‘WP have formula to beat Sharks’
25 Oct 2012
WP defence coach Jacques Nienaber believes his team has the blueprint to become the first SA side to beat the Sharks at Kings Park this year.
Nienaber is praised as the guru who has masterminded the Cape teams’ defensive structures, which excelled during Super Rugby and the Currie Cup over the last three years.
The Stormers’ strong guard helped them qualify for two semi-finals (2011 and 2012) and one final (2010) in Super Rugby. WP also featured in one semi-final (2011) and a final (2010) on the domestic scene.
However, those teams all lost their respective play-off matches, extending their title drought to 11 years. The last piece of silverware added to the Newlands trophy cabinet was the 2001 Currie Cup (that’s if you exclude the over-hyped South African conference title won in Super Rugby).
These three years of finals rugby heartache forced the management to rethink their game plan. Backline coach Robbie Fleck revealed to this site in September that this year’s domestic campaign would be used to implement a stronger attacking game, which their players have bought into.
Gio Aplon told me midway during the league phase: ‘We’ve realised the hard way that a strong defence won’t win semi-finals and finals. It’s good enough to get you to the top of the league, but you have to be able to attack well if you want to win those play-off games.’
As a result, WP have scored the second most tries in the tournament (behind the Sharks) and are the third top point-scorers (close behind the Sharks and Golden Lions). They showed great composure with ball in hand to score a late try for a 21-16 comeback semi-final win over the Lions at Ellis Park.
They now have the opportunity to carry that momentum into the final against the Sharks, who have beaten all South African teams at Kings Park during Super Rugby and the Currie Cup in 2012.
While the Sharks have beaten the Stormers and WP four out of five times during these tournaments, Nienaber said the last two defeats have helped the team progress.
‘We were beaten 43-27 in Durban during round two, but we played with 12 men at one stage,’ Nienaber told keo.co.za. ‘We were still in the game before we were issued those two red cards and the final yellow card just made things even more difficult. The Sharks scored three tries with a greater man advantage.
‘But earlier in the game, we were very competitive. We manned up against their powerful pack and had the technical game plan that troubled them.
‘The 25-23 loss in Cape Town in the opening round was a learning curve for us. While we were placing a greater focus on attack, it revealed we didn’t have an effective scramble defence. Most of their tries came from turnovers in possession. But the situation has improved since then. We’ve lost many of our first-choice players to injury, but we have the formula to beat the Sharks in the final.
‘This greater balance between attack, defence and tactical kicking plan also bodes well for Super Rugby next year.’
Nienaber added that the Sharks’ defence and kicking game have been key in their successful year, especially during the Currie Cup.
‘Many people believe the Sharks are doing well because of their strong attack,’ he said. ‘But the Sharks have improved very well on defence. They’re also kicking the ball a lot. The Currie Cup stats show that they’ve kicked the most during the tournament. They even had six more kicks than the Blue Bulls in the semi-final. I don’t think anyone has picked up on that.’
Nienaber believes discipline will be vital in Saturday’s Currie Cup showdown: ‘The Lions conceded more penalties than us at Ellis Park last weekend, but we leaked too many in kickable positions and gave Elton Jantjies a chance to boot his team to victory. We can’t afford that against the Sharks and Pat Lambie.’
By Gareth Duncan
251 Comments
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25 Oct 2012, 06:59 am
Let the Sharks do the talking boys….put a cork in it WP….
25 Oct 2012, 07:14 am
finally an end to the your the favourites, no your the favourites excuse me for being in the finals nonsense
25 Oct 2012, 07:21 am
Pipe Down Nienaber, Log says that u lost 5 out of 10 matches, this blueprint you speak of kaak.
Odds are stacked heavily in Sharks favor, still think its going to be an entertaining game.
25 Oct 2012, 07:23 am
‘This greater balance between attack and
defence also bodes well for Super Rugby
next year.’
these WP okes are SLOW on the uptake hehehe, at least they’ve seen the folly of their rigid 2012 “defence wins games” strategy.
25 Oct 2012, 07:31 am
@BokkeYouBeauties-3:
its gonna be an arnwrestle, its not gonna be pretty judging by the cagey interviews given by the coaches
25 Oct 2012, 07:33 am
@Transformation-4:
I would say 11 out of 13 is not bad in a long Super Rugby season with all the injuries we had.
Cracked at the end but it was a successful strategy.
