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, 15:16 pm
there is gonna be a moments silence before the game?
maybe someone can read that poem out, i vote ras dumisani.
3 Aug 2012, 15:18 pm
@poppa69-299: bye poops, hope you enjoy the rugby.
k no bber
3 Aug 2012, 15:18 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19-293: hey C.unt du Fernly in the building…are you watching the game by the dam fernly?
3 Aug 2012, 15:19 pm
ok people, i am also off.
this website gives me a lot of joy but ffs it is irritating also.
go sharks!
3 Aug 2012, 15:19 pm
@ufo-300: think both countries are doing exceptionally well mate, happy for you guys too… right now out of here..
3 Aug 2012, 15:20 pm
Think Tyrone wrote that drivel
3 Aug 2012, 15:20 pm
@rangerman-304:
cheers bud…
sincerely all the best for the sharks tomorrow…
they will do it…!!
3 Aug 2012, 15:20 pm
@Transformation-303:
I believe Fern has just water proofed his TV. Hes going to watch in the dam.
Thats how keen this guy is.
@rangerman-304:
Oh dont g…….. oh ok cya.
3 Aug 2012, 15:21 pm
Lotsa fake happy cheers going on here
3 Aug 2012, 15:21 pm
@poppa69-305:
cheers popps… enjoy the game…
3 Aug 2012, 15:22 pm
And Extraball a nic stealer!
Who would’ve thunk it
3 Aug 2012, 15:23 pm
@Dawn-309:
Yep just wait tell tomorrow.
Lets hope the ref does not miss one call for the Sharks or this site will abrupt, call conspiracy and blame IRB, oh and of course NZ.
3 Aug 2012, 15:24 pm
@Atlas-288:
We love you too Atlas.
3 Aug 2012, 15:24 pm
@Hurricane-290:
dont make me go all rhetorical on your asse, you agent…
i’m gonna go ahead and pull out a white card and put this whole thing on review, ok
now then, who’s the sighting commisioner?
@gonzo-295:
ease up gonzo old pal,
while i do really believe and mean most of what i’ve said i dont mean it seriously (for today at least) and am just having a larf.
you people cheat us blind at every opportunity but i dont hold it against you.
somedays i like to build a bridge and get over it.
3 Aug 2012, 15:25 pm
@Dawn-309:
don’t be so sour all your life dawn…
not everyones as dour as you…
lighten up once in while…
at least that way people will know when you’re pissedoff…
3 Aug 2012, 15:26 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-314:
hahaha
What white card?
3 Aug 2012, 15:26 pm
@Hurricane-312: Wait for it….wait for it…..
3 Aug 2012, 15:27 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-314:
” somedays i like to build a bridge and get over it. ”
No dont, stay on your side of the river, and we on ours. The bridge is overrated.
STAY AWAY FROM THE BRIDGE
3 Aug 2012, 15:28 pm
@rangerman-268:
While the Rangerman Medal Table is worthy of debate…………………….
Here is a real one:
Gold medals per million population Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Gold/Million
1 New Zealand 3 0 2 0.6932
2 Slovenia 1 0 2 0.5008
3 Lithuania 1 0 0 0.2836
4 Georgia 1 0 0 0.2188
5 Hungary 2 1 2 0.2008
6 Kazakhstan 3 0 0 0.1712
7 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 4 0 1 0.1627
8 Republic of Korea 7 2 5 0.1433
9 Netherlands 2 1 3 0.1195
10 Belarus 1 1 1 0.1048
11 Great Britain 6 6 6 0.0952
12 France 6 5 6 0.0914
13 Italy 4 5 2 0.0653
14 Germany 5 8 5 0.0615
15 South Africa 3 0 0 0.0615
16 United States of America 18 9 10 0.0574
17 Romania 1 3 2 0.0458
18 Australia 1 8 4 0.0454
NZ leading the tri-nations.
And a few others.
3 Aug 2012, 15:28 pm
@Atreides-317:
Classic
3 Aug 2012, 15:29 pm
Poops and Stuart Broad having mini meltdowns.
3 Aug 2012, 15:30 pm
Wherever Williams goes there seems to be a final in the making. That must make a statement.
But there are other statements like Cruden(think 1-24mins. vs. Ireland) annd elsewhere in those backs and also the forwards all the way through to bench. As always only one winner.
3 Aug 2012, 15:30 pm
@Hurricane-320:
3 Aug 2012, 15:30 pm
i still can’t believe that a super rugby final is played in front of only 23 000 ppl! this is a disgrace to rugby and this should not be allowed in the future!
