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
Pages: « 1 [2] 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 … 12 » Show All
3 Aug 2012, 11:33 am
@Puma-50: meant – chiefs
3 Aug 2012, 11:34 am
My biggest worry tomorrow is Steve Walsh. He had better be on top of his game tomorrow. Hoping he is fair to both teams. He cost us in 2007.
3 Aug 2012, 11:37 am
@Puma-52:
Walshy will be fine tomorrow, its forecast for showers so running rugby might be off the menu and we may see an 80 min slugfest like the Crusaders semi.
3 Aug 2012, 11:39 am
@NZINCHINA-42:
good day to you, china.
hope you enjoy your fishing and i’m sure the bloggers here will manage to get on without you. not that you aren’t apreciated for your sarky soundbites… you are.
please tell me if you have managed to find those article sources which explains the outcome of the white card incident which took place (you know the one in the chiefs – crusaders game)?
i have sent multiple emails to sanzar as well saru and the nzru, but the only reply i have received was an automated message response from saru explaining that it was an automated message response and that i probably would not get an actual answer due to high email traffic volume. at least it was something i guess.
i really am just curious as to the juducial process and reasoning involved which led to it being dismissed (i say dismissed but this is of course just an assumption on my part as i dont actually know anything of its outcome).
i thank you for any assistance rendered.
3 Aug 2012, 11:40 am
“Slaughter” is a bit harsh, Keo.
I think the Sharks will be very competitive until the late stages of the game. The Chiefs will probably only win it in the last ten minutes.
3 Aug 2012, 11:44 am
@wait for it, wait for it…-54:
hello Houston I saw a headline in the NZ Herald that said the sighting commissioner had looked at it and there was nothing to answer, I googled it yesterday just so I could shut you up but I couldn’t find anything, so there you have it my friend can’t help you
3 Aug 2012, 11:45 am
This flippen car washing and shopping on Saturdays is no good for me!
The bully boys have cleaner cars than me though…
Do our country proud Sharks and bring the trophy home… Good luck…
3 Aug 2012, 11:50 am
Sometimes, it pays to be poor.
Annie, 6 years old, gets home from school.
She had her first family planning lesson at school.
Her mother, very interested, asks;” How did it go?”
“I died of shame!” She answers !
“Harry from over the road says that the stork brings babies.
Sally next door said you can buy babies at the orphanage.
Peter in my class says you can buy babies at the hospital.”
Her mother answers laughingly “But that’s no reason to be ashamed?”
“No, but I can’t tell them that we were so poor that daddy had to make me himself!”
3 Aug 2012, 11:50 am
@NZINCHINA-56:
well thank you for the effort put in, even if it was just to shut me up.
i will try the herald again, i mightt get lucky.
3 Aug 2012, 11:51 am
@Gumboots-57: Yes agreed. They knocked out my beloved Stormers but I am backing them 100% this weekend.
3 Aug 2012, 11:59 am
I’m definitely rooting for the sharks this weekend but agree with Tac, i think the last 15-20min will be their undoing
Any reason those mental giants at Sanzar didn’t give both sides an extra week to prepare for the final?
3 Aug 2012, 12:02 pm
ive come to discover that, you can tell if the Sharks are going to have a big game by the just watching Kanko. If Kanko is hitting the decks hard, then you know its on.
3 Aug 2012, 12:03 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-59:
forget emailing SANZAR for a few days, the best of NZ and SA will be going at each other tomorrow night, enjoy the spectacle
3 Aug 2012, 12:05 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-59:
“sighting commissioner”
couldn’t see a thing.
3 Aug 2012, 12:06 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-64:
let it go mate, set yourself free
3 Aug 2012, 12:08 pm
@NZINCHINA-65:
I’m relaxed buddy.
Just a gentle pun.
A loosener.
Glad to hear you’ve got a well earned rest coming up.
Popping in on NZ on the way?
@Atreides-61:
I think the tourney is loung enough.
Besides we have the small matter of the Rugby Championship.
3 Aug 2012, 12:10 pm
@Atreides-61: Chiefs got their break that they deserved two weeks ago. Sharks finished 6. Do they deserve any break?
3 Aug 2012, 12:11 pm
South Africa took another 2 gold medals this morning at the Olympics, sadly the security stopped them at the gates
3 Aug 2012, 12:11 pm
@Atreides-61: that would nullify the advantage teams finishing 1st & 2nd get. everyone starts on a clean slate and it’s up to them to play for home advantage.
