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, 14:50 pm
1. Mtawarira 2. Du Plessis 3. Du Plessis 4. Alberts 5. Bresler 6. Daniel 7. Coetzee 8. Alberts 9. Pienaar 10. Lambie 11. Mvovo 12. Steyn 13. Whitehead 14. Pieterson 15. Ludik
16. Cilliers 17. Burden 18. Herbst 19. Sykes 20. Marais 21. Botes 22. Steph Du Toit 23. Deysel 24. McLeod 25. Jantjies 26. Sithole 27. Jordaan 28. Mjekevu 29. Ndungane 30. Viljoen
Would dig to see this Sharks squad in next year’s S15.
Only Cilliers and Pienaar need to be re-signed with Jantjies contracted from the shambles that is the Lions.
Very possible and worthwhile acquisitions to shore up positions where Sharks need more depth.
3 Aug 2012, 14:51 pm
@ufo-247:
10 New ZealandNew Zealand 3 0 2 5
11 KazakhstanKazakhstan 3 0 0 3
11 South AfricaSouth Africa 3 0 0 3
13 JapanJapan 2 6 11 19
14 NetherlandsNetherlands 2 1 3 6
15 HungaryHungary 2 1 2 5
16 UkraineUkraine 2 0 4 6
17 AustraliaAustralia 1 8 4 13
did you see this bud
@rangerman-248: thank fck, I know youre the type who would scarper before getting his round..
3 Aug 2012, 14:51 pm
@ufo-247: thanks bud.
well ufo we all mentioned it when the chiefs got hammered by the bulls?
in fact travel has been a pretty hotly debated topic since the advent of superrugby in the 90′s?
i know you are just trying to give the ranger a little niggle buddy, its all good.
p.s. why is it being said that if the sharks manage to win it will be the greatest achievement trophy wise in the history of the comp and at the same time we are being told that the travel is meaningless?
3 Aug 2012, 14:53 pm
Jack Nickleson in “Mars Attacks”.
“Why can’t we all, just get along”.
3 Aug 2012, 14:53 pm
Well the travel argument will take on a life of itself during the Rugby Championship. Will be most interesting all round.
The athletics stadium is full for a morning session! Settled then: Only welfare states should host the Olympic Games moving forward. Unemployment and dole snatching virtually guarantee full stadia.
Jolly good showing this.
3 Aug 2012, 14:53 pm
@rangerman-253:
Good luck to your team tomorrow! Will be shouting for the Sharks.
Went for the Chiefs on superbru, but will be backing the Sharks tomorrow.
SHARKS!
3 Aug 2012, 14:54 pm
@poppa69-252: fail.
i would never be there in the first place.
3 Aug 2012, 14:54 pm
@Atreides-238: A guy goes to a fancy dress party naked, except for a glass jar on his *****.
A women asks him what he he has come as.
A fireman, he answers.
How so? She asks.
He replies, in case of emergency, break glass, pull **** and I’ll come as quick as I can.
3 Aug 2012, 14:55 pm
@Hurricane-244:
talk about ‘going on a summer holiday’…
ja, its like skaap (sheep), not skop….
@cane-242:
hey..?..
what the fark are you mumbling inbetween scotches..?..
you talk kak when you’re drunk, caner
3 Aug 2012, 14:55 pm
@WP Till I Die-256:
cheers bud.
not confident at all but there is always hope.
JUST ONE CHANCE………………….FOR VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3 Aug 2012, 14:55 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-245: Unfortunately every country has some disadvantage – RSA has the oft-talked about jetlag, NZ has a small population, Oz is very large and means they can’t support a national competition.
Although you’re doing your best to bump up our population, we don’t expect any sympathy
3 Aug 2012, 14:56 pm
@oogle-250:
Devils, Beasts and Demons.
3 Aug 2012, 14:56 pm
@stormer in a teacup-258:
very good, some friday cheer!
3 Aug 2012, 14:56 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-259:
Still not the sharpiest tool but you are our tool
3 Aug 2012, 14:57 pm
K n o b.
3 Aug 2012, 14:57 pm
@rangerman-257: thought so, only tough with a spear in your hand and against lil fishies huh?
when is your next poaching session?
3 Aug 2012, 14:58 pm
@cane-254: Me, in “The Chronicles of Keo”, “cos that’s fecking boring”.
3 Aug 2012, 14:58 pm
well sa has only 10 million people who can swim at most.
so that makes us, in nz alternate reality of course, the worlds greatest swimming nation at present.
its tough but we wont let it go to our heads.
