Cooper’s absence gives Sharks a gap
17 Jul 2012
JON CARDINELLI writes the Reds will miss Quade Cooper’s attacking influence as well as his kicking game when they host the Sharks this Saturday.
Cooper has been suspended for one match following a dangerous tackle on Berrick Barnes, and not for the first time this season Ewen McKenzie will ask a utility player to fill the Reds’ flyhalf void.
A serious knee injury sustained at the 2011 World Cup sidelined Cooper for most of this year’s Super Rugby competition. As a result, the Reds haven’t been as much of a threat on attack, and haven’t been as effective at implementing their kicking game via that imposing Wallabies halfback pairing.
The Reds have looked a better side since Cooper’s return, and scored a bonus-point win over the Waratahs last Saturday to claim the Australian conference title. However, it is Cooper’s transgression and subsequent suspension that could prevent the Reds from advancing any further in this tournament, as they don’t have another player in the same class.
Former Wallabies centre Tim Horan said as much following Cooper’s dangerous tackle. Predictably, McKenzie has responded by pointing to the Reds’ earlier performances when Cooper was still on the sideline. McKenzie cited wins that were achieved without Cooper, and believes that the Reds will cope with the most recent setback and progress to the semi-finals.
McKenzie has also said that the Reds ‘owe the Sharks one’, referring to the Sharks’ win against the Reds in the league phase. It was in this match where the Reds’ flyhalf problem quickly became a nightmare, as further injuries to flyhalves resulted in Will Genia finishing the game at pivot.
Genia will miss having Cooper on his inside this Saturday. The Wallabies halfback pair was integral to the Reds’ success in the 2011 Super Rugby competition as well as the Wallabies’ Tri-Nations victory. Both are outstanding individual players, but that halfback combination is more than the sum of its parts.
Every opponent of the Reds has been on a ‘Get Genia’ campaign this season, and attempts to disrupt the Reds at source is no new tactic. The Sharks will surely aim to bully the Reds up front and deny Genia a platform from which to play, but they should also work to further negate his space.
The fact that Cooper is not on Genia’s outside means there should be more pressure on the scrumhalf to play the role of general, as well as provide the attacking impetus. It’s a lot of responsibility, and the Sharks would do well to use this pressure to their advantage.
The Sharks will be without three key players of their own, as Pat Lambie (ankle injury), Pieter-Steph du Toit (ankle injury) and Frans Steyn (ineligible) will not be available.
However, it is more significant that their heavy hitting Springboks should be back in the starting line-up. The inclusion of Willem Alberts and Bismarck du Plessis will aid the Sharks’ quest for gainline supremacy, as well as the aim to stifle Genia’s influence.
Steyn has made a massive impact since joining the Sharks, and the Durban-side will miss his physical influence as well as his prodigious boot. Coach John Plumtree has the option of moving Tim Whitehead to No 12 and bringing Paul Jordaan in at No 13, but a like-for-like replacement would be more prudent. Meyer Bosman is an imposing physical specimen and has the type of kicking game that is so often the difference in tight play-off matches.
It’s a big ask to travel across the world and win a play-off, and I’m not suggesting that the Sharks will have it easy in Brisbane. But there’s little doubt that the absence of Cooper will effect the Reds’ balance and increase the chances of a Sharks upset.
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827 Comments
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17 Jul 2012, 08:54 am
@Skeppie(Skeppie)-47: I absolutely will and posted in a conversation with Rangerman yesterday that I believed the Stormers would be facing the Sharks next weekend.
They have a real shot at winning the game for sure.
17 Jul 2012, 08:58 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-51: Not many teams have won away play offs.
Someone yesterday posted that only the Crusaders (obviously), Highlanders and Sharks have managed it in the past.
It is a very tough ask. The Reds are firm favourites if only due to the home factor.
17 Jul 2012, 09:01 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-51: Aw shucks, now I have to like Stormers bloggers again! Between you and me I think the Stormers deserve to win this thing, I will be supporting my sharks if we meet but the rugby man in me would admit the Stormers deserve to win it. (Although don’t tell stormerforlife and his super arrogant cronies that)
17 Jul 2012, 09:04 am
Let’s all agree that the Reds are favourites but that the Sharks have a real opportunity to take this game. The Sharks this year have been POOR travellers but if they play like they have for the last 2 games they’ll have more than a good chance of taking this game.
