Super Sharks will win Currie Cup
22 Oct 2012
MARK KEOHANE, in Business Day newspaper, applauds the talents of Eben Etzebeth and Pat Lambie and writes the Sharks are the best domestic team in South Africa.
Eben Etzebeth made his Western Province Currie Cup debut a fortnight ago and is eligible to play in Saturday’s U21 final. He’s still a pup in terms of provincial experience and age but he’s definitely no pup in terms of performance.
He was colossal against the Lions in Western Province’s dramatic last minute Currie Cup semi-final victory. He commands presence, which explains the remarkable elevation from Varsity Cup player in 2011 to an eight-Test Springbok in 2012. A unique breed of player simply has it. Etzebeth is the newest international member of this club, and if he stays injury free he could become the most dominant of second rowers in the next decade.
He thrives on responsibility, especially when the crunch moments demand the tough to take the lead. We saw it in Super Rugby, most notably in the final 20 minutes when the Stormers repelled a Lions fightback in Johannesburg to win. Etzebeth towered above the rest that night and at the same venue, against the provincial Lions he effected a result of similar significance for Western Province players, who earlier in the year had played in the guise of the Stormers.
Etzebeth is among the 10 nominations for South Africa’s Player of the Year and while my preference is the revitalised and rejuvenated Western Province, Stormers and Springbok wing Bryan Habana, a more appropriate reward for Etzebeth would be the Rookie of the Year.
He plays with the authority of an old head, but the emotional maturity should not disguise his youthfulness. He is also an enforcer who lacks the crassness of a thug. He can impose his physicality without resorting to cheap shots, which is refreshing. There is more Brad Thorn to his persona than Bakkies Botha because he has the calmness a young Botha’s personality did not accommodate. Botha had mongrel but Etzebeth’s aggression is measured. The old dog can certainly teach Etzebeth a trick or two, which is why I’d select both for the end-of- year tour, but the emotional maturity and seemingly contentment of Etzebeth is unique among young international second rowers.
Etzebeth’s influence was massive in the lineout take and subsequent 20m maul that crushed the Lions in the last play of the game. Lions’ supporters would rightly have cursed his presence on Saturday night, but as South Africans they will have many a Saturday in which they’ll celebrate the fact he’s a South African who plays for the Springboks.
Another youngster who plays with the maturity of a veteran is Pat Lambie. National coach Heyneke Meyer has been reluctant on Lambie. Why? Who knows?
Lambie has shown his class as a person through a winter of frustration at national level. Picked as a bench warmer and only viewed as a fullback option he never spoke out against the coach and never threatened of a move to French or English club rugby. He spoke only when given a chance to start at flyhalf for the Sharks and his speaking came by way of performance. He was more commander than cavalier against the Bulls in the Sharks 20-3 semi-final victory.
He looked more Dan Carter than Quade Cooper in controlling the semi-final, which is a compliment of his class.
Lambie, two seasons ago, was brilliant in the Sharks’ Currie Cup final win against Western Province, but his versatility has been to his detriment. He can play 10, 12, 13 and 15 and he wouldn’t be out of place on the wing, but because of this quality he has become a jack of all trades when he has the potential to become the master of one.
Lambie really has been impressive at flyhalf in the most understated, yet effective manner. The hope is Meyer can review his earlier opinion that Lambie is a 15 and not a 10, and not fear misguided accusations that a change of opinion is because of a state of confusion.
Lambie, on the pending Bok tour, must get some game time at 10. Expect a big game from him in Durban on Saturday against Western Province. He’ll deliver because whenever he has been given an opportunity (not a 10-minute cameo role) the return has been a quality performance.
The Sharks were imposing and brutal against the Bulls and coach John Plumtree’s match 22 selection showed an understanding that play-off matches are determined more by the quality of the seven substitutes than the perceived pedigree of the starting XV.
The Sharks have been South Africa’s most consistent performer in Super Rugby and Currie Cup, with or without their current Springboks. They play the best rugby and they are South Africa’s best team. They will win the title on Saturday.
458 Comments
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22 Oct 2012, 17:31 pm
@Nikita-297: What can the matter be?
22 Oct 2012, 17:35 pm
@willievz-288:
Danie Craven went straight from your Alma mater’s first team to the Boks before he played for WP.
22 Oct 2012, 17:35 pm
@stormersboy-301:
The Sharkies poluting the thread.
They promised to buy me a row of shark tickets.
22 Oct 2012, 17:37 pm
@Robzim-302: Ahhh, correct that is.
Are there any other post-apartheid players to be added to our list though?
22 Oct 2012, 17:37 pm
@Nikita-303: They’ve been all over the threads with their Lambie man-love the whole day.
I think there were some sticky keyboards at some point.