3 Aug 2012, 14:59 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-239:
Where is the logic in that latest call? Are you to name every poster to get it right?
Where am I? At 9th , 11th or 13th call?
Are you the double agent?
3 Aug 2012, 15:00 pm
@poppa69-266: tough?
i thought we were talking about drinking beer?
i think you are labouring under the illusion that i am alone in feeling this way about you?
when is your next breakdown scheduled for?
3 Aug 2012, 15:01 pm
@stormer in a teacup-258: Lol
3 Aug 2012, 15:01 pm
it may be sooner or later.
but it will be.
3 Aug 2012, 15:02 pm
@rangerman-268: how do you get to 10 from around 50?
3 Aug 2012, 15:02 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-267:
True.
3 Aug 2012, 15:03 pm
@rangerman-270: gees, your bait is still so stale Ranger..
when is your next breakdown due? you know, like the one where you let your racism out and directed it at your president?
lmfao how the righteous have shown their true colours…
well done crazy mofo..
3 Aug 2012, 15:03 pm
@rangerman-268: congratulations!
3 Aug 2012, 15:04 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-267: have you seen this?
A poem for our boys
In the best tradition of praise singers everywhere, let’s wax lyrical about our mighty Sharks ahead of tomorrow’s Super Rugby Final!
Let us sing to the Sharks, oh you people of Durban
And of places more far-flung, both rural and urban
From the beaches and bistros, to the far hills of green
To the greatest Sharks team the black and white e’er has seen!
To the Beast and to Jannie, our concrete front row
And to Wors the young legend, whose fame will yet grow
A great victory sealed by three steadfast front rankers
Who will scrum, drive and tackle the **** out of those wankers!
To Bissie, our hero, our Hector in battle
Swats defenders aside just as though herding cattle
A hundred times over, our Colossus has fought
While Brave Burden plenty impact to the late game has brought!
To Joe Dirt and Big Vic, our locks of renown
Their strength and their courage in adversity they’ve shown
With tackles and carries and leaps to great height
And to Steven as well, when he brings on his might!
To Marcell and to Hoff, both the sharp of our blade
Both broadsword and rapier, who many metres have made
With ne’er-ending toil and with offloads galore
What more, then, will Wolla and Boots have in store?
To Charlie McLeod, with his passes so sweet
And to Freddie le Sorcier, with his dazzling hands and feet
Both running the show with such flair and composure
to the fans, your great play is as sweet as ambrosia!
To Paul the young turk and to JP the master
When last did we see a midfield that was faster?
And less we forget on the bench, Big Meyer
Of these three, who will rise as the Sonny Bill slayer?
To our wings, plucky Louis and Lwazi the rocket
Put the ball o’er the tryline, like a plug in its socket!
With heart and commitment and the wind at your backs
Score the tries, make the tackles, stop the Chiefs in their tracks!
And what of young Patrick, jack of each backline trade?
Will he show that at fullback, a master he’s made?
With a calmness and bravery belying both age and size
And with Tjop backing up, see how far he will rise.
Let us finish this song with an ode to our skipper
Not the biggest in body, but my word, what a ripper!
So to Keegan Rhys Daniel – and to Reece, Bash and Plum –
Know that all will be with you, when the game’s lost or won!
3 Aug 2012, 15:04 pm
nobody mention centipedes.
or cousins.
or even cousins of the centipede.
we are having such a pleasant day, if only someone could post the medals table at least 30 times, omitting the top 9 countries of course
3 Aug 2012, 15:04 pm
@MarkFilewalker-269: Double agent; not sure. A little grey man in the Mr Bean mould, that you are. Ego = HUGE. Everything else that matters = SMALL.
3 Aug 2012, 15:05 pm
@gonzo-261:
being the ‘naughtiest’ conference in the competition you dont deserve sympathy
and fyi its not just travel we have to contend with, there’s also the nz/oz refs, the oz/nz sanzar alliance, the ‘dirty muddy like’ trick of the nz teams, mostly (yes, the ozzies are at it too), the hostile crowds and kiwi bottle throwers….i could go on….
i wont….
but ja, agreed there are disadvantages. we should fix this to make the comp a better spectacle.
3 Aug 2012, 15:05 pm
@poppa69-252:
hey popps… of course i did…
you’ve posted in about a jizzillian times didn’t you…
am chuffed for new zealand…
@rangerman-253:
hehehe… yes and no…
when it came up between the chiefs and bulls most saffas opinions was ‘tough luck to the chiefs the rules at the rules and the higher you finish on the log the more you benefit from them…’
personally i’m in favor of the status quo… rewarding the log positions…
(although some teams are so useless topping the log isn’t really any benefit anyway…
)
it should be a great game though… personally i think the sharks can and will take it…
but at least i won’t experience the same stress watching this one…!
go sharks…!!
