Sharks have blueprint to beat Stormers
23 Jul 2012
RYAN VREDE writes the Sharks are one of the few sides that exhibit the capacity to ask telling questions of the Stormers.
The magnitude of the occasion and the odds the Sharks overcame undoubtedly made their victory over the Reds at the weekend the best of their campaign. However, their path to the quarter-final was marked by some excellent showings, none more so than the 25-20 defeat of the Stormers at Kings Park in May.
The scoreline suggests a close encounter, but the Sharks were completely dominant for much of it, with the most notable feature of the performance the sustained accuracy in execution of key aspects of their game plan. Few sides have been able to trouble the Stormers defensively in the manner the Sharks did, and only the Rebels have also scored three tries against the Cape side in their league-phase matches.
The potency of their attack then will be a source of inspiration ahead of Saturday’s semi-final. Their launch platform was established through an industrious and physical gainline onslaught. Willem Alberts was prominent and effective with ball in hand, named Man of the Match for his unfailing ability to get over the advantage line. Their charge in this regard was amplified by the efforts of Bismarck du Plessis, Beast Mtawarira and Marcell Coetzee, among others.
Of particular interest will be to see whether Alberts is restored to the back row after the Sharks were forced to deploy him at lock in Brisbane. He excelled in the position in the aforementioned match and the one many respected rugby men, including Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer, feel he is best suited to. The Sharks, however, may be reluctant to tamper with their back row after the trio’s showing against the Reds. But with the Stormers demanding a more direct approach than the one they implemented against the Reds, Alberts may well be named at blindside flank, with either Coetzee or Ryan Kankowski dropping to the bench.
The Sharks’ excellence in the Durban showdown extended to their defensive resolve and, most pertinently, their discipline in that facet of play. The Stormers have engineered their ascent to the semi-finals primarily through pressure-creating phase play, with their goal-kickers then building their lead through penalties from the infringements they’ve forced. The Sharks cut them off at the source and indeed also managed to restrict them in the first meeting at Newlands, won 15-12 by the Stormers thanks to a 78th minute Peter Grant penalty.
Taxing travel and their almighty physical effort against the Reds means fatigue will be the Sharks’ biggest obstacle in their bid to replicate their success against the Stormers. There is no question they have the personnel and tactical intelligence. Whether they can rouse themselves to recapture the elements that facilitated their previous victory remains to be seen.
Follow Ryan on Twitter
Follow SA Rugby magazine on Twitter
125 Comments
Pages: [1] 2 3 » Show All
23 Jul 2012, 06:23 am
not like the reds were that good a side guys. stormers gonna ask much more questions and their defence is going to be HUGE! I cant see how sharks are going to win this one if they had fransie i think they would have the edge though
23 Jul 2012, 06:38 am
Stormers have the blueprint to beat Sharks
23 Jul 2012, 06:47 am
Big gain line battle. Particularly interesting to see if the Stormers can disrupt the Sharks offload game.
23 Jul 2012, 07:14 am
“Hee excelled in the position in the aforementioned match and the one many respected rugby men, including Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer, feel he is best suited to”
Vrede you high on the wee dwarfs white powder?
23 Jul 2012, 07:16 am
here is a article where Coetzee is again flapping off with a very big mouth, what will he say if his team loses???
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has declared his team ready to advance to the Final for a second time in three years.
The The Super Rugby Final is destined to be a New Zealand-South Africa showdown.
The Sharks will travel to Cape Town for an all-South African Super Rugby semifinal against the Stormers, after they eliminated the Reds in their qualifier in Brisbane at the weekend.
The other semifinal – between the New Zealand Conference winners, the Chiefs, and the seven-time champion Crusaders – will take place in Hamilton on Friday.
The Stormers, the 2011 runners-up and beaten semifinalists last year, qualified for the semifinals when they finished top of the global standings.
And Coetzee is adamant his team will again reach the Final.
“Get ready for another BIG weekend coming up,” Coetzee said on his Twitter page.
“Can’t wait to see a packed Newlands again!
“The Stormers are READY!! (& we like Shark-sushi!),” he added.
The Durban-based Sharks reached the semifinals for the first time since 2008, when they beat the Reds 30-17.
