There are two matches taking place in the final weekend of Absa Currie Cup pool stage rugby that will be watched with great interest by a majority of rugby fans as both The Sharks and Western Province seek bonus point wins over Griquas and the Lions.
With compliments from Sharksrugby.co.za
Province currently lead the standings courtesy of a better points’ differential, but equal with The Sharks on 49 log points and face a Lions side determined to end their season on a high, despite the fact that a semifinal place is out of their grasp.
The Sharks meanwhile know that a five-pointer could well stand between them and a home final – should they progress past the semis – and they go into this match full of focus. But Griquas go into this game under massive pressure to end the round still in the top four, a position they have been in since the very first round and losing out now, at this late stage, would be a huge disappointment given their fairytale season which has included victories over three of the top five sides.
At home, Griquas are a formidable foe and will relish the opportunity to add a Sharks scalp to their impressive collection this season. They are a good, committed side who play for each other, but they are going to have their work cut out for them.
While they are feeling the effects of 13 weeks of non-stop rugby action, The Sharks by contrast have been bolstered by the return of injured players as well as a hoard of Springboks, and an International-laden side will run out onto the hard Kimberley field intent on making sure of a good, solid victory on Saturday.
Griquas have made two changes to the starting line-up from the first round match at The Absa Stadium Durban which The Sharks won 41-6. The Sharks by contrast, with a whole host of players available, have a vastly different side, the backline boasting six changes and Stefan Terblanche (pictured) the only familiar face. Where there was one International amongst the backs in that match, there are now six. In the forwards, six changes have been made, and two Springboks in that match have been increased to four.
While statistics are hardly a guarantee of victory, certainly history confirms that The Sharks have seldom come unstuck against Griquas, although in the last 10 years, there have been two losses in Kimberley, the last in 2006 when Griquas won 23-22 and before that, a 33-24 loss in 2004. The last six matches have all been fairly comprehensive defeats for Griquas, including a 44-15 loss in Kimberley last year.
Sharks assistant coach Grant Bashford admits that despite the necessity to win, win well and hopefully come out with the bonus point, first priority is to come out with a victory. “For us, it’s all about us, we’ll be trying to get the bonus point but not at the expense of losing, so we must win the game and worry about the bonus point later.”
He adds that despite The Sharks having a better record than Griquas when the two teams have met before, this year they’ve been a lot more competitive. “They’ve changed since previous years, this season they’ve been a side who counter-attack a lot but have the ability to also play a conservative style. They have leaked over 100 points in the last two weeks but have good attacking side.
“They need two points to make the semis, but will be desperate and hoping to win. They’ve done really well this season and will be pumped up for the game.”
For coach John Plumtree, it’s simple: “I haven’t lost to them since I’ve been in charge of The Sharks and I don’t plan on starting now.”
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Mark Lawrence
Television: MNet / SS1
Teams
The Sharks Griquas
Stefan Terblanche (C) 15 – Riaan Viljoen
Odwa Ndungane 14 – Bjorn Basson
Adrian Jacobs 13 – Jaco Bekker
Riaan Swanepoel 12 – Barry Geel
JP Pietersen 11 – Trompie Nontshinga
Juan Hernandez 10 – Naas Olivier
Ruan Pienaar 9 – Sarel Pretorius
Ryan Kankowski 8 – Jonathan Mokuena (C)
Michael Rhodes 7 – Davon Raubenheimer
Keegan Daniel 6 – Wesley Wilkins
Alistair Hargreaves 5 – Jacques Lombaard
Steven Sykes 4 – Cecil Kemp
John Smit 3 – Ruaan du Preez
Bismarck du Plessis 2 – Ryno Barnes
Tendai Mtawarira 1 – Albertus Buckle
Reserves
Craig Burden 16 – Andries Kruger
Jannie du Plessis 17 – Steph Roberts
Albert van den Berg 18 – Eric Coetzee
Jean Deysel 19 – Heinrich Stride
Rory Kockott 20 – Donald Stevens
Andries Strauss 21 – Wilmaure Louw
Waylon Murray 22 – Gavin Passens
56@sharky_forever – hallo sharky, lanklaas gesels … daar :airplane: jy al weer !
59: nee wat, as die finaal op loftus kan wees, sal dit goed wees.
@bdb – kan julle onthou wat laas op loftus gebeur het 2005 en al daai wonderlike dinge :laugh:
Hallo K9, net om jou vraag te antwoord oor die 24 punte deur L gisteraand teen BB:
Eerste drie was ‘n onderskepdrie, nadat BB mooi aangeval het, en WO weer ‘n lang pass gegee het, wat onderskep is. WO se lang aangeë het ten minste 2/3 ander drieë veroorsaak, maar hy moet pasop vir onderskep driee. Gelukkig is JDV weg, maar volgende jaar teen die Stormers/weeepiepei sal hy moet pasop vir Habana.
