 175.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 10:59 am

    @greentea(greentea)-168: A 24 year choke is very hard to beat though… Hows the gagging reflex…? Must be a relief… :lol:

  • 176.logie_Jumpbuck: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:00 am

    @greentea(greentea)-168: speak proper English you dimwit.

  • 177.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:01 am

    Blues are more than a bit lucky with that one. Great move Stevie Walsh….

  • 178.greentea: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:01 am

    @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-175:

    nah 6 tourneys VERSUS 17 your choke is definitely bigger and growing

    choke choke choke

  • 179.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:03 am

    @greentea(greentea)-178: 24 years and then a gimme against the French is hard to beat… Open wide… Say aaaaahhhhhhh :lol:

  • 180.greentea: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:03 am

    @logie_Jumpbuck(logie_Jumpbuck)-176:
    relax buddy its a blog

  • 181.greentea: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:05 am

    @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-179:

    choke x 17

  • 182.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:05 am

    Nice one Steve Walsh… Hes trying hard isn’t he. 11 phases from the Sharks and then a convenient penalty… He’s learning from that Kiwicnt of a ref last week

  • 183.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:05 am

    @greentea(greentea)-181: Ahhhh

  • 184.munkiboi: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:05 am

    @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-179:

    does it count if you can only win at home though? i wanna see them win it away from kiwiland. now that would be impressive…

  • 185.logie_Jumpbuck: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:06 am

    @greentea(greentea)-180: yip, an english one.

  • 186.Pee Wee: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:06 am

    Game of comical proportions

  • 187.Oxy moron: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:07 am

    Holding on??? The Blues player (not the tackler) clearly dived in off his feet and sealed it off. How was that not obvious.

  • 188.munkiboi: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:07 am

    jeez that was a good kick by lambie.

  • 189.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:08 am

    @munkiboi(munkiboi)-184: They can’t. It doesn’t count…. They actually didn’t win… without a little help :lol:

  • 190.greentea: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:08 am

    @logie_Jumpbuck(logie_Jumpbuck)-185:

    we can’t all be as clever as you, if you could correct my mistakes as we go that would be great

  • 191.greentea: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:09 am

    @munkiboi(munkiboi)-184:

    we have the best away test record of any nation, daylight is second

  • 192.Blue Label: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:10 am

    Sharks should NOT try to defend this scoreline

  • 193.munkiboi: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:10 am

    been some complaints about the ref ( from me included) but really how can you ref a quality game with these 2 kak teams.

  • 194.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:11 am

    @greentea(greentea)-191: We can’t get by without a little help from our friends…

  • 195.kaksioek: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:11 am

    Why change the scrumhalf for what could be the last scrum of the game?

  • 196.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:11 am

    @bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-170: why are you leaving out Marto!

    go Marto!!! the best in Arsetralia :D

  • 197.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:11 am

    NZinChina aka was calling a big year for the Blues.

    Whatafukkinknobber.

  • 198.kaksioek: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:12 am

    Blues scrum got murdered.

  • 199.viewer: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:13 am

    Blues were never the same after that defeat to stormers in 2004

  • 200.Hondo: Reply to this comment
    13 Apr 2012, 11:14 am

    JP is very careful with whom he tackles, when and IF at all
    ;)

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