This was only the 11th away victory out of 62 knock-out matches in the history of Super Rugby.
To illustrate how little there is to pick between the four teams that will contest the semifinals, one need to look only at the results in their derbies this year.
The Stormers beat the Sharks by 15-12 in Cape Town in Round Two and then lost by 20-25 in Durban in Round 14.
The Chiefs beat the Crusaders by 24-19 in Christchurch in Round Three and recently lost in Hamilton by 28-21 in Round 17.
Both the Crusaders and Sharks established their superiority with explosive starts at the weekend – the Crusaders racing to a 16-0 lead before the Bulls were on the board and the Sharks were up 17-0 before the Reds scored.
23 Jul 2012, 07:28 am
The Stormers wont be bossed at the breakdown like the Reds were.
Etsebeth, Bekker, Vermuelen, Elstadt, Kolisi.
Fk me, that is strong. Compare that to the locks and backrow of the Reds.
There is no comparison.
23 Jul 2012, 07:58 am
@John Galt-6: Yeh, but that frontrow of the Sharks and the balance of their loose trio is awesome it’s quite an even lineup. It may come down to the strength of each teams replacements.
23 Jul 2012, 08:00 am
@John Galt-6:
Dont write off the sharks to quickly
Thats a hellava scrum the sharks have
and a decent back line
23 Jul 2012, 08:07 am
Well done Sharkies.
Bad luck Bulls.
All the best for Stormers & Sharks this weekend.
23 Jul 2012, 08:09 am
@Blitzbok-1: Kak man. The only questions the Stormers are going to ask are “What the **** just happened?” and “Where is my mommy?” Their attack couldn’t threaten a three year old with polio.
23 Jul 2012, 08:22 am
The Stormers are already celebrating. Don’t forget, they won the conference cup for the second time…bla bla bla. Out of the Stormers forwards I can only see one being a threat and that is Kolisi. Even if Vermeulen plays, he will be heavy under cooked as he haven’t played in how long now. I cant see Plum shifting Kankowski to the bench as he has brought a real edge to our line outs, and there is no way you can leave Coetzee out of the team as he does the work of 3 players on the field. The biggest challenge for the Sharks will be a mental one. They will have to keep their calm, because the Stormers main threat is Grant that will kick anything over he can get his hands on. Funniest thing is, the Stormers used to be the best with running rugby in SA and used to criticise the Bulls for their reliance on penalties, how the tables have turned.
23 Jul 2012, 08:26 am
Simple strategy to beat Stormers…
In the words of Heyneke Meyer: “Execution above Innovation”.
And it is keep the goddamned ball.
Run with the goddamned ball right up the gut of the Stormers 10/12 channel… Make it clear that this is where the Sharks are going to target and tohell with whatever attack “triggers” that the Stormers defensive guru might pick up.
And keep running there with a few offloads to keep the momentum going.
The Key here will be distribution of McLeod…and if he gets it right:
No team on the planet will be able to stop a combined onslaught of Alberts, Coetzee, Beast, Bismarck, Kanko, JPP (from blindside) and even Sykes relentlessly queuing up to have a go right at Grant and Donkey…
No garryowens… just ball in hand, Ian Mac style narrow channel blitz…
This has always been the best way for the Sharks historically to beat greater Bulls teams than this Stormers side can ever hope to be, and lets face it, the Stormers are playing nothing more than a dour, unexciting version of a gameplan of the great Bulls side of 2007 – 2010.
When those kicks come playing for the territorial matrix, Sharks must just keep the ball and roll inch by inch up field… No kick backs other than the odd chippie behind the defensive line for the blitz Sharks backs to exploit
I suspect Deysel will be on the bench this time round. The attrition will be like a casualty ward from Bastogne but this is what it will take. The scrums will also be key and the Sharks have got to be nasty.
If the official is a Kiwi or Aussie then the Sharks halfway there… If Saffa then the Black and White will be handicapped before the starting whistle goes.
Other than that, Sharks by five, with replacements making a difference.
23 Jul 2012, 08:27 am
@KingRiaan-11: We don’t even know if Vermeulen is playing. After Fourie’s performance from last week, I’d definitely think about starting with him.
