Sharks tops in Newlands streetfight
28 Jul 2012
JON CARDINELLI writes the Sharks were tactically and physically superior in their epic 26-19 semi-final win over the Stormers on Saturday.
The result means that the Sharks will battle the Chiefs for the Super Rugby title next Saturday.
The Sharks will journey to Australasia for the decider, but on the back of a spirited showing in the semi-final, you wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Keegan Daniel lifting that coveted trophy.
They’ve have shown themselves to be the side for the big occasion in 2012, winning the crunch league match against the Bulls in Durban and then smashing the Reds in Brisbane in the qualifying play-off.
They were deserved winners in Saturday’s semi-final, and again it was the way they finished that proved decisive to the outcome. They absorbed a tremendous amount of pressure, picked their moment, and then Daniel made the turnover that killed the contest.
That is not to say that there was anything wrong with the way they started. There was always a danger that the Sharks would run out of puff in the final quarter, and so they needed to put the Stormers under pressure from the outset.
There were some moments when it seemed as if the Stormers would get on top. Lock Eben Etzebeth bulldozed Bismarck du Plessis early in the piece, and for a few seconds the Springbok hooker looked a punch-drunk boxer, teetering and swaying, and many would have anticipated a plunge to the proverbial canvas.
But like his team, Du Plessis not only recovered from the early knock, but soldiered on powerfully. The backlash was quite a thing to behold.
Those who had come to Newlands expecting a clash of styles must have been bitterly disappointed. The Sharks played clinical, smart rugby.
Just as their physicality at the collisions and power at the scrums were highlights, their halfbacks used that possession expertly to force the Stormers into costly errors.
Charl McLeod was on target with his box kicks, and Freddie Michalak produced a virtuoso performance from the flyhalf position. The Stormers battled to deal with the aerial bombardment, dropping a number of high balls or in some cases completely misjudging the garrowen.
A late change to the Sharks’ line-up saw Riaan Viljoen starting at fullback, and his cannon of a boot was expertly utilised. The Sharks had troubled the Stormers for much of the first half, but it was Viljoen’s mortar bomb that allowed the visitors to strike a telling blow. Viljoen put the ball up and Louis Ludik beat Stormers fullback Joe Pietersen in the air, and evaded the cover defence to score.
Michalak kicked the conversion to stretch the Sharks’ lead to 10 points. Peter Grant managed to narrow the deficit right before half-time to leave his side trailing by seven, but the Stormers would have been bitterly disappointed with that first-half return. They had enjoyed numerous visits to the opposition’s 22, but shocking handling and decision making had let the Sharks off the hook.
Some may call it a choke, but the Stormers never got themselves into a position to win this match. They failed to take their opportunities early in the game, and then were forced to play catch-up rugby in the second half.
The Sharks changed tack in the third quarter, keeping it close and striving to build on their seven-point lead.
After sending two drop-goal attempts wide, Michalak nailed a penalty. Grant answered with one at the other end, but it was the Sharks who had the better of territory during this period and made the most of another key opportunity, with JP Pietersen scoring on the hour.
At 23-9 the game looked to be over, but as anticipated, the Sharks started to feel the negative effects of travel. The Stormers took advantage, with Gio Aplon crossing the tryline in the 67th minute.
Grant goaled a further penalty to make it a four-point ball game, but it was here that the Sharks showed their defensive mettle. For the Stormers, it was a period where they showcased their attacking impotence, and lack of composure.
The Stormers were well placed in the opposition 22 but their attack was too lateral. And the Sharks never panicked.
They maintained their discipline on defence, and again, when the big opportunity arrived, they took it.
This time it was the captain who made the big play: a breakdown steal that won the game. The Sharks counter-rucked and Daniel latched onto the ball, wrenching it away and hacking it into the crowd.
898 Comments
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28 Jul 2012, 20:54 pm
@wooden spoon-398: Couldn’t be any calmer. You know what you did.
28 Jul 2012, 20:55 pm
And with this GREAT, FANTASTIC, AMAZING, MAGNIFICENT, SPECTACULAR, STUPENDOUS, BRILLIANT, COLOSSAL, HUGE win I am out of here. All the best all. And GO SHARKS!
