Sharks to see off Stormers
28 Feb 2013
MARK KEOHANE writes Stormers fans must prepare for more Super Rugby misery in Durban.
The Sharks will beat the Stormers in Durban. It won’t be an easy victory but when these two teams play one point is emphatic enough in the chase to being the best South African team in the competition.
The Sharks were magnificent in beating the Stormers in Cape Town in the 2012 semi-final season and in turn the Stormers, in the guise of Western Province in the Currie Cup final, were as magnificent in winning the title in Durban.
The Sharks were surprisingly edgy and tentative in the final quarter in Bloemfontein to hang on against the Cheetahs, but then the Cheetahs did beat the Stormers in Bloemfontein in a pre-season match.
I know Elton Jantjies will be better but the Stormers are missing the colossal presence of lock Eben Etzebeth more even than the Sharks are missing the influence of Bok hooker Bismark du Plessis.
The Sharks pack is good enough to get an edge, especially in the collisions, but it’s the Sharks back division that will trouble the Stormers more than the Bulls did.
Pat Lambie asks more attacking questions at flyhalf and Frans Steyn has a physicality at No 12 that wasn’t there in the Bulls line-up.
The back three of the Sharks, as a unit, also shades the visitors.
It is going to be difficult for the Stormers and while away defeats aren’t a train smash in the tournament, it does add to the pressure of a ‘must win’ situation when playing at home.
The Bulls will win easily against the Force and get the bonus point and the Cheetahs will be competitive against the Chiefs and may just get a bonus point for tries scored if the game opens up as expected. The Chiefs will win and get five league points.
The Kings will enjoy their second great weekend in the competition because of the bye. Thereafter it will become decidedly tougher and demanding for a squad blessed with passion and desire but very limited on pedigree at this level.
For those who like to forget when I do get it right, 3/3 last week in relation to the SA teams. That’s right I couldn’t find too many on Twitter and the inbox was predictably empty with the clever guys who offered such articulate abuse at me picking the Bulls and Kings to win.
I expect another slow post match response when the Sharks do the business in Durban.
731 Comments
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28 Feb 2013, 09:14 am
Stating the obvious Dragons?
Don’t write the Stormers off though. The Sharkies will have to play really well to beat them.
28 Feb 2013, 09:15 am
hahaha, good on you mate admit when you wrong and gloat when you are right.
28 Feb 2013, 09:15 am
Cursed Keo Dragon!!!
Agree though wp missing Eban.
28 Feb 2013, 09:22 am
When I said I put the Nortier Superbru kiss of death on the Sharks someone mentioned that it isn’t official until Keo and HG also went for the Sharks.
Well I guess it’s official now
28 Feb 2013, 09:22 am
do it Sharks
just do it
28 Feb 2013, 09:22 am
I’m confused now.
If the brokebacks lose are they still the overwhelming favourites to win the SA conference.
Did they lose to the Bulls only because the ref made a mistake and because of the absence of Estebeth.
Hmmmmm.
BTW Keo when is KeoTV relaunching?
28 Feb 2013, 09:23 am
Cheetahs to moer the Chiefs.
28 Feb 2013, 09:30 am
Sharks are definitely the favourites.
28 Feb 2013, 09:35 am
Stormers to struggle. Set pieces are a joke, captain on supplements for the aged not steroids, still figuring out how to score tries and flyhalf that is so low on confidence doesn’t want to kick at posts. Locks after last week wont want lineouts and hooker been permanently withdrawn from any activity that resembles darts. Missing their best loose forward and actual captain. Sharks by 15.
28 Feb 2013, 09:38 am
OH there we go the KISS of DEATH, just as I was feeling quietly confident!
Keo if your predictions prove correct I will be the first to come on twitter and acknowledge so not to mention you should have a brilliant week with all the Kisses I will be blowing you from PMB!
28 Feb 2013, 09:38 am
@RL-6: Sorry RL. We never were the overwhelming faves…guppiemanwhore.
How can a team with fatspermwhales, halfdeaddonkies, lightweights and losers be faves?
The only time the Stormers would have been installed as faves this season, was if HG and Tyrone happened to support them.
28 Feb 2013, 09:40 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-11:
Floralprintboardshortwhitevestgoldchainponytailsmilies.