23 Jul 2012, 08:32 am
@RefuGSpot-13: I’m also almost sure Fourie will start. Can’t see them gamble with starting a player that had no game time recently even if he is ready to play
23 Jul 2012, 08:33 am
@Heavens Game-12: The ref is both a Kiwi and an Aussie: Steve Walsh.
23 Jul 2012, 08:35 am
I am pretty sure the Sharks team will only change if injury forces it to – why mess with perfection? Keep Alberts at 4 and the awesome loose trio intact. I just hope Jordaan recovers in time because he is awesome.
23 Jul 2012, 08:37 am
@kaksioek-15: Thanks be to Goodness Gracious… You make me happy.
23 Jul 2012, 08:37 am
@Staal-9:
More Staal
Wat gaan aan met Spies?
Hy speel darem baie swak.
23 Jul 2012, 08:38 am
Vrede you muppit, your prediction of Alberts returning to the back row and Kanko or Coetzee dropping to the bench is nothing more than you day-dreaming out loud. You’d love to see Sykes in for one of those two dynamos who have been so good over the last month, but I assure you the Stormers will face the same pack that tore the Reds a new one over the weekend! Look forward to it. With Kanko, Daniels and Bresler, our lineout is working well. Beast, Bismark, Albert and Coetzee give us phenomenal ball carrying ability. Our front row will scrum yours a few inches shorter by the end of Saturday. Travel fatigue will be a factor, but I rate it as less of a negative than the Stormers missing 5 of their 6 best loosies. Sharks to take it.
23 Jul 2012, 08:41 am
@sonofgun-19: Plus, they forget one thing, we have Bismarck!
23 Jul 2012, 08:45 am
@Heavens Game-17: Good Morning old chap,
For me it is simple, Sharks have to maintian intensity, hunger and desire to win this thing, they also have to make sure they dont allow the Stormers to try bullying them as they have the last 2 years, accept the last encounter between the 2.
I have no doubt the Stormers are gonna come out being very agro, and they will come out with niggles as they did before, secret is for the likes of Jannie and Bissy to keep the dissapline.
And If mental prep is right and they believe they can win and yes no kicking the ball away all the time, just maybe we might beable to do it
It is imperative that our bench makes a big difference when they come onto the field
23 Jul 2012, 08:46 am
@kaksioek-16: Agree about not changing… However I suspect the bench may change (Deysel)… and possibly Sykes on for Bresler. If Jordaan is injured then there might be a shuffle at 12 (Lambie or Bossie) and Whitehead at 13. I doubt Plum will want to mess with the back three in terms of their combined form at the moment…. We might even have a situation where Super Pat plays off the bench… Helluvathing that, but great impact options
23 Jul 2012, 08:47 am
@KingRiaan-20: correct! The one-man-army. The only person who could lose this game for the Sharks is Meyer the-worst-centre-in-super-rugby Bosman if Jordaan is not fit. Bismark should do the right thing and hit him hard and late in practice this week so that he’s concussed and Plum is not tempted to play him. I’d rather see Lambie at 12 (much as I don’t like messing the lad around too much) than ever see Meyer play for the Sharks again.
23 Jul 2012, 08:51 am
@sharks_lover-21: The presence of Walsh will make a huge difference in that regard… A few Saffa refs have been at least permissive with the Stormers and their niggle and at worst turning a blind eye to their blatant bulldust.
I just thank goodness that especially Kaplan or Joubert are not in charge of this one.
23 Jul 2012, 08:53 am
@sonofgun-23: hahahaha how can you rubbish “lem” bosman like that?
23 Jul 2012, 08:53 am
Fact is, with Alberts at lock the Sharks have addressed one of the few weakneses in their team – which is the mediocrity of their regular lock pairing.
Alberts at lock gives them the physicality in the second row to turn their pack into an allround threat.
The one other weakness is their midfield (corrected in the long term by Frans Steyn’s arrival). But I reckon the current midfield is more than adequate to do the job on Saturday, even in Steyn’s absence.
23 Jul 2012, 08:55 am
@sonofgun-23: “turnstile” tackled like a trojan, twice stopping ioane & shipperley dead in their tracks with well-timed spot tackles. if jordaan is out i would love to see a duel of “turnstile” vs jdv!
