Rassie Erasmus
Despite four tries to Griquas flyer Bjorn Basson at the Stadium last night, the Sharks still managed to secure a 48-30 bonus-point victory and maintain their winning streak in the Currie Cup.
The 4 Currie Cup Premier Division games all happen tonight, Friday night 27 August 2010, with only 2 of the 4 games broadcast live on TV, that of WP vs Free State Cheetahs (SuperSport 1) and Pumas vs Blue Bulls (SuperSport 7)
Here are the Team sheets:
Sharks 27 / WP 16 (Final Score)
The Sharks host Vodacom Western Province at ABSA Stadium, Durban at 19:15 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match is broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
Here are the Currie Cup Teams for the weekend, as they are announced.
The Sharks will be biting their nails about the fitness of steamrolling loose forward Willem Alberts for the next few days.
It seems Utility Back Conrad Hoffmann of Western province is heading to warmer waters. The Sharks are hoping to offer the young WP versatile player a new home at the tank in Durban.
Free State Cheetahs winger Lionel Mapoe faces an uncertain future after failing to return to Bloemfontein after losing his contractual dispute with his provincial team.
If rumours are to be believed, Rory Kockott will be playing for the Stormers / WP in 2011. Continue reading
Leopards (6) 6 / Sharks (32) 51 (Final Score)
The Platinum Leopards hosted the Sharks at Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg at 19:10 SA Time. This is the match htread for discussion of the game. The game was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
The Sharks won handsomely as expected, scoring 7 tries in the process and keeping the Leopards tryless.
One has to admire the Leopards though, they never lie down.
The Final Score is Sharks 51 / Leopards 6.
THE SHARKS are keeping their options open after an arbitration ruling found that winger Lionel Mapoe has a valid contract with the Cheetahs following an ongoing dispute involving the three parties.
Another 4 head to head games are in the offing this weekend in the Currie Cup Premier Division.
They are:
Friday 13 Auust 2010:
- GWK Griquas vs Barloworld Toyota Pumas – GWK Park, Kimberley at 19:00 SA Time
- Platinum Leopards vs Sharks – Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg at 19:10 SA Time
Saturday 14 August 2010:
- Xerox Lions vs Vodacom Free State Cheetahs – Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg at 15:00 SA Time
- Vodacom Western Province vs Vodacom Blue Bulls – Newlands, Cape Town at 17:05 SA Time
The Sharks’ hopes of winning back the Currie Cup from the Blue Bulls this year took a big knock on Tuesday with the news that Jean Deysel’s season is over.
Sharks (18) 48 / Lions (16) 19 (Final Score)
The Sharks hosted the Xerox Lions at ABSA Park, Durban at 17:05 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The game was broadcast live on M-Net, SuperSport 1 and on SuperSport HD on DSTV in SA.
The Lions held the Sharks well till halftime but by then the Sharks had already enjoyed 70% Territorial Advantage and most of the possession.
After halftime the Sharks turned on the taps and ran the Lions ragged, eventually running out with a 29-point winning margin. They won 48 / 19.
We are already well into the Currie Cup Premier Competition of 2010, with WP, The Sharks and Griquas, setting the pace so far and The Leopards and Pumas hanging on at the bottom.
This weekend sees another 4 matches, as follows:
- Vodacom Blue Bulls vs Platinum Leopards – Loftus at 19:10 SA Time on Friday 6 August 2010
- Barloworld Toyota Pumas vs Vodacom Free State Cheetahs – Witbank at 15:00 on Saturday 7 August 2010
- GWK Griquas vs Vodacom Western Province – GWK Park, Kimberley at 15:00 on Saturday 7 August 2010
- Sharks vs Xerox Lions – ABSA Stadium, Durban at 17:05 on Saturday 7 August 2010
Cheetahs (10) 13 / Sharks (3) 25 (Final Score)
The Vodacom Free State Cheetahs host the Sharks at Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein at 15:00 SA Time. This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The game is broadcast live on SuperSport 1 on DSTV in SA.
The Cheetahs squandered a lead to let the Sharks come back with some excellent play and winning by 25 / 13.
There may be more than a touch of irony in the decision, but the Sharks have made another major signing when they snapped up the signature of Bulls fly-half Jacques-Louis Potgieter for the 2011 season.
The Sharks are ninth on the log, on 21 points after their four successive wins; the Blues are seventh (25 points) but they have a far easier closing month to their campaign.
After a day off to overcome their travel weariness, the Sharks returned to training in earnest on Tuesday morning as they set their sights on Saturday’s game against the Reds, with coach John Plumtree identifying the visitors’ 9-10 combination as a major threat.
By Craig Lewis
Sharks coach John Plumtree appears to be ready to return home to New Zealand, after reports surfaced that he had applied to take over as Hurricanes coach next year. Continue reading
The Sharks are probably the team in World Rugby that made the most of the game going professional, for one thing with the help of Mr. Price they sure sell a hell of a lot of T-Shirts. Continue reading