Sharks set for slaughter
3 Aug 2012
MARK KEOHANE writes the Chiefs will win in Hamilton on Saturday and win easily.
If they don’t it will be the biggest final’s implosion in the history of the competition.
I haven’t read a South African who isn’t backing the Sharks to take the title. It is written in the stars say some. It is meant to be say others. Forget the travel, it isn’t a factor. The Sharks are operating on adrenalin, momentum and a belief they can’t be beaten.
I don’t buy the emotion of it all. I reckon the Chiefs will win by at least 15, which is what the New Zealand bookies have as a handicap on the final.
How different my thinking would be if the Sharks actually had a week to settle, prepared with more conviction than hope and did not have to negotiate the fatigue that comes with travelling overseas three times in three weeks.
The Sharks were brilliant against the Reds. I picked that win. Historically they play well in Brisbane and the Reds were poor this season. I also picked them to beat the Stormers, because I felt they had the physicality to match the Stormers and the Stormers were never going to be a try-scoring threat. But the way the Sharks hit the wall with seven minutes to play was an indicator that they won’t get through 80 minutes in Hamilton on emotion, passion and belief. They will be huffing and puffing by half time and on the hour the reality of the travel will have set in.
The Sharks are as good a side as the Chiefs, but they are not significantly better. To win this competition, playing the final in another country, requires a squad with few weaknesses and for all the heroics of the last three weeks the Sharks are not the complete package. The Chiefs aren’t either but they had the advantage of playing their semi-final last Friday, they have been at home all week and the only thing that can beat them is a spectacular implosion.
I can’t see it happening because under Dave Rennnie and Wayne Smith they play pragmatic, percentages rugby and they are a team whose focus on defence is never at the expense of attack.
Sonny Bill Williams will be influential. He always is against the Sharks and I can’t see French flyhalf Fred Michalak taking too much contact in Hamilton. Michalak has enjoyed his best month of Super Rugby but he has never been one to mix it with the Kiwis and I don’t see that changing on Saturday.
The first 30 minutes will be intense as both teams have individuals who thrive on physicality, but the Chiefs at 9, 10 and 12 will ask more questions in attack from structured play and they will target Michalak defensively.
There will be individual heroics from the Sharks and world class players like Bismarck du Plessis will front the challenge, but science says the Sharks will be running on empty on the hour.
John Plumtree and Grant Bashford are the best South African coaching combination in the tournament and they are up against the most balanced coaching duo in New Zealand. The Sharks, despite finishing out of the top four, have played the best rugby among South African teams and the Chiefs have been the stand out team in the competition.
Why could there not be a fortnight between semi-final and final? Not just for the Sharks but every year.
South African players who have made the trek to New Zealand previously for semi-finals and the odd final have admitted afterwards that they were just making up the numbers. The same applies to those Kiwi or Aussie teams going to the Republic. The exception has always been the Crusaders, but even they took a beating whenever a semi-final meant travelling to Pretoria.
The Sharks, as I keep on getting reminded, have travelled to Australia and beaten the Aussie Conference Champs. They then travelled to Cape Town and beat the South African Conference Champs. It apparently is written somewhere up above that they will travel to New Zealand and beat the New Zealand Conference Champs. Well I haven’t seen the writing and if the Sharks do succeed it will be the greatest play-offs success in the history of the competition.
Home teams win finals in Super Rugby. History shows that and as is often quoted the only thing man can learn from history is that he never learns from history.
It is fantastic how emphatic the support is for the Sharks but I’ve seen it all before. The blind loyalty in the build-up and then the absolute disbelief when they get pumped.
In 2011 when Peter de Villiers took a second team to play the All Blacks I heard similar talk of a win and when the Boks took a 40-7 hammering there was way too much surprise among the supporters.
Be loyal to your team. Be South African in your support but also know that this final is weighted heavily in favour of the hosts – as is every Super Rugby final.