23 Jul 2012, 08:55 am
Will be interesting to see what Sharks do with the lineouts… Plum is a bit of a lineout tactician and I suspect we shall see many short ones… So, few mauls from the Sharks, unless we get a few sevens style mauls – rather boom boom ruck jobbies and offloads…
23 Jul 2012, 08:56 am
On another note, is it true that Siya Kolisi is a Muslim?
23 Jul 2012, 08:56 am
Fisrtly: Cobgrats to the sharks! Well done.
But the way people are writing off the stormers will play right into their hands! The sharks keep referring to the loss at Kingspark of 25 -20… a game where it could easily be the stormers were they to score in the last 5 minutes… They were without big names like Vermeulen, Kolisi, Pietersen, Habana etc… So it will be a very different team to face them at NEWLANDS!
Thats right. Is everybody forgetting that no 1 plays no 6 here? I have no problems with walsh as well..
Simple gameplan for stormers: Give Jannie a lekke snotklap early on and Bissy will be fuming oor sy boetie se oor wat sing and will give away enough penalties for grant to kick. Also Meyer turnstile bosman let a few through at newlands before…. The record is still 3/4 in the last two years for the stormers..
23 Jul 2012, 08:57 am
@sonofgun-23: I am just afraid that if Lambie is fit, that Plum will want to pick Lambie at fullback. Ludick has been superb of late and do not deserve to be dropped every time for Lambie. Lambie is a flyhalf end of story. But yes, if Jordaan is out, then pick Lambie at 12 with Whitehead (who I think is brilliant) at 13.
23 Jul 2012, 08:59 am
@Tacitus-29: bullshit…
23 Jul 2012, 09:00 am
@Tacitus-29: OK Tac I have been waiting for a bull to show his face to answer the following: Are you supporting the Saffa cause this wekeend? ie the stormers?
I mean everyone wanted the best SA team to progress.. and obviously the best chance should be a Newlands final? Or is there another excuse when the best SA cause becomes the Stormers?
Surely all bulls will be “behind” the stormers this wekend So our Saffas can have a SA final?
Dis mos hoe dit werk of hoe?
23 Jul 2012, 09:00 am
@Tacitus-29: Hehehe… Careful, Stormer fatwa might be coming your way
23 Jul 2012, 09:02 am
@Transformation-32:
Thanks for clarifying.
23 Jul 2012, 09:03 am
@Provvas-30: it’s funny hey? If you analyse the typical Stormer response it is: “everyone is writing off the Stormers.”
You guys seem really upset that the focus has shifted from your “top” team. You seem indignant that the Sharks are getting some attention when your “top” team should be featuring in all the headlines.
Sure, the Sharks may have stolen some of the Stormers’ thunder with their recent superb wins over the Reds, Cheetahs, Bulls and Stormers but that doesn’t make them favourites for Saturday.
Drop the inferiority complex about your team being overshadowed and you may enjoy this week and the game more.
23 Jul 2012, 09:03 am
@Provvas-33:
There is zero benefit to SA if the Stormers get a home final.
But there is a lot of benefit if the team that forms the backbone of the Bok team are in top form. Bodes well for the Bok cause.
23 Jul 2012, 09:04 am
Are you supporting the Saffa cause this wekeend? ie the stormers?
Haha.
23 Jul 2012, 09:05 am
Stormers backline is one of the easiest to defend against from normal attacking play, as JDV takes the crashball, then the ball get shifted to De Jongh who will step the first defender yet won’t pass, so all the defending team has to do is have a sweeper behind the first line of defence to take De Jongh down then. Their wings also only come into play in broken play as the ball seldom gets to them in normal play. The problem is from broken play where Aplon and Habana can be very dangerous, although I am sure Mvovo and JPP will be ready for them, plus Ludick seldom misses a tackle.
23 Jul 2012, 09:05 am
@wooden spoon-38: I guess us Sharks aint saffa’s
23 Jul 2012, 09:06 am
Thats right. Is everybody forgetting that no 1 plays no 6 here?
Lest anyone forget that the Stormers finished “top”.
Haha.