25 Oct 2012, 07:36 am
@mamma_lou-5:
arnwrestle = armwrestle
weather also big factor in type of game. must say that the saarks handling has been very good in the wet though
25 Oct 2012, 08:06 am
Expect Sharks to try go all Crusaders/Chiefs on WP defence
25 Oct 2012, 08:43 am
Where the formula? I know you got formula – where you hide it?!
25 Oct 2012, 08:46 am
IMO i think the team who scores the most points in the game will take it ….
25 Oct 2012, 08:47 am
sharks favourite …. on paper WP looks better …. if JDV, Bekker, Liebenberg, Kolisi, etc played … WP would’ve walked it!
25 Oct 2012, 08:54 am
15. Ludick, Viljoen
14. JPP, Odwa
13. Jordaan, Mjekevu
12. FSteyn, Whitehead
11. Mvovu, Sithole
10. Lambie, Bosman
09. Reinach, McLeod
08. Daniel, Kankowski
07. Alberts, Deysel
06. Coetzee, Mtemba
05. Bresler, Franco vdm
04. Steph di Toit, Marais
03. Jannie Dup, Herbst
02. Bissie, Burden, Cooper
01. Beast, Chadwick
Say what you will about Straeuli, he has done an amazing job recruiting a well covered squad. Got to be one of the favorites for the S15 2013!
25 Oct 2012, 08:56 am
Problem area :
05. Bresler, Franco vdm
04. Steph di Toit, Marais
25 Oct 2012, 08:58 am
interesting … Sykes playing tomorrow … some come 2013, EP kings will have better locks than the Sharks ….
25 Oct 2012, 09:00 am
Also 2 future EP Kings players playing in the CC final …. 0 from the Bulls, Lions & Cheetahs …… interesting indeed!!
25 Oct 2012, 09:06 am
@suffer_guy-13: Bresler has been good all year, he is only 23/24, PSDT will become a great player, that is evident already, but I agree, throwing someone like Bakkies in there would be great.
With Botes still there, I will be tempted to shift Deysel into the lock position, he is only 1.91, but he can do the job if Kanko starts as a lineout option.
Hope they are planning to give Sykes a great send-off, he has been a Durban favorite for many a year – might just add to the motivation, not that this game is in the balance imo.
25 Oct 2012, 09:09 am
@suffer_guy-15: Ha ha, now that’s scraping the barrel.
25 Oct 2012, 09:09 am
@coma-12:
Who are Mvovu and Mtemba?
25 Oct 2012, 09:12 am
Nienaber believes discipline will be vital in Saturday’s Currie Cup showdown: ‘The Lions conceded more penalties than us at Ellis Park last weekend, but we leaked too many in kickable positions and gave Elton Jantjies a chance to boot his team to victory. We can’t afford that against the Sharks and Pat Lambie.’
So what Nienaber is saying is, Elton is k@kker than Lambie …. nice one Elton, your future ***. coach doesn’t think alot of you …
25 Oct 2012, 09:13 am
@mxhosa-18: LOL, did you miss Steph di Toit? Racist!!
25 Oct 2012, 09:22 am
@coma-20: One would expect someone with xhosa in their nic would understand. Must be a member of the Eastern Cape “taal polisie”. You have been warned.
25 Oct 2012, 09:22 am
I see Sunni Bin has lost his trainer with less than a month to go to his fight with Fransie Botha. The trainer’s son had a spat with Sunni Bin’s manager, and the trainer reckons family is more important than fame, so he’s sticking by his son.
Williams won’t last three rounds of this fight.
25 Oct 2012, 09:25 am
@coma-20:
Racist indeed. How could you misspel, Du Toit?
25 Oct 2012, 09:27 am
@coma-12: “Got to be one of the favorites for the S15 2013!’
They were favourites this season too and finished 6th on the log.
25 Oct 2012, 09:32 am
@katman-22: The Lions held their annual Awards Ceremony last night, awarding players for their contribution to the Union for the rugby season.
Lionel Mapoe walked away with two awards, being the backline player of the year as well as the Players’ Player of the Year.
Franco van der Merwe was named forward player of the year while JC Janse van Rensburg was named as overall Player of the Year.
All the winners are listed below:
U-19 Backline Player of the Year – Harold Vorster
U-19 Forward Player of the Year – Dirk Kotze
U-19 Player of the Year – Albertus Smith
U-21 Backline Player of the Year – Robert de Bruyn
U-21 Forward Player of the Year – Etienne Oosthuizen
U-21 Player of the Year – Stephan de Wit
Referee’s Award – Rashivenge Fhatuweni
Senior Backline Player of the Year – Lionel Mapoe
Senior Forward Player of the Year – Franco van der Merwe
Senior Lions Man (Players Player) of the Year – Lionel Mapoe
Senior Lions Man – JC Janse van Rensburg
25 Oct 2012, 09:38 am
@Transformation-24: Can I fill that half empty glass of yours?