28 Jul 2012, 20:55 pm
@kaksioek-401: calm thicko then bwahahahaha!
28 Jul 2012, 20:56 pm
@wooden spoon-403: Bye!
28 Jul 2012, 20:57 pm
@Puma-389:
Puma, u seem to be a bit pissed. Nobody wants Spooner to go- we only asked whwether it was he or an imposter who “announced” his retirement from the site. No need to be so defensive, we all love the sharkies.
28 Jul 2012, 20:57 pm
@wooden spoon-393: Juar ignore it bru. You one of the oldest bloggers here. Just stay. Who really cares who says what really..? I don’t worry who says what. I enjoy your posts so just stay.
Remember there is RT to blog on as well. With out all the trolls.
I do hope you stay and not leave. Too many have left this site for nothing really. Ignore the posters that you don’t want to talk to bru. Just keep on blogging. Most of us enjoy your posts, especially the Shark Supporters. Like I said if you do leave blog with us on RT.
Okay now I am out. Going to watch the game again.
VERY PROUD SHARK SUPPORTER……. SHARKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
28 Jul 2012, 20:58 pm
@Puma-406: Juar = Just
28 Jul 2012, 20:59 pm
@Robzim-405: I am……..hahahahaha. Why not???? Going now to watch the game again Rob…
Loving the moment boet. Cheers. Catch up tomorrow.
28 Jul 2012, 21:02 pm
@Robzim-405: Spooner said he was going to leave earlier today Rob. Just too many leaving this site. You Stormer supporters will be just left with yourselves really. All the Bulls supporters left 3 years ago, surely you all don’t want us Sharkies to leave as well? Don’t think it will be much fun for you lot??? …. hahaha.
Okay now out of here bud. Catch up tomorrow..
28 Jul 2012, 21:02 pm
sanctimonious sharkshits.. then they leaving.. then they not.. then they retiring off the site.. then they coming back just to rub some Stormers nose in their bravado..
Coetsee taking Bekker off shows the idiot don’t know how to read a game.. if anybody was going to unlock Sharkshits defenses it was going to be Bekker or Fourie or Kolisi
Fourie shouldn’t have been at 8.. he should have been at 2 or 6 at best… Coetsee needed Quin Roux either at 8 or off bench.. NOT a lame duck extra fly half who it was always likely he would NEVER USE..
28 Jul 2012, 21:03 pm
@Puma-408:
Cheers man… enjoy, i am not watching this **** again, lol
28 Jul 2012, 21:03 pm
bad luck to all the good stormers supporters – your boys did so well up to this game.
to the haters,,,,,,,,,,,,,, suck it up boys (and girls).
stormers need a new flyhalf and backline coach.
forwards were well drilled and shaded the sharks…
but the backs were playing as individuals all trying to make their own impact.
to my fantastic sharks – every pub in durbs, rocks, pmb, sheppie, rbay, estcourt, mtubatwice etc rocked tonight!!!!!!!
28 Jul 2012, 21:04 pm
@fitz1ella-399: Just how much Delusion Juice do you guys drink down in the Cape… seriously… what a loser
28 Jul 2012, 21:06 pm
Has Quinn Roux ever played at 8? That would have been a big call. At least Fourie had played a MOTM game there. And for “the second-best hooker in SA”, surely a Super Rugby game at 8 against the Sharkshits is easy-peasy
28 Jul 2012, 21:07 pm
To travel to NZ or not…
28 Jul 2012, 21:08 pm
can the stormers get up from this dissappointment? habana & aplon were crying bitterly at the end there.
”It’s going to take a while to get
over this, but we can only blame ourselves, we had 80 minutes to
prove we were good enough and we came up short,” Stormers captain Jean de Villiers said.
”We get such good support but we don’t have a cup to show for it – that’s what makes it tough.”
28 Jul 2012, 21:10 pm
@cab-400: That’s not old fashioned. Its dumb.
28 Jul 2012, 21:11 pm
@charo-412:
well done… fark, i am gutted….but u must enjoy..
btw. Richards bays is the kakkest place in the world, …. last time I was there it was more pietersburg than Pietersburg itself (if U catch my drift)
Otherwise Natal is OK…. most consistent waves in SA- specially at New Pier.