My Bulls will get a proper hiding
17 Jul 2012, 09:08 am
@Papoose(papaown)-54: You guys got the rough end of the stick, finished above the sharks but got the harder play-off game. Oh well here is hoping the Bulls pull something out of the hat.
17 Jul 2012, 09:12 am
@55 Skeppie:Its a mentality issue, same the Stormers had when they played us in the final 3 years ago. This new group needs time to mentally believe they can win games like this. The loss to the Stormers@home showed me how weak and fragile we still are mentally and its a newer breed.
That’s why the Stormers have NO excuse to NOT make the final and need to win!
17 Jul 2012, 09:19 am
@Skeppie(Skeppie)-53:
Won’t tell a soul.
To be honest this blog with all it’s morons on here tends to polarize viewpoints to the point where i blog much less than I used to as i find that some of the Sharks idiots make everyone very “anti” the Sharks through their posting style. Same for some of the so called Stormers supporters who do likewise.
It does no one any good to be quite frank.
I am blogging more on sites where the focus is Rugby and not trading insults all day long.
I will always support an SA team against a foreign team, unless the result is of critical importance to the Stormers, who obviously come first in my book.
17 Jul 2012, 09:21 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-57: I post here a lot less too. I fins it difficult to stay out of the provincial stuff.
Which other rugby focused blogs can you recommend?
17 Jul 2012, 09:22 am
Okay.Let’s see.They last defeated the reds in a playoff way back in 1996 and suddenly Woody and his merry bunch see that as a rallying point for super rugby dominance.Seriously Peckerman???All I can say is that Sharks supporters are nothing but a bunch of megalomaniacs!!
17 Jul 2012, 09:24 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-58: sharksworld and rugby-talk
17 Jul 2012, 09:26 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-57: see post 59, there is you main culprit, a little juvenile delinquent that has no upbringing, he is a total waste of human skin
17 Jul 2012, 09:27 am
I agree with the first part of your first line papoose.The second part is a load of bollocks.
17 Jul 2012, 09:27 am
@Papoose(papaown)-56: correct, its all about belief
17 Jul 2012, 09:29 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-36: is that what “topping the SA conference” earns you? i know another team was “arrogantly” tipped to be on comfortably top this year
9.wooden spoon said:
13 Jan 2012, 12:27 pm
Easily the best South African franchise this year.
They should comfortably top the SA conference.
17 Jul 2012, 09:32 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-64: did all sharks suppotyers say this??
17 Jul 2012, 09:33 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-58:
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-57:
This place is the “Hotel California” of SA rugby websites.
“You can check-out any time you like,
But you can never leave”!
17 Jul 2012, 09:34 am
@Robzim(Robzim)-66:
Rob
17 Jul 2012, 09:34 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-64: The team with the most Boks should achieve that easily. In the end, there were only a handful of points in it. I stand by that 100%. Fail for you.
17 Jul 2012, 09:35 am
I am old school and will never support the Bulls or for that matter the Sharks.Why should I support people that have nothing in common with me.I will support any team that’s part of the boundaries of the old Cape Province.
17 Jul 2012, 09:36 am
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-65: but what is wrong with supporters having belief in their team? Transie likes tocut and paste but in reality he never ventures his own opinion. He is a devious and snide person.
17 Jul 2012, 09:39 am
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-60: I might have a look at Rugby-Talk then.
Sharksworld is a bit too small, very cliquey and they don’t like opposing views. Besides I like websites where I can chat to supporters of other teams.
17 Jul 2012, 09:39 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-70: nothing woddy, and its not what i meant, it just old transie that try’s to make out like its a whole sharks thing
sotty mate it was not meant as anything against you
17 Jul 2012, 09:39 am
Does transie ever pin his colours to the mast? Never seen it.
17 Jul 2012, 09:40 am
A few points in it??All I know is that it’s a massive drop from first to six!There is always a sucker born every second ne Woody.