592 Comments
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3 Aug 2012, 21:36 pm
“The Pretoria-based Van der Burgh became South Africa’s first home-trained swimmer to claim a world record when, in July 2009, he bettered Felipe França Silva’s time in the 50m breaststroke. He is currently the holder of three world records and two world titles and he holds the distinction of being the first ever swimmer to break the 26-second mark in the 50m breaststroke.
Van der Burgh has enjoyed a quiet start to 2012 with his primary focus on training and not racing, a programme designed to ensure that he arrives in London in peak condition. He easily secured his Olympic spot when he swam inside the 100m breaststroke qualifying mark at the National Championships in April.”
but also:
He has had a very unusual career in terms of his preparation, in that his coach was in Germany for most of the time. When Dirk Lange moved back to Germany after the Beijing Olympics, they continued with long-distance coaching, which required enormous discipline.
Dirk would email him a training programme and then they would talk on Skype, and Cam would go to the pool and follow Dirk’s programme on his own, overseen by a local SA coach on the pool deck.
“Then his local coach left the country unexpectedly, and Cam was left with no-one to oversee him on the pool deck! So many people rallied around to help; from fellow swimmers, to his mentor Ryk Neethling who’s been there himself, and could help Cam prepare mentally… the people around him all did their bit. Cam approached an old coach of his, Francois Boshoff, who had retired to a small town.
For a while I took Cameron to the airport every Tuesday so he could fly down for two days to get the benefit of Francois’s technical coaching, in between doing his strength training – so important for a sprinter – in Pretoria, with his strength coach Naat Laubscher.
“This toughened him up. I really admire my child for his discipline.
All the up and down was made worthwhile, Cameron told me, because Francois was able to pinpoint a tiny little stroke improvement that in the end may have shaved off a few milliseconds… and in the end, that is what makes the difference.
“And then, before they left for Europe earlier this year for the final preparations before the Olympics, Cameron flew Dirk out from Germany for a month of intensive training. He was really well prepared.
“What I’m proudest of is that Cameron is the first South African homegrown success story. He has won gold without having had the benefits of training in America like South Africa’s other swim heroes. We may not have the facilities like those available at a US university, but Cameron proved that it can be done. He is very much a family man who loves to be close to his nearest and dearest, and he made that decision because he knew he would not be happy in America, away from everyone he cared about and an environment where he couldn’t just be himself. He believes he would not be as successful if he wasn’t happy where he was.”
the last his moms words.
google, it will make a do os of you every time if you try slide porkies by people who have internet access.
3 Aug 2012, 21:36 pm
Only golden moments are in the pool not on keo
3 Aug 2012, 21:37 pm
@Robzim-499:
It is summer in the NH so colleges are closed and that explains possibly the work done in SA, but both Vd Burgh(never knew him before his WR race) and Le Clos were said to be on scolarships.
3 Aug 2012, 21:38 pm
ok oogle, apologies.
thought you were someone else.
but the info is real.
3 Aug 2012, 21:39 pm
@Dawn-502:
The womens 800 metres was exhausting!
I had to rest after watching that!
3 Aug 2012, 21:40 pm
@Robzim-499:
There’s so much happening. And VdB’s race was only a few days ago.
The big thing is that Chad defeated Phelps and also took part in more events than van der Berg.
Now that Neethling and Schoeman are history these two will fly the flag for the next few years.
3 Aug 2012, 21:40 pm
@rangerman-504:
I see you are down to represent your country in the freestyle spear fishing event!!
3 Aug 2012, 21:40 pm
@oogle-503: wtf?
you need this to be true eh?
3 Aug 2012, 21:41 pm
@carol-495:
All right- Thanks for that.
She is a great cyclist and one hell of a good looker too
Seems as if GB might get 5/5 (males)and 4/5 (females) gold for track cycling to add to Wiggo’s gold in the road TT.
What dope ( sorry wheels) do you use over there, lol.
3 Aug 2012, 21:42 pm
No worries about waxing for the ladies in those ‘Edwardian style’ swimming costumes!!