28 Feb 2013, 09:43 am
Correct Keo.
I’ll be much more interested in your prediction next week, when the Stormers face the Chiefs at home.
Because that’s when it’s gonna start getting really contentious.
28 Feb 2013, 09:51 am
Stormers by 40.
28 Feb 2013, 09:52 am
@Bagel-14: De Kock Steenkamp to get a hatrick.
28 Feb 2013, 09:54 am
@Bagel-15:
Kitshoff to score a try from 80m out?
28 Feb 2013, 09:54 am
WP beat the Sharks in the CC final mainly as a result of completely destroying their lineouts.
The man who did the damage last time (Etsebeth) is not playing while his very able replacement (Bekker) will unfortunately not only have to deal with the Sharks’ locks but also with the wayward throwing of his own teammate Fourie.
The return of Frans Steyn wont make much difference- de Allende should not have many problems to deal with him while his captaincy skills (or lack of it) might be tested when the heat is on.
Taking everything into consideration I do however think the Sharks are favourites to win by about 7 points.
28 Feb 2013, 09:57 am
Sharkstoshowyetagainthatpeoplewithspacebarsaresuperior.
Bloggersnamedafterteamstheyhatetolookliketheknobstheyare.
28 Feb 2013, 09:58 am
@WP-Forever-16: Come on dude, be serious now.
28 Feb 2013, 10:00 am
@Tacitus-13: Come now – everyone knows the Chiefs will win that at a canter.
28 Feb 2013, 10:04 am
@kaksioek-20: Probably, considering what they did to the Sharks last year….
28 Feb 2013, 10:04 am
Everyone keeps talking about how this is a must win for the Stormers. Well just to be clear, the Stormers do not see it that way. Allister was very adamant yesterday in saying that the process of gelling and playing properly, synergy if you will (to coin an AC favorite) was all important. he even went so far as to say that the result was not nearly as important as how they play.
Waitforit…
28 Feb 2013, 10:06 am
@Bagel-19: Will score if he can get his head out his butt after first scrum, If Bulls front row annihilated him imagine what Beast and Jannie will do. I predict Kitzhoff will be playing in the backline with Bekker for most of the game.
28 Feb 2013, 10:07 am
@stormersboy-22: Ja, I remember when watching the Stormers’ last match I thought to myself: the Bulls might be winning on the scoreboard but the Stormers are taking all the style points back to Kaapstad. Beautiful rugby.
28 Feb 2013, 10:07 am
@stormersboy-22:
It’s not a must win, no. But if they lose, it makes all their home games must wins.
28 Feb 2013, 10:07 am
@stormersboy-22: In fact he even used the old favorite “clinical” just to underline how serious he was.
It made an interesting contrast from the usually easy going demeanor that he usually displays.
28 Feb 2013, 10:07 am
@stormersboy-22: Sounds like AC thinks they’ve lost already
28 Feb 2013, 10:10 am
This will be very close.
Stormers missing Etsebeth and a their normal hooker and JdJ.
Sharks missing Alberts and their normal hooker and Whitehead.
No way will the Stormers be bossed up front like they were against the Bulls.
Theyll come out firing and hopefully the Sharks can just keep their composure in the latter stages.
28 Feb 2013, 10:10 am
Another clinical loss coming up for the conference title holders, followed by an equally clinical loss against the tournament title holders. Such consistency – frightening stuff for the other teams in the competition.
28 Feb 2013, 10:10 am
This could be bad for the Stormers. If they lose to the Sharks, and lose well as it currently seem, the Stormers will face the Chiefs next.
This COULD mean the Stormers could be the bottom team after Round 3. Could possibly climb with their bye in round 4, but the Force, Kings and Rebels already had their byes (with points) by that time. And then they face a motivated Brumbies team. Ouch.
28 Feb 2013, 10:11 am
@FrenklyMuDeah-27: I think that AC is trying to see the bigger picture here. We have a lot of games to play this year, it’s not made or broken in the first 2 weeks. Ask the Sharks.
He also said that they were not feeling under any external pressure, all the pressure that they felt was internal after what they referred to as a very poor showing last week.
28 Feb 2013, 10:11 am
Sorry. Meant Round 4, with the Aussies starting earlier.
