Sharks need to stifle charging Chiefs
1 Aug 2012
JON CARDINELLI analyses the final and notes that the Chiefs and Sharks share attacking strengths, but not the same defensive weaknesses.
Why bother with an analysis? The Chiefs have been one of the most physical teams in the tournament, while the Sharks’ ability to produce an intense forward showing will be compromised by their taxing travelling schedule. The Sharks will be at a significant disadvantage this Saturday. Some might even call the final a mis-match.
What the stats and trends can show us is that the challenge facing the Sharks is greater than most expect. Forget the travel fatigue and the fact that this game will be staged in Hamilton – the Chiefs’ attack will be tough to repel and their defence difficult to breach.
According to ruckingoodstats.com, the Sharks are the highest-ranked team in terms of keeping the ball in play over the course of a match. They average 7.4 offloads (the second-best rate in the tournament) and break 16.9 tackles (seventh-best in the tournament) per game. These stats support the statement that they are a very dangerous attacking unit.
But then so too are the Chiefs. The men from Hamilton may not boast the possession stats of the Sharks, but when they do get their hands on the ball, they make their opportunities count.
They are the top-ranked team in terms of offloads (9.1 per match), and their robust ball carriers manage to break 20.9 tackles per match (third-best in the tournament). They are also particularly effective in the opposition’s 22, breaking 5.5 tackles per match. They are the best team in the competition in terms of linebreaks (3.3 per match), and flyhalf Aaron Cruden runs at the defence more than any other pivot.
While there may be similarities in the attacking strengths of these two finalists, their defensive records are vastly different.
The Sharks miss 20.7 tackles per match, making them the worst team in the tournament for tackles missed. It will interest the Chiefs to note that the Sharks miss 5.5 tackles on average in their own 22, and as previously mentioned, the Chiefs are a side that enjoys tackle-busting success in the red zone. The Sharks missed 23 tackles last week in the semi-final against the Stormers, so it’s not as if the total average miss-rate is an unfair reflection of their current defensive form.
By comparison, the Chiefs are one of the best defensive units in the comp. Their line speed has allowed them to stifle opponents and force them into errors. The stats substantiate this claim, as the Chiefs have effected the most charge downs and intercepts.
But the Chiefs are not without weakness. They have made more errors than any other team when kicking from hand. They have also conceded the most penalties overall, as well as the most penalties at the ruck and maul.
While the Sharks’ high tempo game has proved successful this season, they cannot hope to beat the Chiefs at their own game. The more prudent course of action is to attempt to slow the Chiefs down.
The Chiefs lineout hasn’t been that flash and the stats confirm that they are ranked third for quick throw-ins. This suggests that they enjoy playing the game at a lively pace and are not well equipped to combat a good opposition lineout.
The Sharks also have the most disciplined scrum in the tournament, and it is here where they will fancy themselves against the Chiefs. They should also attempt to draw the Chiefs into a battle at close quarters, as the Chiefs don’t have a good record when it comes to maintaining their discipline at the breakdowns and mauls (see above).
The Sharks are the more disciplined side, but will they need to improve on their breakdown performance against the Stormers. John Plumtree’s men may have won the battle at the collisions in that match, but they still conceded 10 penalties at the ruck and maul.
If they can sharpen up in that area, then they will stand a good chance of stifling the Chiefs.
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323 Comments
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1 Aug 2012, 11:07 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther-76:
And the Cookie Monster.
1 Aug 2012, 11:09 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther-100:
c’mon Gunty you’ve a pretty high opinion of yourself and really don’t think much of the natives and the like lets be honest here, are you a closet Boeremag?
1 Aug 2012, 11:12 am
@NZINCHINA-102:
I am a native silly boy.
tell me more about the cavemen.
don’t be shy.
1 Aug 2012, 11:19 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther-100: “pestering the babysitter for a handski” lol
Can’t say I haven’t considered it
1 Aug 2012, 11:27 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther-103:
yes but you know what I mean Gunty don’t be shy you can tell us what you really think
1 Aug 2012, 11:29 am
Got to run Gunty keep up the good work, try to refrain from the Henry/Bryce/McCaw comments today we wouldn’t want people thinking that you were a sour p rick.
1 Aug 2012, 11:34 am
who was the kiwi blogger predicting the new zealand would smash south africa in terms of olympic medals…??
at the moment south africa looking good in 10th place… new zealand in nth place…
#justasking…
1 Aug 2012, 11:39 am
@NZINCHINA-105:
don’t be shy is my line.
sour pri.ck is mine too.
you need to think of your own, that’s how this game works.
if we are to continue having these chats you will need to lift your game.
are we clear?
now leave the babysitter alone and spend some quality time with Mrs China instead.
1 Aug 2012, 11:40 am
just to get it out there for my fellow natives…the “s” is silent as in Chad le Clo!
*eish, why should we constantly be embraboer-ed by ministers?
1 Aug 2012, 11:46 am
handskis
uncle toms
gold medal smashings…
i smell a kiwispiracy
*whispers*: ‘kiwi fruit is really a chinese pear’
1 Aug 2012, 11:47 am
@NZINCHINA-106: Please remind me why you’re here? I know you explained it once, but I can’t remember. It can’t be for the shared experience of SA rugby support, or for hanging out with your countrymen, as is the case with most of us. But I know there was a reason.
1 Aug 2012, 11:47 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther-108:
1 Aug 2012, 11:47 am
@Transformation-109:
That’s because it are French.
Don’t worry, the poms got it wrong as well.
Was it Fikile?
@ufo-107:
probably our buddy in China.
That smells like his bait.
1 Aug 2012, 11:50 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther-113: eish, Mr “Razzmatazz” himself!
i’m surprised he didn’t insist that Beyonce carry our flag!