22 Oct 2012, 17:39 pm
@willievz-304: Schalk is listed in the 2003 CC squad, so it’s likely that he played there.
I think that what the commentators are referring to is him being selected for the Boks before having played Super Rugby. I knew it was something like that, IO had the tournaments confused.
22 Oct 2012, 17:39 pm
@stormersboy-305:
It appears on my screen all day. It gets a bit much.
22 Oct 2012, 17:40 pm
@willievz-304: If you talk squads then Swys Swart springs to mind, remember him?
22 Oct 2012, 17:40 pm
@stormersboy-305:
My prize is a flight to Durban King Shaka airport on Thursday. The big prize is a secret.
22 Oct 2012, 17:41 pm
@willievz-304:
Not sure, I only know of Doc Craven.
22 Oct 2012, 17:42 pm
@stormersboy-308: Yes, but I am referring specifically to guys making their test debut before playing CC.
Think Gaffie might be one, although he definitely played Vodacom Cup.
22 Oct 2012, 17:42 pm
@stormersboy-305: yeah we just trash aint we, whilst the Cape Boys throw the insults around??
@Nikita-303: why not just ban all tthe Sharks supporters,??? would suit you would it???
22 Oct 2012, 17:42 pm
@Nikita-307: I expect it would. Can you imagine the state they’ll be in *** Friday?
22 Oct 2012, 17:44 pm
Finals rugby, its anyones game, but its tru, the odds are stacked up against stormers. Must say, the bulls showed they can play finals rugby, they were actually good in defence, its the blind faith the pretoria coaches place in morne’ that tends to be their undoing. Steyn shuda been subbed after 20mins.
22 Oct 2012, 17:45 pm
@Nikita-309: you should get yourself quarantined and cleaned properly when leaving Durban again.
22 Oct 2012, 17:45 pm
@sharks_lover-312: Never said that, but this has been a hotbed of Lambie this and Lambie that since Saturday. Imagine being a Bulls or Lions supporter around here.
22 Oct 2012, 17:48 pm
@sharks_lover-312:
Why would we do that? There will be nothing to laugh about.
@sharks_lover-315:
Not a bad idea.
22 Oct 2012, 17:50 pm
Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula has done a Dean Greyling on Zuma. Gotto love him.
22 Oct 2012, 17:50 pm
@stormersboy-316: Well excuse us for lilving,
It matters not though that it is in response the negative insults flung at the kid, you dont see Sharks supporters flinging insults at Etsebeth?? when he has been hyped in here?? or Kitshof??
Thing is w have to read daily about us being racists and rubbish province aids infected etc etc etc,
But i guess that OK
22 Oct 2012, 17:53 pm
@stormersboy-316: Having a go to us Sharkies speaking about our player is a bit much don’t you think? When some come on here and are vitriol to each other. Then nothing is said or done about that, but heck let us praise our star flyhalf from the Sharks and all you have fit.
Best us Sharkies leave the site much as the Bulls supporters did.
22 Oct 2012, 17:55 pm
Think its cos finally the hype surrounding Johan Goosen is dying down, and the rest of SA are realising what we’ve alredi known all year, so yes, milking it..
22 Oct 2012, 17:55 pm
@Nikita-309:
well it can’t be anything to do with Keohane then.
22 Oct 2012, 17:56 pm
@sharks_lover-319: Boet, you guys can hardly claim innocence here. Sorry,
No one who tollerates HG and Fern on this site can claim innocence, it doesn’t work out. There’s no “returning serve” there.
22 Oct 2012, 17:56 pm
@Nikita-303: If we poluting this site then best the Shark Supporters leave this site Nikita.
I do remember someone here mentioning to you that the vitriol stuff would have been banned on Roar. You reponded by saying this site don’t treat people as childrend and freedom of speach and all. BUT you have a fit about us talking our fh up from our team? Come on. What has it come to now? Some come on here with their political rubbish and foul mouth and nothing gets done but if we mention Lambie then we should shut up? Best we leave like the Bulls Supporters left in droves.
22 Oct 2012, 17:57 pm
Pat Lambie = Jonny Wilkinson = Bond – James Bond
22 Oct 2012, 17:57 pm
@Puma-324: sorry meant – children
22 Oct 2012, 17:58 pm
@Puma-324:
Freedom of speech yes. Adult state always.
22 Oct 2012, 17:59 pm
@sharks_lover-319:
Very true.
I am out of here. See you on RT.
22 Oct 2012, 18:00 pm
@Puma-320: You guys have clearly lost your sense of humour this afternoon. If my (knowing me the way you do) post is one to push you over the edge then perhaps you are a little too emotionally invested at the moment.
