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, 11:56 am
didn’t see the game…
congrats to the sharks… great 5-pointer…!!
i thought the blues would bounce back in this game and the sharks would have one foot on the plane… but very happy to be proven wrong… well done..!!
so lambie played great…? well played patrick…!
too many people written him off way too quickly… have to say again… morne and patrick would be my bok flyhalfs for the upcoming pom and super series…
13 Apr 2012, 11:56 am
Geez how kuk were the sharks in the first half,how they went into the sheds leading at half time is beyond me.Good effort in the 2nd half but they still seem to be clueless most of the time,they could really do with some structure,still I will take a win away from home any time.
13 Apr 2012, 11:57 am
@Dazzler(Dazzler)-247: Yeah, the only bunny was the ref at Newlands when the Sharks dominated the Brokebacks but somehow suddenly 2 gimme 3 pointers miraculously appear…
Wonder if that ref still has his 2 front teeth… Maybe he is now well and truly Cape Town ethnic… after opening wide enough….
Truly a Bunny…
13 Apr 2012, 11:57 am
Tim Whitehead could be the Springbok bolter this season.
13 Apr 2012, 11:58 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-245: I disagree. At least he knows how a game is supposed to be played. Smokey Warren’s voice irritates every rugby supporter I know….and I know a lot. He’s horrible! His choice of words are almost always over the top for the description necessary to explain what happened on the field. Besides, give me Blades anyday, even though he’s getting a bit long in the tooth and calls the wrong player due to bad eye sight
13 Apr 2012, 11:59 am
Had all the saffa teams barring the cheetahs to lose,so really stoked the sharks came to the party.
13 Apr 2012, 11:59 am
Well done Shawwks, I thought that they were going to let it slip but they did really well to get ahead. Lambie is pure class, what a difference he made.
13 Apr 2012, 12:00 pm
@Pee Wee(Pee Wee)-249: Yup you gonna show the Sharks how its done at Kings Park….
Its going to be….
[Donkey shouts]
Bend over boys…
Followed by a Bismarck sized battleship shunt pressure from the rear….
And any help from friends in green wont be enough this time around…
Like tomorrow
13 Apr 2012, 12:00 pm
@4moreyears(4moreyears)-254: please no….he’s definitely not there yet. Give him another season to gain some confidence.
13 Apr 2012, 12:01 pm
@John Galt(John Galt)-232: no, whitehead just looks good in what has traditionally been a ka sharks midfield, he is indeed a “revelation” compared to the rubbish the sharks have had to endure since barrit/steyn/murray/jacobs…
he was 4th choice 13 at the stormers and rightly so.
13 Apr 2012, 12:01 pm
Who’s the Goose…
When there’s a Lambighini…
13 Apr 2012, 12:02 pm
@logie_Jumpbuck(logie_Jumpbuck)-255: The sa and nz commentators are useless only the aussies are any good IMO.
13 Apr 2012, 12:03 pm
@logie_Jumpbuck(logie_Jumpbuck)-255: You mean Warren “trytime!” Brosnihan? The most annoying voice without peers.
13 Apr 2012, 12:03 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-253:
Sniff sniff… you seem to b.itch about the ref every game. Bit of a trend there?
And a game that the Sharks dominated? Haha! Remember what I told you about not looking like an idiot every time you touch the keyboard… you’re failing.
13 Apr 2012, 12:03 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-260: Whitehead is twice as complete a player as “Hands” Donkey… Any day of the week.
13 Apr 2012, 12:03 pm
@SteveWarren(SteveWarren)-262: lol
13 Apr 2012, 12:04 pm
@SteveWarren(SteveWarren)-262: We really need another Spiekeries….man he was good!
13 Apr 2012, 12:04 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-265: YOU are a donkey
13 Apr 2012, 12:05 pm
@Dazzler(Dazzler)-264: Of course there is a trend there… That is exactly my point, yeah?
13 Apr 2012, 12:05 pm
@Nils(Nils)-263: Exfokkenactly!