28 Jul 2012, 21:12 pm
@fitz1ella-410: huil seuntjie…huil !
28 Jul 2012, 21:13 pm
Puma congrats to you and all the sharks fans on this website on your team beating the wonder men? from slaapstad,i hope the sharkies beat the chiefs next week.
28 Jul 2012, 21:13 pm
Bwahaha.
Perpetual 4th placers do it again.
Go figure.
28 Jul 2012, 21:14 pm
@kaksioek-414:
Thats the difference between a strong minded winning coach.. like Plumtree has proved he can do.. and a weak minded capitulating gentleman Jim
Roux would be a FAR better bet at 8th man than little Deon Fourie who is a scavenging type hooker who needs to be right in the thick of the coal face action.. not prancing back to take deep kicks or covering behind the back line…
A wise open thinking coach would have summed up we short at 8.. we need another big presence there.. either Quin Roux or Armand to start.. or even Etsebeth to 8 and Roux to bench to cover lock or extra loosie…
Coetsee lost here due to poor selection and poor strategy and most important huge LACK of self belief which Sharks showed they had more of on the day…
28 Jul 2012, 21:15 pm
I am resourceful so fight on many fronts.
But we lost fairly and so need to stop our whinging.
28 Jul 2012, 21:15 pm
@fitz1ella-410: Haha how deluded are you?! So you think those 3 players would’ve beaten the Sharks? Haha accept it boat, the Sharks dominated the Stormers in every aspect!!
28 Jul 2012, 21:18 pm
@Dusky-419: Who’s huiling man.. there is absolutely fckall to huil about.. Stormers coughed that game UP.. very poor strategy and poor use of resources coughed that game up.. There is f’all to Huil about..
I certainly do not huil at poor excuses of rugby coaches throwing away rugby titles year after year…
you sharkshits got lucky .. revel in that.. see if you get lucky three times in a row.. then sing and dance about..
28 Jul 2012, 21:19 pm
@fitz1ella-422: Look, I agree that Coetzee is too conservative. But I don’t think playing Fourie at 8 was his worst mistake. I honestly think Fourie is a better 6 than he is a 2 anyway. I think Coetzee should have backed his Vodacom Cup 8 rather than shifting anyone out of position.
28 Jul 2012, 21:20 pm
@fitz1ella-425: Pathetic.
28 Jul 2012, 21:20 pm
@Robzim-418: what you so gutted about…
Stormers lost and on the balance of play deserved to lose.. so what so gutted about.. if they would have deserved to win they would have done so…
28 Jul 2012, 21:21 pm
@fitz1ella-425: How did the Sharks get lucky? .
28 Jul 2012, 21:21 pm
The Sharks dominated the set pieces and starved the Stormers of quality ball. That and Freddy Michalak are some of the reasons why they won. They certainly did not overpower the collisions like stated in the article.
The other reasons why they won were luck and bad refereeing.
I thought that the game turned in their favor after the first try, which should never have been allowed. There was a clear knock-on in the line-out leading up to the try. The touch judge even lifted his flag to point it out, but the ref choose to ignore it. That was the beginning of the end for the Stormers.
The Sharks were incredibly lucky when a Michalak drop goal were partially charged down, causing the Pietersen kick to be judged as caarried into the 22. the second try followed soon thereafter.
The Sharks” tacklers were also constantly competing for the ball (without daylight) but were never penalised for it.
Difficult to win against such odds.
But, congratulations Sharks, at least it will be you that will be huniliated next week and not the Stormers.
28 Jul 2012, 21:21 pm
@fitz1ella-422: Hou op moan boudkappertjie. Stormers het gakak – klaar.
28 Jul 2012, 21:23 pm
@Robzim-418:
commiserations robzim….you probably feel much the same as we did in 2007.
rbay……well there aren’t too many natalians living there – all khaki blokes coming in for the work.
agree on new pier – especially this time of the year.
anyway, your guys did well this season – great forwards, poor backline (coaching).
and there i was dissing hugh reece-edwards this season.
28 Jul 2012, 21:24 pm
@fitz1ella-425: Sounds to me like you are halfway through the tissue box. Do you know lifeline’s number ? Stormers choked. You should be used to that by now. Get over it.