3 Aug 2012, 12:12 pm
@SHARKattack-62: He has been impressive these last few weeks. I think it is thanks to HM’s public praise of him. Kanko is to HM what Adi Jacobs was to PDV and what Nonu is to Henry.
3 Aug 2012, 12:13 pm
A Sighting Commisioner rules on the authenticity of UFO reports. Everyone knows this.
3 Aug 2012, 12:14 pm
@Transformation-69: Snap
3 Aug 2012, 12:16 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-66:
yip 3 days in NZ, 6 in Queensland via a piss up in Shanghai, not taking the family this time and as you know I have a lot of quiet Friday nights stored up….
3 Aug 2012, 12:18 pm
@Sasuke-70: I say thank goodness for HM in believing in him. Just shows when you get your self believe back what you can do? Kanko is the inform 8 in SA right now. He is playing the best rugby he has ever played.
Just shows what believe in one selve can do. The reason I am backing my Sharks to win tomorrow. They have huge believe they will win…..
3 Aug 2012, 12:18 pm
SANZAR announces ground breaking new online viewing partnership
By SANZAR Communications
SANZAR today is proud to announce a new service to allow viewers in countries where there is no television broadcast agreement in place to watch this weekend’s Super Rugby Final between the Chiefs and the Sharks.
The service will also allow full viewing of The Rugby Championship later this year, and will cover Super Rugby and The Rugby Championship for the 2013 seasons.
SANZAR CEO Greg Peters was excited about the new service, which would bring SANZAR rugby competitions to countries that currently don’t have access on traditional broadcasting platforms.
“We have been working hard to ensure that as many fans as possible globally can watch Super Rugby and The Rugby Championship which will give SANZAR rugby competitions a truly global footprint” Peters said.
“It allows us to offer many counties, particularly within Europe and South America, the chance to enjoy the action, and we are excited to have it ready to go for the Super Rugby Final.”
PERFORM, who will work with SANZAR in delivering this service, has one of the largest sports rights portfolios for over 200 sporting codes, and last year delivered nearly 3 billion video streams, and has a reach of hundreds of million sporting fans.
The package is accessible via http://www.superrugby.livesport.tv
The package will be available only in the following countries:
Russia, Georgia, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovakia,Turkey, Croatia, Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Macedonia,Montenegro, Switzerland, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Latvia,Lithuania, Moldova, Iceland, Brazil, Mexico, Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica,Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela, Bermuda, Cuba, Haiti, DominicanRepublic, Jamaica, Bahamas, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados.
The price for subscription:
Price is US $9.99 for a 24 hour pass (for the Super Rugby Final)
For The Rugby Championship in 2012, and the 2013 seasons of Super Rugby and The Rugby Championship, there will be a variety of packages available for monthly or seasonal viewing and these details will be provided in the coming weeks
3 Aug 2012, 12:19 pm
I’m out for the night, catch you all next time.
3 Aug 2012, 12:20 pm
@NZINCHINA-73:
I’m sure your are in credit on that front.
3 Aug 2012, 12:24 pm
Site still kukking everyone out for posting comments too quickly?
3 Aug 2012, 12:30 pm
@Sasuke-67: Would just like to see two teams at their absolute best in the final. There will always be questions and the endless KEO SA/NZ bickering about jetlag etc etc…I may be a Stormer but no question the Sharks hit their straps at the business end of the competition
@Transformation-69: Don’t think it would nullify homeground advantage? It would just give the travelling team a bit of time to acclimatise and reset their body-clocks, get over jet lag etc
@the artist formerly known as gunther-66: It’s way too long….but these days the cash co must be milked to within an inch of it’s life, if not a few inches over…
3 Aug 2012, 12:30 pm
@Atreides-79: *cow
3 Aug 2012, 12:31 pm
apparently the chiefs don’t believe that that will win
advantage sharks
3 Aug 2012, 12:33 pm
@Dawn-78:
We’ve refined it.
Only Dusky and Khakibollocks get those messages now.
3 Aug 2012, 12:35 pm
@Sasuke-67: No I don’t believe in that. A final in any sport should be played on a level playing field. After the semi there should always be a weeks break.
Just remember the players will get tired of this travel nonsense and leave and go and play their rugby in Europe, where the travel issue does not happen. The most they have to travel there is just over a hour. There very well could be a team again that makes it all the way that ends 6th and they too could face this kinda travel. You do it once no way will you want to do it again ever. Teams may just give up to get to the play offs if that happen. I think it could go that way. SO it has to change. I have mentioned this a few times they should give the table topping team the award to hold all the play off games, semi and final at their stadium in their city. That way less travel and far better for the players as well. Or they have to from next year let there be a rest week before the final.