…
3 Aug 2012, 15:07 pm
@Transformation-277: They have lost the fecking plot totally. Odes to wives of players……Planned crowds at the airport on return….and now poems
I’m sorry, I know it’s all rather opwindend, but dear Gawd, this couldn’t get any more wishy washy if they insisted that the nation take a moments silence before kick off.
3 Aug 2012, 15:07 pm
@rangerman-278: hilarious ranger, nice to see you deflect and squirm all at the same time..
I realise you get frustrated that we continually better you, now youre trying to mention other nations as some sort of saving grace?
bwahahahahah
3 Aug 2012, 15:09 pm
@Hurricane-264:
i’ve got a sharp tool for you right here (waving hands in a v shape pointing crotchwards)
3 Aug 2012, 15:09 pm
@ufo-281: cheers, know it wont last so making the most of it, and wasnt sure if youd read the whole thread bru…
3 Aug 2012, 15:10 pm
@Transformation-277:
good lawd, who wrote this.?.. (exhasperation smiley)
3 Aug 2012, 15:10 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-284: careful those fingers dont slip in mate
3 Aug 2012, 15:10 pm
I like Popps, Caner and Hurries
Even if they are NZ’rs
But the bast@rds cost me points on Superbru
Next time I’m there a beer will be on you
3 Aug 2012, 15:11 pm
@Transformation-273: well i started off with all of the kids under 6 and then deducted the grannies and grandpas.
then i omitted all of the prisoners (a hefty number let me tell you) and i left out the people stuck in hospitals.
of course i didnt count the people who weekend at the vaal dam and who wear lifejackets in case they fall out of their boats and i also thought the civil servants and public sector shouldnt be factored in (we are talking competitive ifyougetwhatimean?) and then i sucked my thumb for a while and hope you would correct me by utilising your google ninja skills.
and here you are, to rescue me
@gonzo-276: 
thanks man!
@poppa69-275: easy now, keep your sheeyit toghether buddy, i know this crowd and they make vampires look like care workers.
@Transformation-277: cringeworthy
3 Aug 2012, 15:11 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-280:
Well our players get bottled but not only that, we have to be aware of fans running on the pitch and attacking refs or players.
Then if our players manage to end the game with their eyes still on there sockets, they have to drive on the bus in SA while there are 40 murders a day, alot of car jackings and supporters like you. Its not easy is it?
When you say fix the comp, you really mean when a South African team wins….then its fixed. If they lose its broken.
3 Aug 2012, 15:11 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-282:
3 Aug 2012, 15:12 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-279:
More guess-work. Less logic, continue playing the double agent. half the time you confuse yourself, nutty.
I will not associate with stupidity.
3 Aug 2012, 15:12 pm
Chunt du Fernly saying hiyas and giving all the Sharks supporters a high five from a cold,cloudy and windy Gordon’s Bay.
Can’t wait to leave the queendom of limpwristed,backspitting,gerbil stuffing phoofs tonight.
4 day weekend at the dam in the Republic of Chunt du Fernly with my gf.
Talk about two extremes.
Go
The
Feckin
Black
And
White
Dynamite!
BOOM!
Naais:-)
3 Aug 2012, 15:13 pm
@poppa69-283: you are getting a little frothy now
i still wont drink beer with you you sicko.
3 Aug 2012, 15:13 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-280: We all prefer it when you complain about travel and jetlag as at least it’s a real but unsolvable problem…better than the conspiracy theories about refs. So for everyone’s benefit, let’s keep the travel problem so you still have something to moan about without attacking the Aussies/Kiwis personally
3 Aug 2012, 15:14 pm
@poppa69-287:
3 Aug 2012, 15:14 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-282:
3 Aug 2012, 15:14 pm
@Atlas-288:
Shhh some of these guys dont know we are Kiwis, thats how well we fit in here.
3 Aug 2012, 15:15 pm
man, think we are all waiting for the game really..
suffering friday night footy withdrawals..
anyways, out now, enjoy gentleman, oh and you too ranger… remember, take the lil pills and you wont blurt these things out, mmmkay
3 Aug 2012, 15:16 pm
@poppa69-285:
you’re welcome popps…
exactly the same reason i was making the most of our unexpected discovery of the end of the olympic rainbow…!!
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