They were runners-up Transie, and started the S15 with allot of injuries. The youngsters will get better and there is far greater competition for places now than at the start of the year. Write them off if you like!
25 Oct 2012, 09:39 am
@Transformation-25: Sounds about right. My backline player would have been a toss up between Jantjies and Mapoe, and up front it’s hard to choose between JC and Franco. Warren Whitely should also get a mention here.
25 Oct 2012, 09:41 am
@coma-26: they’ve been “favourites” since 2009 chap, underachiever?
if the playoffs were only the top 4 teams the Sharks would be nowhere near “runner up” status…
25 Oct 2012, 09:43 am
@katman-22: I do hope Supersport will broadcast this battle
Although I doubt it, as I seem to remember reading that Fox and Sky will be broadcasting in Oz and NZ – no mention was made of SA.
Hell, I hope we can pick it up somewhere.
25 Oct 2012, 09:45 am
@Transformation-24: They are always the ‘team to beat’…..until they get beaten. Worse than the WP with their, “next year is our year” kak. Guppies own that mantra, not us.
25 Oct 2012, 09:48 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-29: I’m super keen to watch it, but I have a feeling the Kiwis will try to block our broadcast, citing the Prevention of Glorifying Bullying Act as motivation.
25 Oct 2012, 09:50 am
@katman-31:
I’m sure there will be an interweb broadcast we can follow (safely tucked away from the Kiwi ‘thought’ Police)
25 Oct 2012, 09:50 am
@Transformation-28: Nobody likes the format, but you play by the rules determined before the comp started.
Nowhere near? They were level with the 5th place Bulls on log points and had more than the 3rd place reds. I detect a little bit of jealously towards the Sharks in your responses.
Like I said, you are welcome to write them off. And I am welcome to voice my opinions.
25 Oct 2012, 09:57 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-30: You right, deep down every WP supporter has made peace with the fact that they will never win a major trophy ever again.
We, on the other hand will stay positive of winning competitions, starting on Saturday!
25 Oct 2012, 10:00 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-32: Curious to know why you always call the internet the interweb?
25 Oct 2012, 10:02 am
@Anomander-35: He gets caught up in it every day!
25 Oct 2012, 10:04 am
@coma-36: Hmm, that makes no sense as it work the other way around as well. Maybe he heard it on Die Antwoords video and thought that they cant be wrong.
25 Oct 2012, 10:08 am
@coma-37: I think “he” is a “she” ?
25 Oct 2012, 10:09 am
@Anomander-35:
I’ve noticed it’s become quite a common term, and actually makes sense, as the web is just a user of the internet and not the same thing.
25 Oct 2012, 10:10 am
@coma-34: this is true.
the wp players probably puke like kiwis before every semi and final.
25 Oct 2012, 10:12 am
@Anomander-38: she/he is a little excitable.
anyone got a ball?
25 Oct 2012, 10:14 am
@coma-34: I hope you are referring to just him and not the rest of us.
I expect Province to ruin your year on Saturday by turning you over.
25 Oct 2012, 10:16 am
@Anomander-38: Oh yes, I forgot, not used to women talking that much nonsense.
In that case: @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-30: You right my love, you are always right!!
25 Oct 2012, 10:20 am
@BishopsOD-42: Good on you! It will be a statement of note.
Do you have enough drugs to last you till then?
25 Oct 2012, 10:20 am
the wp formula:
(hope x desperation)/ losing streak = this must be our year
25 Oct 2012, 10:23 am
@Anomander-35:
It’s slang for the Internet. It’s first recorded (albeit, accidental) use was by George W. Bush during the 2004 presidential election debates…
25 Oct 2012, 10:24 am
ayadlala kanene lamagxagxa kule mpela veki amagqibela ka nkqoyi. andinaxesha labo ke kodwa , abazuyikhaba ibhola bazoyifinkxa fondini.
25 Oct 2012, 10:25 am
@wp. winning nothing never looked so easy-45: (co.cky x Over confidence)/supporters expectation = broken hearts!!!
25 Oct 2012, 10:25 am
@WP-Forever-46:
Oh, no, wait, I am mistaken.
Bush used the word “the Internets” in the third Gore-Bush presidential debate in 2000.
25 Oct 2012, 10:25 am
@WP-Forever-46: ali g used it long before.
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