23 Jul 2012, 09:08 am
Let’s just suppose hypothetically here. Suppose the Sharks do manage to beat the Stormers. How much “value” will the conference “title” hold then?
23 Jul 2012, 09:09 am
I mean c’mon people! Why aren’t you all singing the praises of our marvellous “top” team?!
23 Jul 2012, 09:10 am
@wooden spoon-36: Perfect, keep you blinkers on and ride that wave of media hype.. You seem to leave out a certain game at Cocal cola park there? Anyways… no inferiority from my side, just stating my opinion!
@Tacitus-37: Pink Bull Shi tt!! if the Bulls were playing the Shakrs at Loftus or even the lions playing the Reds for that matter everyone on the bloggs and in the media tells us lets get behind SA… Except if it menas get behind the stormers!! Pi ss off mate!!
Did you consider the fact that with Bekker, Etzebeth, Burger, Kolisi, Vermeulen, they just might make up the backbone of your so called bok cause in the near future? Would that not be the best reason for the boks’ cause??
23 Jul 2012, 09:11 am
Congrats to the Sharks for a really great win this past weekend. It was a awesome display of total rugby. Will go down as one of their greatest victories ever , certainly one of their best away victories.
Gonna be a great game this weekend and as a Stormers I am nervous to be honest , the sharks on the back of that display is most likely the form team of the comp at the moment , looks like they peaking just about in time.
What counts against them is the traveling factor , even if they do win this weekend to travel back to NZ now for a final would be one step too far for them I would fear.
I am however 100% behind my stormers team , we are not the log leaders for nothing and also we are getting some really needed players for the semi’s. Add into that the home ground advantage and the rest that we had I feel we should go into this game as slight favourites. I just hope Duane is fit , if he is with Etzebeth there it will be a huge battle of the forwards this coming weekend with arguably the 2 form packs in the comp def in South Africa !!
Good luck to both teams (well maybe just a little more to the Stormers lol). May it be a semi that do us all proud from a rugby perspective.
23 Jul 2012, 09:13 am
@sparticus-45: Very well said, and it shouldnt be any other way, get behind your team mate, as i will be behind mine, after that?? will support the team left standing
23 Jul 2012, 09:14 am
The best possible outcome in terms of style of rugby, mental outlook on the game and just plain Rugby Aesthetics would be to have a final between historically the best two damn teams never to have won Super Rugby… That is the Sharks vs Chiefs…
New winner…
New broom sweeps clean…
And begone forever this intellectually stultifying and lazy outlook of playing “finals” rugby to win a comp…
Should Sharks win, forever it will be disproven that Saffa S15 sides cant win without “kick and chase” “finals” rugby where the ref is relied on to win the game.
This will give Heyneke playing options going forward and will be the best thing for SA rugger going forward…
Should Stormers win by grace of a ref gimme after dumbfuck equivalent of Soccer’s 11 men behind the ball then its back to the stoneage with a poor copy of tactics 4 years ago already…
Evolution to the next level for SH and indeed Bok Rugby or Evolution to a Dead-end where ultimate extinction due to no adaptation is the only ultimate end result…
Sharks are the former… Stormers are the latter.
Dynamite Total Rugby vs Backwards Dumfck Skop skiet en Donner vkmaarvoort…
I know my choice… its as clear as Black and White
23 Jul 2012, 09:15 am
@Provvas-44:
My advice is yoga.
That should take care of your anger issues.
23 Jul 2012, 09:16 am
@KingRiaan-39: The ball does get to our wings, but because Fleck has tarnished the players with his own passing skills they continually pass behind the next playing. Each players has to stop running to catch the ball meaning they are on the back foot all the time.
23 Jul 2012, 09:17 am
@sharks_lover-40: Dont come accross as stupid here… you know I was talking about all the Sa suporters who do not have a team in the semis anymore… The bulls, the cheetahs, the Lions….
But let me spell it out for you: If the bulls end number one and play the sharks: Should I as a stormer supporter back the bulls or the sharks for the sake of the SA team with the best chance to win the comp?? The sharks you say hey?? That will need to travel again should they beat the bulls at Loftus?? No sir…
Please do support your team this weekend.. nothing wrong with that! It will be one mighty game to watch!!
Pages: [1] 2 3 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.