I am so sure that if a team is sitting in 8th position in their last league game and they know if they get the 5 points they can end on 6th, but have huge, huge travel waiting them, they just might not try and get there. IT will happen, there just will be no motivation to want to make it to 6th place ever after this. I am sure of that. So either the format goes back to the old one or they work on a better fixture for the play offs, semi and final. Players will leave our shores because of this eventually. All top class players have to play SuperRugby in all our conferences and there will always be a 6th and 5th team probably having to travel.
The best solution like I mentioned is to reward the top table team with the whole lot. Their union scores big time too.
3 Aug 2012, 12:38 pm
@Transformation-81: If they said that they playing mind games.
3 Aug 2012, 12:38 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-82: Don’t say his name, just now you attract him back here, desperately trying to get someone to ask him how good he is at MMA or ****-erotically banging on the closet door like he did all day yesterday. Poor conflicted kid.
3 Aug 2012, 12:39 pm
@Atreides-85: *h omo
3 Aug 2012, 12:44 pm
@Atreides-85:
He is silly indeed.
3 Aug 2012, 12:46 pm
i backed the sharks vs the stormers and had a fair bit of faith that our lads could do the job against a quade-less reds side.
but the game tomorrow will be tougher than both for the travel reason mentioned in keos article.
i will watch the game with mates and have a fry up on the gas braai in the morning sun. if we win, i will go postal and may give the fish a break on sunday and if we lose i will reflect on a great season of rugby over my bangers, mushies and bacon (with plentsch hp sauce).
either way, i am just looking forward to the game.
3 Aug 2012, 12:47 pm
Epic first hour in the cricket.
Poms throwing it at our boys who have stuck to their guns beautifully.
If we get thorough this session unscathed its going to be massif.
3 Aug 2012, 12:48 pm
400 at Headlingly will do.
JP has to come to the party though and marshal the tail.
Think that role will suit him because his a specialist at rotating the strike.
He will also not have to worry about Swann,
3 Aug 2012, 12:51 pm
@Jeraldjay-90:
350 when they put us in to bat will feel like a hit.
400 will be a nice bonus.
3 Aug 2012, 12:54 pm
@rangerman-88: lol Ranger
3 Aug 2012, 12:54 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-91: whats the score at present please gunther, on a site.
3 Aug 2012, 12:55 pm
Keo
Before the 2012 competition started, all the teams knew what the format was. All the teams knew the history of playoff successes and failures. The Chiefs and Stormers were the most consistent teams throughout. They planned for top table finishes and achieved that. Its the Sharks’ own fault that they have to travel so much. They started bad. They are finishing brilliantly.
The competition rewards consistincy to a degree. Don’t take anything away from the Chiefs. I am hoping for a Sharks win, but if they lose, I don’t want any excuses about fatigue and unfairness. They can only blame themselves for earlier losses (eg. the Lions game).
3 Aug 2012, 12:56 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-91:
Yes, 400 will be an excellent score.
Me thinks this wicket looks “Vernon friendly”
And whats the story with Swann, is he injured or was he dropped.
3 Aug 2012, 12:56 pm
@rangerman-93:
porn site?
284 /5
rudolph and alviro.
3 Aug 2012, 12:57 pm
@sharks_lover-92: ja man, i am gonna have a chilled weekend i have decided.
mates just got out the water at westbrook and saw nokkol gamefish. its been a quiet winter for hunting so far, blerrie sards still ******** around in the kei and i doubt they will make it here this year but everything that can swim is down there feasting.
3 Aug 2012, 12:59 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-96: whats rudolph on?
and alviro? happy he got his ton yesterday.
lol, the mercury this morning had alviro, ab and rudolph all not out on the scorecard.
3 Aug 2012, 13:00 pm
@Jeraldjay-95:
I think he was carrying some sort of niggle into the series.
but headingley is a spinners graveyard.
Poms need 20 wickets and felt their best chance was to order a sporty wicket and play 4 seamers.
however if the come up against a wall they will be farked with nobody to hold an end up.
3 Aug 2012, 13:02 pm
@halfgk-94: cmon man, thats not the point.
the point is that its the FINAL.
of the supposedly top club comp in the world.
we deserve a spectacle and one team being knackered from travel doesnt really deliver that does it?
i sense some schadenfreude buried deep within your reasoning my friend and thats fine, but remember that we dont give a toss what you think about the very real effects of travel, ok?
Pages: « 1 [2] 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 … 12 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.