28 Feb 2013, 10:11 am
Sharks definitely have no chance now…
The Keo Curse well and truly caste…
Not that the Stormers needed Keo anyway…
Of course they are going to go to the Sharks home ground and fuckthem up well and truly with their A team plus their 2 magnificent Lions…
Their B team did it just last year…
Yes…
Sharkshit no hopers, why do they even bother to turn up…
28 Feb 2013, 10:14 am
@FrenklyMuDeah-27: Very few of us don’t…
Then again the Stormers have happiply surprised me before. Perhaps the Bulls games will motivate them.
I also believe Elton can make a huge impact if he’s on song. But that’s unlikely going on last week’s performance.
28 Feb 2013, 10:14 am
@Robzim-17: Yes Rob the Sharks are the favourites for sure. The Stormers will have to put up a much better fight if they want to be competitive at all.
Eben is a huge loss. Steenkamp is no no. 4 lock. The Sharks will throw a lot to the front and use shortened lineouts. IMO Burden is not too safe at lineout time and will not want to throw at 5 where Bekker will be waiting. We have discussed Fourie’s weakness but Burden will also miss his jumpers occasionally.
If Proudfoot has done his homework he should use Bekker in the front (from time to time) on opposition ball, if only to make Burden nervous.
28 Feb 2013, 10:15 am
@stormersboy-31: Just joking. But seriously, surely intention must be to win every game from start of season to stop yourself getting into position Sharks did last year. Don’t understand “building phases”, “more important to gel”. Best thing that can happen to a team is to win, a bad win is much more inspirational than a good loss.
28 Feb 2013, 10:15 am
tell you what…if the stormers beat the sharks this site is going to go befok.
and I’ll just sit back and have a laugh.
28 Feb 2013, 10:16 am
@Robzim-17: Your logic is “impeccable”, not…
Why say Sharks to win by 7, if any changes to the Sharks in comparison to the CC final “wont make any difference at all”?
Why not just state what you believe – that the awesome Stormers, Conference Title holders and CC Champs are going to fckthe Sharks up in their own back yard, just as your B team did in the CC final…
Of course the Storming Gods Gift to Rugby are going to do this… Player for player they are by far the better team…
28 Feb 2013, 10:17 am
@Heavens Game-33: Cause they want to get paid. Damn Mercenaries, but I agree, it would be easier for all if they just conceded now. God forbid one of them manages to injure one of our stars, especially the Inspirational Bok Captin.
28 Feb 2013, 10:17 am
@kaksioek-18: You still whinging about my username? ****I will pray for you***. It’s been a year……….
@CharlesM-35: Sharks by 11. Sound about right HG?
28 Feb 2013, 10:18 am
@Bouts-30: That’s what nortierd has predicted earlier during the week.
28 Feb 2013, 10:18 am
@Bouts-30:
And don’t forget the Crusaders in the game after that.
28 Feb 2013, 10:19 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-37:
28 Feb 2013, 10:21 am
Desperate and fired up Stormers…..
I like…..
28 Feb 2013, 10:21 am
Keo’s fu.ukked the guppies in the eye.
28 Feb 2013, 10:23 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-37: No hope in hell Brig
Alas……….. I will be satisfied if the Stormers (in loss) can do the following:
Win 70% of their lineout ball….
Win 50% of their own scrums…against a Bok front row.
Manage to limit the ‘best backline in the competition guppies with general Lambie’ to 5 tries.
That is about all one can hope…..
28 Feb 2013, 10:24 am
@stormersboy-31:
AC has a point- even if they only have 1-2 points after the first three matches it is no trainsmash- they usually tour very well and also have a relatively easy last 4 matches- Kings (home and away), Cheetahs (home) and Bulls (home). A 19/20 for these 4 matches seems quite possible, even likely.
28 Feb 2013, 10:24 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-37: I don’t think it will happen Brig !!! If it does, it will be a huge upset !!!! (unlike the predictions by Heavens Game)
28 Feb 2013, 10:25 am
@gunther-45: No-one can fucktheguppiesinthe eye, but the guppies themselves.
They have to learn to overcome the mental implosion that comes whenever they wear the favourites tag. Even the most loyal amongst the fishyonesfollowing should admit to this.
28 Feb 2013, 10:25 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-46:
You are starting to sound like Corporal Boom.
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