13 Apr 2012, 12:06 pm
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-268: You even have the eye covers on like a donkey
13 Apr 2012, 12:08 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-260:
Well no shlt sherlock. What do you think I mean by ‘revelation’?
He was playing more at 12 for the Stormers when he did get game time. So that means he was second choice 12.
Not the Sharks’ fault Stormers cant hold on to their talent.
If JdJ or JDV goes down with an injury now, who’ve they got coming on?
Burton Francis? JP Du Plessis?
4th Choice centre, my hairy arsehole dude.
13 Apr 2012, 12:08 pm
They need to get people that can actually do the job of commentating instead of ex rugby players.
13 Apr 2012, 12:09 pm
A Kiwi rugby writer Wayne Gray wrote lately something like Pat Lam is turning the Blues into a job creating centre, I wonder how long his tenure will last?
Playing the race card probably bought Lam 3 weeks reprive or so.
13 Apr 2012, 12:09 pm
don’t know if you weepee supporters realise this…..
but HG is getting right up your noses……
with tongue firmly wedged in cheek…….
and you are all falling for it………
which is giving him immense pleasure
8)
13 Apr 2012, 12:10 pm
@John Galt(John Galt)-272: Timmie was pretty kak at the Stormers boet. Too light in the broek and he was still adjusting to this level of the game after his Ikeys days.
13 Apr 2012, 12:11 pm
@John Galt(John Galt)-272:
At the time it was Jaques Fourie, JdV, JdeJ and Johan Sadie.
So if you can count, you will see he was not 2nd choice.
But by all means, love him to bits, invite him out for a drink. He’s a good player.
13 Apr 2012, 12:11 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-269:
What’s this “yeah” nonsense at the end of your sentences? You fink you’s a geazer mate? You fink you’s from the East End yeah? Stop it.
The only trend is your whining and your weird sexual fantasies about brokebacks and whatever else that you dream up instead of taking part in intelligent rugby debate like an adult. Perect example is post 258. You seem to do that a lot… just saying.
13 Apr 2012, 12:11 pm
@John Galt(John Galt)-272: At the time he was chosen he was very far down the pecking order, but due to a bunch of injuries he got his chance.
And took it well.
He’s been playing well and was one of 4 or 5 sharks players who really played well today.
A loss to WP but that’s how it goes.
Players who impressed today:
Burden (again)
Daniel
Lambie
Whitehead.
13 Apr 2012, 12:12 pm
Congrats to the Sharks, I knew they could pull it off.
A team playing its final match on tour is always a dangerous, motivated customer.
They got the two wins abroad I wished for them, as well as a losing BP against the Waratahs.
They are no going back to fortress Durban, and given their remaining fixtures and returning resources, they remain serious title contenders in my opinion.
13 Apr 2012, 12:12 pm
@SteveWarren(SteveWarren)-262: i like justin marshall’s commentary, the rest are biased. i hate all saffa commentators with hanyani shimange being the WORST! gavin cowley is bearable.
13 Apr 2012, 12:12 pm
@charo(charo)-275: I don’t let him bother me. But I made a deal with myself that every time I see him calling JdV a donkey I will call him a donkey. Childish, but gives me satisfaction.
13 Apr 2012, 12:14 pm
@John Galt(John Galt)-272:
Nope, Jacque Fourie and Sadie were there last year. Which means De Jongh was used as the 2nd choice 12, which made Whitehead 3rd choice 12.
13 Apr 2012, 12:14 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-279: Hi Stormersboy, hope you are well.
Did not see the game – what do you make of Burden’s development?
13 Apr 2012, 12:15 pm
@Hondo(Hondo)-274: what “card” did hammett play last year when the canes were s(hit?
13 Apr 2012, 12:18 pm
@Dazzler(Dazzler)-283:
Ok, that sounds about right. But not 4th Choice anything like Trannie says.
13 Apr 2012, 12:20 pm
@charo(charo)-275:
When in Rome do what the brokebacks do….
13 Apr 2012, 12:21 pm
@Dazzler(Dazzler)-278: Them Brokebacks are going to fizzle then pop tomorrow, yeah?