No one is dissing Lambie, but there are some Sharkies who are insulting everyone else, and provoking the responses that they do, If they upset you then you need to self-regulate rather than encourage as some do.
22 Oct 2012, 18:02 pm
@Nikita-327: Nikita,
If you don’t want us to talk about Lambie then you had better suggest to your writers here not to put up articles about the youngster.
If you think Sharks supporters are poluting the place, rather we go blog else where then. Thought this week was about banter between Sharks and Province supporters anyhow.
Cheers out of here.
22 Oct 2012, 18:02 pm
@Nikita-327: So being insulted all the time is ok?? yeah i know youll say i did the same, it happens to be in response to having been insulted.
I am here to talk rugby, instead one gets snide insulting remarks.. but then again you acceptance of it says it all.
enough said, ur welcome to your site….
22 Oct 2012, 18:04 pm
@Puma-330: Im done Puma, check you on the other sites where adults blog
and of course where you dont have to ask permission to talk about your team or their players
22 Oct 2012, 18:07 pm
@stormersboy-329: I have a good sense of humour M. Also I never get into who says what here. I have always stayed out of it. Here I was talking about a player dammit bud. Then we are told by someone here that works on this site us Sharks Supporters are poluting the place. Come on that was a bit much. There are many of us here, we don’t have to be prefect to our other supporters and tell them what and not what to say, come on man, that is not on. It is childish.
You is upsetting me? I take no notice of most. You know that. But come on if we can’t talk about a rugby player and told to shut up, then really what is the damn point of blogging here on a rugby site?
Cheers M. See you on RT but I am definitely out of here.
22 Oct 2012, 18:09 pm
Stomersboy
Saying a sharks fan should imagine what its like being a loser and everyone having a proper gloat is funny. Mate iv been on this site for years. I have taken all of it on the chin. The guys can gloat all day and week if they like. Its funny that the rest feel they have the monopoly on gloating. Il give you a simple example. Remember the 07 super final. If you remember the carnage. I think Ranger and myself were the only ones that were left on here that week. So let people enjoy theselves. Its not their fault the Highveld bunch lost.
22 Oct 2012, 18:09 pm
@sharks_lover-332: For sure. See you over there.
Some really have disappointed me here. Jeez the bloody check to say we are poluting the place. Sharks Supporters should never blog here again. Probably the reason the Bulls Supporters all left.
See you on the otherside.
22 Oct 2012, 18:11 pm
@skunk-334: I have been blogging here for 5 years and have never read for anyone that works here that sharks supporters polute this place. Bloody insulting to some of us that never cause trouble.
I am gone from here.
22 Oct 2012, 18:12 pm
@Puma-330:
If you want to give you should be able to take. Who said you can’t say what you like?
Lambie is fab. Okey! Kiss and make up.
22 Oct 2012, 18:13 pm
@Puma-336:
Oh dear.
22 Oct 2012, 18:14 pm
Lots of Stormer/WP players took abuse here, and also their fans
Examples….
jean de Villiers has been called a donkey…… Duane Vermeulen a fatso…Andries Bekker a “parkie bankie vryer”, Deon Fourie has been called scum….. farkit, someone once even had a go at the pimples on Frans Malherbe’s cheeks (thankfully, it has since cleared up)
And then there are also names such as Rugridders,brokebacks..etc…that are aimed on a nearly daily basis at Stormer supporters/players/fans etc
Naw, this place is not or the over-sensitve or for people who take themselves too serious.
22 Oct 2012, 18:15 pm
@Puma-336:
You will be back. Too good here to resist. Nag ou grote
22 Oct 2012, 18:16 pm
@Robzim-339:
You don’t need to explain. It must be that time of the month.
22 Oct 2012, 18:18 pm
YIIIPPPPPEEEE
They’ve gone!!!!!!!!!!
22 Oct 2012, 18:19 pm
People forget this is a RUGBY blog. The banter gets waaay to personal and at times offensive. I blame the moderator for that. If Sharks fans are polluting the blog who would you rather have?
22 Oct 2012, 18:20 pm
Now PLEASE take that Heavens Gwathole too
22 Oct 2012, 18:20 pm
They will be back come Saturday, trust me. Maybe even sooner.
22 Oct 2012, 18:20 pm
@Nikita-340:
The words of the song Hotel California comes to mind:
“You can check out any time you like but you can never leave”
22 Oct 2012, 18:21 pm
@skunk-343:
Oh dear.
22 Oct 2012, 18:21 pm
@Robzim-339:
Most of these comments come from one individual.
22 Oct 2012, 18:22 pm
Rob
I agree. But let people give it and not have other act more important. Anyways my skin is way too thick for the c r a p to get to me.
22 Oct 2012, 18:22 pm
@Jinx2-348:
and they are really sick.
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