1 Aug 2012, 11:51 am
new nic for the nz rowing team:
ama waka waka
1 Aug 2012, 11:52 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther-113:
of course we most probably will not stay in 10th place…
but not too shabby for such written off no hopers…!!
we’re even ahead of aussie at the moment…
whoda thunk…??!!
1 Aug 2012, 11:53 am
@>^..^< katman-111:
what concerns me is that our man in china has clearly been googling the boeremag.
instead of finding pictures of scantily clad, hirsute farmers he has been sucked into a right-wing revolutionary cult.
I hope he hasn’t been drinking the naartjie-flavoured koolaid.
1 Aug 2012, 11:54 am
@ufo-107: it was cane…
1 Aug 2012, 11:54 am
chad beating the most be-medalled olympian in history…!!
1 Aug 2012, 11:56 am
@ufo-116:
indeed.
Amasplishsplash have done us proud.
@Transformation-114:
he has been too busy showing Julius the fleshpots of London.
Kickstarting his campaign on the taxpayers dime.
1 Aug 2012, 11:57 am
@TranSport-118:
ah-haaa… thank you Keeper of the Records…
cane…
care to rationalize this one…???
1 Aug 2012, 11:58 am
@ufo-119:
Indeed.
Poor Phelper.
Clos but no cigar.
1 Aug 2012, 11:58 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther-120:
juju dusting up on his foreign policy credentials ahead of the presidential race.
1 Aug 2012, 11:59 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther-120:
hehehe
indeed…
1 Aug 2012, 12:00 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-122:
1 Aug 2012, 12:01 pm
can’t wait for Butana to call for transformation of swimming!
1 Aug 2012, 12:04 pm
London’s odds are
Chiefs to win pay 4:7
Sharks to win will pay 2:1!
Many myself included erred about the Stormers last week when took the wagers; didn’t realised how poor that Stormers team team was, to be defeated at home, by a Sharks team on its last legs and a rather ‘sympathetic’ referee .
The traveling must have done in the Sharks already, another Deja vu feeling lingers,,
1 Aug 2012, 12:04 pm
@Transformation-126: Eric the Eel part II.
Or is that Sipho the Sardine?
1 Aug 2012, 12:06 pm
@Hondo-127: I have Sharks to win at 14 to 1, having backed them to win the tournament since before the game against the Reds
1 Aug 2012, 12:07 pm
@Transformation-126:
how would we level the playing fields for swimming…?
use empty swimming pools…?
1 Aug 2012, 12:10 pm
@>^..^< katman-128:
khulubuse the kabeljou
1 Aug 2012, 12:12 pm
@Transformation-118: Yes it was that Cane fellow. When I told him we were banking on a very possible 5 he said that might be enough to ‘out-medal’ Tonga this time round
Princess Charlene was partying like it’s 1999 pool side, lest we forget it was she who funded our swim team’s preparation in Monaco. Who knows, she might start handing out a bit more.
If track and field join the revolution, who knows, my 5 medals might become 8.
1 Aug 2012, 12:12 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-131: As soon as Fikile gets FINA to accept the Polyotter as legit swimming equipment, we’re going to quadruple our entries.
1 Aug 2012, 12:15 pm
@>^..^< katman-128: Leave Eric out of this. He is now the Head swim Coach of team Equatorial Guinea. The commentators were delighting in this fact (and his Olympic homecoming)
1 Aug 2012, 12:16 pm
@>^..^< katman-133:
1 Aug 2012, 12:18 pm
90% chance of thunderstorms for saturday in Hamilton…
1 Aug 2012, 12:20 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-131: mmmm – the Khulubuse I am thinking about would certainly level the playing field by emptying the pool
1 Aug 2012, 12:20 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-134:
Head swim coach????
How many assitants does he have?
Wait how many swimmers does he have?
1 Aug 2012, 12:21 pm
@ufo-130: firstly they must be itender to build swimming pools across the cow-ntry
1 Aug 2012, 12:23 pm
@Transformation-139:
Maevis is on it.
She’s just finishing off a textbook order.
1 Aug 2012, 12:30 pm
@Hondo-127:
What happened?
I thought you said that the referee got his instructions to let Stormers win against the Sharks. You did not say anything about Stormers being “poor” last week.
The referee did not do as he was instructed to?
The same guy going to ref the final. It must be real tough for you to bet some money now that it seems he is not in the market.
Oh yes…WELL DONE CHAD.
Now there’s a Sharkie I can support. He is representing the country, not the last Brittish outpost on the southern tip of Africa.
1 Aug 2012, 12:32 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-75:
Much better on the top. Glory indeed.
1 Aug 2012, 12:32 pm
@Transformation-139:
i think to make it really fair, athletes and swimmers should have to submit itenders for places on the olympics team…
because clearly, some are at an unfair advantage…!
1 Aug 2012, 12:35 pm
@nama1-141:
yeah… the result blew hondo’s conspiRACIST theories outta the water…
so he just comes up with another…!!
1 Aug 2012, 12:36 pm
@ufo-143: @the artist formerly known as gunther-140: great, i’m going to insist that the security & lifeguards contract for these pools be amalgameted to reduce the procurement paperwork so as to fasttrack the process of delivery to the masses.
security/life guards don’t need swimming experience, just a matric exemption.
1 Aug 2012, 12:37 pm
@Nikita-142: On top gets my vote.
1 Aug 2012, 12:38 pm
@>^..^< katman-146:
So your vote counts?
1 Aug 2012, 12:38 pm
@ufo-144: hondo underestimated the effect of aplon, de jongh & kolisi
costly mistake…
1 Aug 2012, 12:39 pm
@Nikita-147: I’d like to think so.
1 Aug 2012, 12:40 pm
@Transformation-145:
hehehe…
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