28 Jul 2012, 21:24 pm
@kaksioek-426:
The sad thing is that there is no decent number 8 in CT- the Vodacom no 8 (Fentom Jones) is a retreated flanker who was allowed to go to England even before the semi s). The injuries to Koster, Vermeulen and Carr killed off the Stormers as far as a decent no 8 is concerned.
28 Jul 2012, 21:24 pm
@TooMuchRugby-430: Stick your sourpuss “congratulations” where the sun don’t shine china.
28 Jul 2012, 21:25 pm
@TooMuchRugby-430: Blaming the referee… what a pathetic attempt. Watch it again chump.
28 Jul 2012, 21:25 pm
They must implement a trophy dor any team that ends 4th 3 times in a row.
28 Jul 2012, 21:25 pm
@Tuna-429: See 430
28 Jul 2012, 21:27 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions-423: Hey gaylord. That 48 kg IT nerd is going to give you so much kak at work, you will stink until next year. Take your tattoo gun with you, and tattoo ‘Stormers are Sharks b!tches’ on his butt.
28 Jul 2012, 21:27 pm
@blueboy-369: the last time jpp played centre mapoe made him his biaaaatch too so what? one game does not make a player. jpp is on fire right now regardless if you played him @ fullback he would SMOKE cats!
28 Jul 2012, 21:28 pm
@Robzim-434: Fair enough. How about Don Armand? Does he ever play 8?
28 Jul 2012, 21:28 pm
@fitz1ella-428:
ag man, i dont look at it so clinically, i am gutted emotionally.
28 Jul 2012, 21:29 pm
I see a SA team won this game, is that why there is a distinct lack of comments aimed at the ref?
how ummmmm odd
28 Jul 2012, 21:30 pm
@kaksioek-426: Coetsee has proved he don’t know how to win.. he can get near with his cowardly conservatism but he will NEVER win with those strategies… and the staid stale mate game is getting worse not better..
Coetsee is a little dumb.. and Fleck seems he dunno what’s cutting.. WTF is JdV STILL doing at 12 and JdJ at 13 when its CLEAR as goddamn DAYLIGHT that they got to switch around and Grant and De Jongh had to combine to attack the inside channel…
Roux should have been either at 8 or on bench CERTAINLY not a lame duck like Francis who would do NOTHING to advance Stormers chances even if he was used which was always going to be highly unlikely..
It was Roux who unlocked Bulls at Loftus.. Roux should have been at 8 or at worse case off bench and Etsebeth or Roux or Steenkamp could have played at 8 rather than little Fourie.. that was ONE dumb move if ever I saw any…
28 Jul 2012, 21:31 pm
@goyougoodthing2-436: I said it was part of the problem, but admitted that the Sharks dominated certain aspects of the game and probably deserved the win.
The Stormers were under pressure from the beginning but might have been in a better position if it wasn’t for a couple of marginal calls.’
I’m trying to be gracious in defeat here, can you do the same in victory
28 Jul 2012, 21:31 pm
@Robzim-442: Lekker !
28 Jul 2012, 21:31 pm
@goyougoodthing2-436: almost as bad as calling some cheats continuously, pathetic really..
28 Jul 2012, 21:33 pm
@fitz1ella-444: Roux would have gotten his backside handed to him sideways, gift wrapped just like the rest of the mountain moffies did.
28 Jul 2012, 21:34 pm
@kaksioek-441:
I dont think so- never saw him playing in that position.Not sure if he has that type of skills.
anyway, good luck to your team going into the finals- if they win it it will be the most incredible comeback and winning against all odds in superrugby history and it will make a mockery of all the theories on travelling across timezones etc…
I might be a shark for a week.. (fark, let me first sleep on this)
28 Jul 2012, 21:34 pm
@TooMuchRugby-445: I’m all for referee bashing, I think Walsh was poor today – of course I see it the other way where he missed or did not penalist the Stormers for holding on at the breakdown – will have to watch again to be non-biased.
All in all I think he called it badly both ways and the result is fair. No surprise there, he has always been more than useless but at least he is kind of fair.
Next week, I hear Bryce Lawrence is being asked back from retirement
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