Tweede drie: hoë skop, bal hop in hanne van L en hy druk, kan niks daaraan doen nie.
Derde drie: welverdiende drie wat L gedruk het, na ‘n paar fases en BB se verdediging opgeraak het, was in laaste minuut so BB was alreeds in die stort toe die L hom gedruk het.
Ek moet sê, ons verdiging kan natuurlik beter, veral teen beter spanne. Maar, die belangrikste is: solank ons net meer drieë druk (9-3) as die ander span, en MS sy skoppe kry, dan is ons veilig.
62 @smallies72 – nee, ons lewe nie in die verlede nie, ten minste nie waar ons verloor het nie.
Ons onthou net 2002-2004 CB gewen
2006 gedeel
2007 en 2009 S14 gewen …
Mens moet mos positief bly en die mooi dinge onthou. :-))
@bdb – dis juis daai rekord wat dit so ‘n lekker uitdaging maak om die bulle so ,n bietjie op hulle neuse te laat kyk :-))
@bdb – bulle het nou nege drie in drie wedstryde afgestaan daai verdediging lek sommer baaie 🙂
62 @smallies72 – sien wynie strydom sê dit was die slegste dag wat hy vir die BB beleef het.
Maar, ter wille van Os, was ek tog bly, jare later ! :dance:
Hoop die Cheetahs wen die CC.
66@smallies72 – hoeveel drieë het ons gedruk in daardie 3 wedstryde ?
Dink die WP het die beste verdedigingsrekord die jaar ?
@bdb – hello bdb. Daai bal wat so gehop het was miskommunikasie en Zane was betrokke. Wanneer kry julle vir jul ‘n ordentlike heelagter?
@bdb – ek wonder wie van hom en helgaard eeste deur sy hart aangeval gaan word,dis darrem classic om hulle te aanskou :-))
68@K9-MonsterLeeu – as dit so moet wees, net nie op Loftus dan nie, asb. Nie weer lus vir so groot :poop: nie !
70@K9-MonsterLeeu – ons is in onderhandeling met Ludik, ken jy hom en kan jy hom aanbeveel ?
@bdb – wp het alles behalwe ‘n cc kampionskap die seisoen :pissedoff:
@bdb – hahaha…..hy het bevestig hy bly net waar hy is.
@K9-MonsterLeeu – classy speler ludik verdien ‘n oproepie van snorrie as hy weer reg is
Ek dink ‘n WP/Cheetahs finaal sal die mooiste rugby oplewer.
71@smallies72 – ek het destyds op die ‘dark side’ se blog geskryf van Os se boek, en spesifiek wat hy geskryf het oor daardie finaal in 2005 op Loftus. Dit is werklik goed om te lees, die respek wat hy vir die BB gehad het, en hoe wonderlik dit was vir hom om die eerste keer die CB te wen.
Ek praar onder korrupsie, maar ek dink hy het genoem dit was selfs beter as die 1995 WB !
Goeie ou, die Os, en een van die beste dinge in sy lewe, is dat hy ook vir die BB gespeel het ! 🙂
@smallies72 – ek stem.
hey loosehead ek baklei aleen hier, help man die blou gevaar is groot :-))
75 @K9-MonsterLeeu – kan nie lekker wees om so lank in die hospitaal te bly nie …
@bdb – gelukkig het hy sy fout gou besef en weg gegaan daar uit die gevaarlike groot stad uit,terug na ‘n plek waar jy kan asem haal en wat die mooiste wit truie het
hier is nou te veel leeus en cthas.
BB is seker besig om uit te rus vir volgende week …
@bdb – wart het met monster gebeur dat hy olik is
@bdb – hehe…skerp. Ek sal my game moet lig hier lyk dit my 🙂
@bdb – :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
@smallies72 – ja, daardie eksperiment met Os, Naka en Jannie het nie gewerk nie. Hulle kon nie gewoond raak daaraan om so baie te wen nie … 😀
Moet sê, Jannie het goed gedoen, en het saam Joost die bok skakelpaar by 1999 WB gevorm, wat amper ‘n groot sukses was.
@bdb – Morne Steyn herhinner my aan Jannie de Beer….nie hoe hulle lyk nie maar tipe loskakel wat hulle is.
@bdb – jannie was sy tyd vooruit,net jammer dat hy so maklik gebreek het,os en naka in pta is net so vergesog soos bakkies en danie in bloem dit was gedoem van die begin af
@K9-MonsterLeeu – nogal ne sien post 89 jannie was damm goed
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