The departure of Johann Muller to Australia to join the Springboks will mean another change of captaincy when the Sharks travel to Wellington for Friday’s ABSA Currie Cup clash with the Boland Cavaliers.
Muller, after missing much of the season through an arm injury, was back in the saddle when the Sharks lost to Western Province in Durban last weekend. He had returned to rugby the previous week when the Sharks thumped Griquas 41-6 but Stefan Terblanche had retained the captaincy for that match to allow Muller to settle back in without having the additional pressure of having to lead the team.
After losing 21-9 to the Sharks at the weekend, his team’s second defeat of the season and with both of them with him as the captain, Muller quipped “Now Stefan is going to keep telling me about his 100% record as captain”.
But Terblanche won’t be talking to Muller at all for the next little while, for he will be taking charge of a team that will be without their experienced lock forward and regular team leader over the next two weekends. Muller was called up to join the Boks on the away leg of the Tri-Nations on Tuesday as a replacement for Andries Bekker and cover for the two lock replacements reportedly carrying niggles, Bakkies Botha and Danie Rossouw.
Albert van den Berg will probably slot into Muller’s place against the Cavaliers, who have had a poor season and are unlikely to stretch a Sharks team no doubt smarting from their defeat to WP. Where his absence might be more keenly felt, however, is in what is sure to be a keenly fought return clash with the Blue Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday week.
Good news for the Sharks though is the return to fitness of former national age-group captain Alistair Hargreaves. The lock has been out of action since the Sharks’ fourth game of the Super 14 against the Blues with a foot injury which was initially supposed to take just a few weeks to heal but which eventually extended to several months. Word from Durban is that Hargreaves is ready to play immediately if required, but if he does play against Boland, it will probably be off the bench.
The bad news for the Sharks is that the injury to Wiehahn Herbst will, as coach John Plumtree puts it, “seriously stress our depth in that area”. The prop dislocated an ankle against WP and is out for the rest of the season.
Once the Bok reinforcements return from New Zealand and Australia the absence of Herbst, who played impressively after only recently being introduced to this level of rugby, won’t be so keenly felt. But the match at Loftus in 10 days time could have a vital impact on the Sharks’ chances of booking a home semi-final.
@Snoek – 28
Yes its a nice blog this. Think there are 3 of us here. Sharks_Lover posts here too sometimes.
Cheers Snoek have to go out will try and blog a bit later.
1. Loosehead –
@Snoek –
Hey guys, just testing something for GBS. Will chat now-now
@Snoek – 30
Agree I too enjoy reading PissAnts comments on rugby. GBS and Ed should get PissAnt to write some articles here. I used to read some of PissAnts writing on some other blog he has a great knowledge of rugby and writes well.
Okay thats me for now. Cheers Snoek.
@Snoek – 28, Met ‘n bynaam soos Snoek kan jy mos nie ‘n Shark supporter wees nie!…
29 @ Polla – Jinne Polla, maar dit is ‘n slim hond hierdie. Ek voer hom maar genoeg kalsuim vir die bene, ek verstaan die feit dat hulle so vinnig groei is nie goed vir die bene nie.
@Snoek – Ek sal nou nie weet van die bene storie nie, weet net hulle vreet baie!
35 @ Polla – Ek het hierdie al ‘n paar keer verduidelik, maar sal maar weer.
Ek het my nic van Snoek al lank gebruik orals waar ek op die internet gaan, nie net op rugby sites nie.
Eintlik laaik ek snoekbraai kwaai, en dit is maar waar die nic vandaan kom. Dit het eers ‘n probleem geraak op die rugby site omdat almal my nou sien as ‘n WP ondersteuner. Maar ek is al so lank Snoek dat ek dit nie regtig wil verander nie.
@Puma –
Tell me what you want me to write about the game and I will see what I can put together for you!
I have not studied the game for this long and done all those courses for nothing, it needs to be shared! Then I can mail GBS the arti.
Solank dit net nie pap snoek is nie.lol…bynaam maak seker ook sin, Haaie hou ook van snoek!
@PissAnt –
Tell me whats your take on people saying this is one of the best Bok teams ever?
I have my doubts on that one. Very solid team, but think there is still alot of space for improvement.
@Snoek –
Jammer oor die StB pel.
Maar die Dane is ook goed, ook nie n rondloper nie, kry hom net groot en niemand sal waag om hom te steel nie!
@PissAnt –
Hello Mr Mier!
Yip, with both you and Tighthead here we are looking forward to some solid articles from you two fundii.
ok guys
does anyone know whether the boks had any feedback on the scrumming issue from last weekends game?
(now where’s all that guys with “sources close to the camp” when you need them!!)
hehehe
@ashley – Heard from reliable source that Snorre phone Rassie for advice. Seems the boks r pushing for uncontested scrums. Worked for Rassie 🙄
45@K9-MonsterLeeu –
😀 f*k, maar die leeu-ondersteuners het weer lelike maniere die week. wonder wat gebeur het dat hulle weer so oorloop van selfvertroue?
anyway guys
off to lunch!
@K9-MonsterLeeu – What’s happening? Sien Pissant hang hier balle uit.
Goeie ding.
Jy al nugter kissiekat?
@Snoek –
It definately has to potential to become one of the best Bok teams ever.