17 Jul 2012, 09:41 am
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-72: yeah I understand exactly what you mean – as I said a little earlier, transie is a devious one. Duplicitous.
17 Jul 2012, 09:41 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-57:
Howzit mate! I agree with you. Also spending less time here. Sometimes I get dragged down and want to kick myself. One thing I will never do is to call people names like many do here, no matter how bad the blogger is. You tend to say things you would never usually say… A pity as good banter is great but this rubbish that is spewed is appalling. Just go and read some of the stuff discussed last night…
17 Jul 2012, 09:41 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-71: at times they all a bit quiet Woody
thats the whole problem
17 Jul 2012, 09:42 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-73: lol he never does, he just here to antagonise, its what keeps him afloat
17 Jul 2012, 09:42 am
I must say Transie and WPTID often call back the past which is quite amusing…
17 Jul 2012, 09:43 am
@stormerforlife1(stormerforlife1)-74: Capo I thought you weren’t going to engage “with varkies” this week???
A man of your word is not what you are.
17 Jul 2012, 09:43 am
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-77:
More seun!!! You looking forward to Saturday? I sure am. Think this competition must come to an end now… Been a very long season…
17 Jul 2012, 09:45 am
I’m off, later.
17 Jul 2012, 09:47 am
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-65: where in my post does it say “ALL SHARKS SUPPORTERS SAID THIS”?
i posted the comment where the claim was made so i don’t get how you can find ambiguity in my post.
17 Jul 2012, 09:49 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-58: RugbyTalk is good as is Pissant’s site Ruggaworld.com.
The only thing that keeps me here is that the commenting is more frequent.
17 Jul 2012, 09:50 am
Having a dig at other bloggers by referring to Special Olympics people is just sick.
17 Jul 2012, 09:51 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-68: “comfortably top” and then they fall short and i have failed?
17 Jul 2012, 09:52 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-86: get a life transie. You are so immature.
17 Jul 2012, 09:53 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-70: i support the EP Kings and the Springboks and nobody else!
17 Jul 2012, 09:54 am
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-61: It doesn’t help to try and keep score. The fact is there is so much **** from both sides that it smothers the rugby.
Which is the reason i started posting here all those years ago.
The truth is that if you took the worst 2 or3 bloggers from each of the 2 camps this place would be bearable, but their filth is a disgrace to the very teams that they profess to support. They aren’t rugby supporters, and no amount of “I’m just returning serve” or “just in it for the argument” is convincing anyone that what they post isn’t an everyday part of their personalities.
17 Jul 2012, 09:55 am
@Gumboots(Gumboots)-79: ja, but i’m “devious and duplicitous” for keeping chaps honest.
17 Jul 2012, 09:59 am
@Gumboots(Gumboots)-79: I enjoy it too.
It exposes a lot of bloggers.
17 Jul 2012, 09:59 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-87: forget me, you don’t know me…
let’s talk rugby and how the sharks were supposed to comfortably top the SA conference but when the stormers do, all their fans get from you is trash talk about how their trophy mean bugger-all.
17 Jul 2012, 10:00 am
I just wonder on what Peckerman based that assertion?At best,the Sharks are a mid-table team as reflected by super rugby records for the past five years.I expected them to end about sixth …again, because that is basically their super rugby level.
17 Jul 2012, 10:00 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-48:
Was it at suncorp?
17 Jul 2012, 10:01 am
@Gumboots(Gumboots)-81: good morning mate, gummy look it will be damn hard to fly there and just win, but we are there and do have a chance, i would say the Reds are Fav though
17 Jul 2012, 10:03 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-90: and humble?
17 Jul 2012, 10:03 am
@stormerforlife1(stormerforlife1)-85: listen trailor trash , put into perspective what i said, take your trouble starting attitude and FO to where you crawled out of, ur nothing but pure rubbish
17 Jul 2012, 10:06 am
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-95: Are you flip flopping again? A different crowd and a more sophisticated audience this morning and you are once more a different person
Decide who you want to be and stick with it.
17 Jul 2012, 10:06 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-90:
17 Jul 2012, 10:06 am
@Robzim(Robzim)-66: Hahahahahaha. Too true.
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