3 Aug 2012, 21:42 pm
Must say the swim by the 15 year old kid(F) from the States in the 800m Free style was unbelievable
3 Aug 2012, 21:44 pm
Keo is one long litany of brawls and insults
3 Aug 2012, 21:45 pm
@Robzim-509:
Four years ago you lot loved to say how good we Brits were at ‘sitting down sports’!!
Think we must have perfected the underwear at least!!
Have to do the eating thing now, catch you later.
3 Aug 2012, 21:45 pm
So Sharks are up and preparing for their match later,
Imms sleep bad tonight with nerves being stuffed
Gooooooo Shaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrksssssssssssss
3 Aug 2012, 21:46 pm
Holland can go 1-2 in the women’s 50m freestyle with Veldhuis and Krommowdjojo(1st in 2nd semi). GB has halsall but Amy Smith misses out.
3 Aug 2012, 21:47 pm
@carol-507: seriously there is a spearfishing event?
i am a bit of a plonker compared to some of the spearos i know, but i did eat lovely fish tonight haha.
3 Aug 2012, 21:48 pm
@sharks_lover-511:
Blimey, she had a rocket up her cozzie!!
Our girl could not touch her!
Hey Bert is back on TV again, Chads dad..we Brits love him…Hey is is being lovely about us Brits, great respect to him!!
‘Bert is Brilliant’ !!
Gary Lineker thinks that Chads Dad should have his own show.
Perhaps Keo could recruit him to Keo TV..!!
3 Aug 2012, 21:50 pm
Gdam berts on the tv again – he’s becoming mire famous than jnr – anyme know WTF he’s saying?
I got ‘incredicle, it’s incredible, incredible, the Brits are incredible’ – bertie going to have coronary…
3 Aug 2012, 21:50 pm
@rangerman-516:
If there was you would be a Saffa dead cert!!
3 Aug 2012, 21:51 pm
@carol-517:
Cafrol thats good and glad he is enjoying himself there,respect to you Poms , very good Olympics till now, Just remember you have to support my Sharks 2morrow 
And yeah that kid was fearless in her swim,
3 Aug 2012, 21:51 pm
@carol-517:
What is that female anchor’s name? She is very good.
3 Aug 2012, 21:52 pm
@sharks_lover-520: CAfrol=Carol
3 Aug 2012, 21:53 pm
@sharks_lover-514:
Farkit, U are indeed he ultimate shark fan , even if u live in the greatest city in africa.
Good luck to your team- they used to be my second favourite SA team but that was in the days of Cliffie Brown, lol. lately I don’t like them so much because they bacame too good and beat “my” team far too often.
3 Aug 2012, 21:56 pm
@Robzim-523:
of course Robbo, It’s Black and White nothing inbetween 
Old cliffie was a good wing, very accurate kicker
3 Aug 2012, 21:57 pm
The Hondo’s of this world won’t like this one bit.
A black man winning silver in the 50m freestyle. A Brazilian taking gold. (They’re not your 100% pure white blood kind of people either)
What is this world coming to. A black man who can swim…and fast for that matter.
Khotso busy with his qualifying round in the long jump.
3 Aug 2012, 21:58 pm
Yeah I like tge sharkies too but they didn’t deserve this, but they did deserve 2007 so who knows maybe that’s how it works
ehe louise hazel – not bad ekse.
3 Aug 2012, 21:59 pm
@nama1-525: A Brizilian did not take gold, he took Bronz
The French kid won GOLD
3 Aug 2012, 22:00 pm
@sharks_lover-524:
He could surf too.Fantastic bloke, pity he left for Pretoria, money talked, even in the amateur era, lol.
3 Aug 2012, 22:01 pm
@nama1-525: Here is something to extend your hard-on
A black girl won the gymnastics
3 Aug 2012, 22:02 pm
@Robzim-528:
Rob this is true, ZDo you know those years they had a kicking competion between all the top kickers in the country?/ Naas, Blair, De Wet ras Cliffie Brown and a few more?
\
Brown won it as the most accurate
3 Aug 2012, 22:03 pm
@sharks_lover-511:
Would be interesting to see if there will be such a hullabaloo over her performance as there was over that of the 16 year old Chinese girl.