3 Aug 2012, 15:32 pm
Just watching the Kiwi women footballers vs USA
Go the Kiwis
3 Aug 2012, 15:33 pm
@Hurricane-316:
hehehe
that’s what i’m talking about.
#whadigottado-whadigottado!!!
@Atreides-317:
i saw what you did there
sneeky
3 Aug 2012, 15:33 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-321:
So you back now that you think she is gone? I only ask because she accuses me.
3 Aug 2012, 15:34 pm
@grant10-324: 15% of Hamiltron’s population and most of them have to go to the effort of driving their tractors to the stadium. Not a bad turn out really
3 Aug 2012, 15:34 pm
@grant10-324:
It was 25000 the other day.
You sure you are playing with a full pack?
3 Aug 2012, 15:35 pm
@Dawn-306: Stop trying to think , sober up ur making a fool of yourself again,
3 Aug 2012, 15:37 pm
Dour???? Me?????
Never.
I just dont like fakeness falseness!!!!
3 Aug 2012, 15:38 pm
@rangerman-301: Even you have to admit that poem is falls squarely in the category of “Oh my G, I’m cringing” category.
What type actually sits and thinks out sh y te like that?
Nee man.
3 Aug 2012, 15:39 pm
@sharks_lover-330:
Why sober up?
I’m at work.
3 Aug 2012, 15:39 pm
@grant10-324:
ja, and when you wrap your head around the fact that the paarl boys vs paarl gym schoolboy derby will pull a bigger crowd than the super 15 rugby final
it kinda puts a whole new perspective spin on it
3 Aug 2012, 15:39 pm
@sharks_lover-330:
You wrote the “poem” and made a fool of yourself, not me.
3 Aug 2012, 15:41 pm
@MarkFilewalker-322:
extraball. is that you .
you walking through files?
3 Aug 2012, 15:42 pm
@cane-319: who gives a f.cuk how many people there are in a country?
3 Aug 2012, 15:42 pm
@grant10-324:
G F Y Grantie.
The Waikato Stadium can only seat 23,ooo.
The real disgrace to rugby,
is that SA Rugby,
with twice the resources of NZ and Aus, cannot manage to dominate this tournament.
The Waikato faithfull have earn this final.
3 Aug 2012, 15:43 pm
@Dawn-331:
so you and skop are now the arbiters of fake and fakefucks now…? well.. guess there’s a first time for everything… guess the same person who appointed him appointed you too…
but if you say you’re never dour… you’ll obviously BS about other things too…
3 Aug 2012, 15:44 pm
@ufo-339:
I’m not.
3 Aug 2012, 15:45 pm
@Transformation-337:
I do.
3 Aug 2012, 15:45 pm
@Transformation-337:
The Department of Community Affairs and Social Development and whatever and so forth?
3 Aug 2012, 15:45 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-332:
“poem is falls squarely in the category ”
See the proof for stupidity right there? :roll” Case closed. I will not respond further, so do not waste your time in more confusion.
3 Aug 2012, 15:47 pm
@Dawn-333: Well, It is hard to imagine someone sober seeks attention like that?? Go figure
3 Aug 2012, 15:47 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-334:
It does.
What it means is that Hamiltion is a small place,low population compared to all South African teams.
And when you try and put your head around that, makes you realise that this Chiefs team in the final has done really well. In fact any Kiwi team in any final is punching above its weight.
But i heard a rumour…..if you win your games and come near top of the table, you too can play at home….you should try it.
@Transformation-337:
We dont care what you think or say.
3 Aug 2012, 15:48 pm
@MarkFilewalker-343:
Watsup extraball.
What’s wrong with the syntax
Pray tell.
3 Aug 2012, 15:49 pm
@sharks_lover-344:
I am sober.
Go figure.
@MarkFilewalker-343:
Does the “poem” fall “roundly” into the category?
3 Aug 2012, 15:49 pm
@sharks_lover-344:
Why are you always accusing me of being drunk.
After one or two perfectly lucid posts.
3 Aug 2012, 15:50 pm
@cane-341: ja, you and all 4 million of your fellow kiwis. SA is a 3rd world country cane with the highest inequality between rich & poor in the world – world bank. apples and oranges…
use it don’t use it.
3 Aug 2012, 15:50 pm
ONly fake thing here is you Dawn , sitting here crying for attention everyday, BUt like i said , enough of it for you, You assume to many things, and typically are here to try start **** again, guess its too peaceful for you immature liking?? Ya well no fine,
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