13 Apr 2012, 12:22 pm
@willievz(willievz)-284: Very good. My man of the match.
Technically he made a couple of errors. There was a “tight-head” where the ball bounced froward off his shins and then out the side of the scrum and because the Blues (Woodcock in this case) had gotten a foot forward in the shove. The Blues were able to collect and in fact score from there. If Burden had been able to control the ball in the put in it wouldn’t have bounced out.
Also he got blown up for a skew throw in at the line-out but again, not a huge error, the ball was thrown to the back and that’s always hard to keep straight the whole way.
His play in the park however was immense. Carried the ball up extremely well around the fringes and made the try for Keegan after one of those runs and a great “pop-up” offload to put Keegan over the line.
He also scored a great intercept try from close to the half way line, out gassing Rudi Wulf to score. Well read on the play and very well finished.
I personally think he’s been playing way better than Bismark so far this season and would not drop him even when Bismark is fit, if he continues to play this way.
13 Apr 2012, 12:22 pm
@Dazzler(Dazzler)-278:
I wouldnt bother too much about HG. He clearly is a child or a mentally challenged individual. Every win the Stormers have had this year has been lucky or due to the ref according to him (and to some extent tacitus as well).
As for his constant references to homosexuality, I think thats quite obvious. He is a closet case homosexual.
Add to this the fact that he is very brave at his keyboard. He would never say a wrong word in the presence of anyone he slates.
Want to prove me wrong HG? Lets link up next time you’re in CT.
13 Apr 2012, 12:23 pm
@Stawm(Stawm)-290: Don’t invite him to link up, he might take you the wrong way and try to make a move
13 Apr 2012, 12:23 pm
@John Galt(John Galt)-286:
Well he could’ve been, he didnt really get game time last year. Got a bit in 2010. I remember WP selecting another centre ahead of him in the currie cup when the Boks were away. But maybe he was injured, I can’t remember.
Whitehead always had the talent, he just didnt have the ballas or the strength, but it seems he’s sorted that out now. It would always take time, he came straight from Varsity Cup to Super 14 remember, big step up in physicality! Nice to see him doing so well now though.
13 Apr 2012, 12:27 pm
@Stawm(Stawm)-290: Hey big guy… Making a pass at me?
Wink… Wink
You such a Proud Capetonian, ne?
13 Apr 2012, 12:28 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-293:
You proved my point. Nothing to back up your big mouth.
13 Apr 2012, 12:30 pm
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-291:
Just about proves the image he wants of himself here.
13 Apr 2012, 12:30 pm
Burden has far more talent and ability than Liebenburg will ever have…
Heck, he has more passing skill and ability than Donkey too… and he’s a front rower…
He made Kevvy look like a fool out there today.
13 Apr 2012, 12:31 pm
@Stawm(Stawm)-290:
Yip, Tacitus = Heaven’s Game minus all the strange ****-sexual innuendo’s. But it’s true what you say, the ones who constantly mock ****-sexuality are the ones who aren’t comfortable with their own sexuality. That’s a proven fact. Don’t know why he just doesn’t come out and tell us all, I don’t know, maybe his parents won’t accept him then. Sounds like a candidate for a Dr. Phil intervention
And you’re right again, a true keyboard cowboy is old HG. Nevermind popping in to CT, if he is truly brave he’ll come visit us here in Benoni.
13 Apr 2012, 12:31 pm
@Stawm(Stawm)-290:
So you want to hook up with a homosexual??
Seriously HG is winding you blokes up and you are handling it badly.
I think its you that may need menal help.
I am sure HG supports Sharks 1st but always the Stormers ahead of a non-SA side.
Quite a few of the SA supporters on this board seem to get joy from a Sharks defeat. Illogical.
13 Apr 2012, 12:31 pm
ref=”#comment-2102470″>Dazzler(Dazzler)-292:
Some players take more time than others to develop, Tim is developing nicely at the Sharks, good on him.
13 Apr 2012, 12:32 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-245:
‘tyt fayf’… ROTFLMAO!
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