3 Aug 2012, 22:06 pm
@nama1-531: Not sure boet , but with this 15 year old girl , the commentators kept talking about her “gonna get tired” and she never did, what a fantastic performance
Did you watch the Black girl that won the Gymnastics>? she too was brilliant
3 Aug 2012, 22:07 pm
@sharks_lover-527:
Oh yes. You’re right.
@sharks_lover-529:
Not for the first time either.
Where is our little girl? Is she not at the Olympics?
3 Aug 2012, 22:07 pm
Le Clos should get a klap from his coach.
Yesterday he goes out slow off a poor start and comes in to win his heat at 51.44 and then comes out tonight and does exactly the same thing with exactly same time.
All he had to do was go out half a second faster and he would have klapped Phelps again and taken a second gold instead of leaving himself too much to do on the second 50
Stupid tactics or else he was satisfied with a silver and gave Phelps too much respect. He could have whacked that race and taken gold if he hit it from the front instead of cruising through first 50 and turning almost a second behind the early leaders leaving way too much to do in the last 25
3 Aug 2012, 22:08 pm
@nama1-533: not sure mate, you know we dont really get to see much of our athletes in this country, or maybe i dont watch the other sports enough
3 Aug 2012, 22:12 pm
Cliffie was probably fitter than the others. He is after all a surfer while Naas can only play golf and talk nonsense on TV.
Amyway, I am out.. good luck to your team…. they will be up against it but is certainly in with a shot. Going to be huge , whatever happens.
3 Aug 2012, 22:13 pm
@Robzim-536:
true, thanks mate and have a good one,
3 Aug 2012, 22:16 pm
@fitz1ella-534:
Phelps is his hero and he said himself that he does not really stand a chance against him in the 100 m event. Competing against a legend like that could not have been easy for a youngster like Chad- he did brilliantly though, superstar for the future.
3 Aug 2012, 22:17 pm
@oogle-521:
If you mean the female anchor who is with the Ex swimmer Thorpe, she is called Claire Balding.
She is a huge sports fan and a great asset to the BBC. Daughter of a famous racehorse trainer, Toby Balding.
3 Aug 2012, 22:17 pm
Haas daas could skop a bal second to none – he was about 15 years ahead of his time interns if distance – then he went to the cowboys and skopped fkall
3 Aug 2012, 22:17 pm
@fitz1ella-534: He also looked over at Phelps in the second 50m to see how far behind he was instead of just swimming as fast as possible.
3 Aug 2012, 22:19 pm
How can you be at the Olympics and only jump 6.55m in the long jump?
To qualify for the Olympics you needed to jump nearly 8m.
Strange.
@sharks_lover-535:
True.
Some sports don’t get enough media coverage.
3 Aug 2012, 22:19 pm
What’s with the hats on the officials!
3 Aug 2012, 22:20 pm
539 carol – yes and u just forgot to mention she is a lesbian.
3 Aug 2012, 22:21 pm
@cab-544:
Cab, with respect, what the fark does that have to do with anything?
3 Aug 2012, 22:22 pm
the French and Dutch swimmers having fantastic Olympics whacking the Yanks and the Aussies left right and center.
Only Phelps, Lochte, Missy Franklin, the men’s backstroke and lady breast stroke world champ and the young 800 free winner having it their own way. But sprints and relays the French and Dutch and even Spain, China, Japan giving the traditional swimming powerhouses a run for their money including our 2 golds. As for UK they’re nowhere in the pool this time around.
3 Aug 2012, 22:23 pm
@carol-545:
3 Aug 2012, 22:24 pm
What have I down now? She is a lovely lesbian lady ..
3 Aug 2012, 22:25 pm
@carol-539:
Thanks, she is excellent. Not into horse-racing so don’t know her Dad.
And as is to be expected GB is staging a super Olympics and your golds(and others) have done quite a bit of upward movement- must be close to 10 now and grand total well in the 20s.
3 Aug 2012, 22:26 pm
@cab-548:
You have redeemed youself……!!
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