I suppose it is all down to what you think is success in rugby?
Is it achievements like winning tournaments or trophies?
Is it beating the best teams consistently?
Is it beating them convincingly?
Is it the #1 world ranking?
See all those things plays a part on what you regard as successful, for me the closest is the #1 ranking because to obtain that, it means you have to beat the best consistently to keep it.
As for the rugby this team plays I believe there is a hell of a lot of room for improvement.
Tactically and technically they are very good, but at tactical and technical approach in rugby will only get you that far and also makes you predictable.
We are better than Aus and NZ now because tactically and technically we are more clinical in our execution than what they are, but they will also improve in this department as all it takes is practice, time and consistency in selection which they struggle with now.
I believe we waste a lot of ball currently, not that I am saying we kick too much like the Aussie media, rugby should always be played in the oppo half that is definately the aim, but we are not using quality ball good enough and in fact, give away ball too often, ie. we play with little possession and territory.
Last week we visited the Aussie 22, 3 times I think, we scored 3 tries, so our conversion rate is excellent, but we need to improve the fact that we dont get down there too often, and allow them to play too much with the ball.
We need to control things better essentially, we still allow oppo teams to dictate things too much.
I would like our possession and territory stats improve by 20% at least – once that happens I think with our execution we will kill all comers.
This team is very good, great…
Not yet.
Another concern is how we lose momentum with substitutions.
But then again tactically just about every Bok coach got this wrong.
My personal feeling on the issue is that if a player cannot complete 80 minutes of rugby, he does not get selected in the starting 15.
Subs in your 22 are selected for 2 reasons, either to replace injured players, or to give you a tactical advantage in the match. Our coaches do not sub players on those conditions.
@PissAnt – Agree. Being nr 1 in the rankings is a tru betrayal of your abilities to beat other teams consistently. That is the yardstick.
@PissAnt – Subs should never be brought on to field to maintain momentum. It rarely happens and is highly unlikly. The dimention of the game changes with subs. Like you say it’s for injured players, and yes in the last 5 minutes when you lead by 20.
Also when you need game breakers when you’r trailing, but never to keep momentum.
Just for fun
New Training Method
Clive Woodward is curious to find out how Graham Henry has turned around the fortunes of the Welsh team so quickly, so he decides to go to Cardiff and see how Graham Henry coaches his team. After a day he is not really impressed by the training routines so he asks Henry how he manages to get his players so sharp.
“Well it is simple. I sometimes ask my players a difficult question, and that way they stay really sharp mentally”.
Of course Clive wants an example, so Graham asks Robert Howley to come over to the touchline. Graham asks him: “Robert, answer this question…..he is not your brother, but still he is your father’s son. Who is he?”. “That’s easy”, Robert answers immediately, “Of course, it’s me”. “You see? That’s the way you keep them sharp”, Henry says to Woodward.
Woodward, keen to take this on board decides to bring this into the next England squad session. He calls Jason Leonard over to the touchline. “Jason, answer this question”, he says, “He is not your brother, but he is still your father’s son, who is he?” “Bleedin’ ‘ell” says Jason, “That’s a tough one to answer. Can I sleep on it tonight and tell you in the morning”. “OK”, says Clive. “Anyway”, continues Jason, “why have you asked me the question?”. Clive explains it has to do with some New Zealand coaching method.
So that night, unable to answer the question, Jason has a bright idea and decides to phone his club coach Zinzan Brook and ask him for the answer; he’s from New Zealand, so he’s bound to know. “Zinzan, can you help me with the answer to this question … he is not your brother, but he is still your father’s son. Who is he?”. “That’s easy, it’s me!”, says Zinzan.
So the next day Jason walks full of confidence into training. Clive sees him and asks “OK, Jason do you know the answer to my question now?”. “Of course, it was pretty easy really”, he says “It’s Zinzan Brook”. “Don’t be so bloody stupid” said Woodward, “It’s Robert Howley”
39@PissAnt – I have a better Idea than the odd Article…. sent you a mail….
@Irish Devil – Graham Henry?
Shouldn`t it be Warren Gatland?
Span van die Bulle vir saterdag, volgens BB webblad:
Vodacom Blue Bulls: Zane Kirchner; Gerhard van den Heever, Jaco Pretorius, Stefan Watermeyer, Francois Hougaard; Burton Francis; Heini Adams, Dewald Potgieter, Pedrie Wannenburg, Deon Stegmann, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Flip van der Merwe, Werner Kruger, Derick Kuün (captain), Jaco Engels. Reserves: Bandise Maku, Frik Kirsten, Fudge Mabeta, Jacques Burger, Dean Greyling, Francois Brummer, Tiger Mangweni.
53@grootblousmile –
caught in the act!!
deel alweer jobs aani witmense yt nê?
bloody hell, ek gat sieker wee’ die tynjoppie kry!!
52@Irish Devil –
bwahahahaha!!
funny one!!
@Pietman – In Zambia, wil nog ‘n paar jaar hier bly as ek kan. Gaan hou net vakansie in CU.
56@ashley – jy kan kies: tuinwerk of karre was ? 🙂
@ashley –
Gepraat van dit, hoe lank moet Shimange nog wag voor hy n game in die WP kry?
Tiaan is beseer, en hulle speel homm wragtag noggie.
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