Lions down disjointed Sharks
10 Jun 2009
The Lions were good value for their 39-3 victory over the Sharks, but the Springboks won’t be shaking in their boots.
This match was always going to gauge where the Lions stood just 10 days from the first Test, more so than it would be about assessing where the Sharks were in their preparation for the Currie Cup, and in that regard the Springboks won’t be too concerned.
The Lions were hardly awful, in fact, their patience through the phases was impressive, while there were solid performances by individuals, most notably centre Jamie Roberts who carried powerfully all night, and scrumhalf Mike Phillips who has now surely cemented his place in the Test line-up. But for most of the match they sorely lacked a killer edge and the creativity that needs to be there if they hope to upset the Springboks.
They improved as the game wore on, but their improvement has to be viewed in context. This was a severely depleted Sharks side lacking quality players in key backline positions. The 36-point deficit will be labelled emphatic by some, but you are naive if you believe you can equate this match to the standard the Lions will face in the Tests.
The Lions attempted to blend the measured with the expansive, and ended up with an ugly hybrid of the two for most of the contest. Their backline attacks were generally far too lateral to trouble the Sharks, and the fact that flyhalf Ronan O’Gara resorted to speculative cross-kicks and grubbers underlined the lack of creativity and incisiveness in the back division.
The Lions signalled their intention to boss the set phases and driving mauls when they opted for a lineout instead of a goal attempt early in the match. They set up three powerful drives until they eventually turned over possession. The Springboks, watching from the stands, would have noted the tactic, as it is sure to be a primary avenue of attack during the Test series.
The next 40 minutes would be characterised by much of the same, as the Lions camped in the Sharks’ red zone, only to be repelled by some determined defence and a spirited breakdown contest. The routine became predictable – they would cough up possession, jog back to the lineout after the clearing kick had found touch, relaunch their attack, only to be turned over once more when a try seemed a certainty.
Much was made of Saturday’s poor showing at the breakdown, and tonight’s performance won’t do anything to dispel a perception that it is a facet of play they are vulnerable in. What amplified their woes is that on Saturday they were devoid of a specialist opensider, whereas tonight they fielded skilled scrapper David Wallace. The Irishman failed to impose himself, and his cause wasn’t helped by the limp performance of his teammates at the tackle point and breakdown.
Skipper Paul O’Connell promised improved physicality in this facet of play. On the evidence of tonight’s performance he won’t be pleased.
Given their absolute domination of possession, and the sheer number of times they got onto the Sharks’ 5m line, they should have led by at least 25 points at the break. Instead, the deficit was just four points – Rory Kockott taking the only scoring opportunity they had – and their ineptitude, particularly at the breakdown, must alarm the Lions’ coaching staff.
Their problems didn’t end there. The scrums, an area of the game the Lions pride themselves on, wasn’t as efficient as they would have hoped either, with Sharks tighthead Jannie du Plessis pressuring Gethin Jenkins throughout their duel.
The black and white wall offered plenty of resistance, but the pressure was incessant, and they were finally breached when the Lions played off the top of a lineout on the 5m line and punched through two phases before hooker Lee Mears powered over from close range. Ronan O’Gara added the extras.
There was a bittersweet moment halfway through the first half which would have further jolted the tourists.
O’Driscoll has been spoken up as a master, and that he might be, but it’s indisputable that he is an ageing master, evident by the fact that his speed eluded him when he most needed it. He intercepted a pass on his 22m and sprinted clear. In his prime, the Lions faithful would have been celebrating the moment O’Driscoll laid hands on the pill, but as he shifted through the gears it became obvious that the once mighty stallion no longer had the speed that was a key feature of his play at the height of his powers.
Sharks youngster Lwazi Mvovo will one day boast to his grandchildren that he hauled in the great O’Driscoll, but it will be a shallow boast.
The half ended as it had started, with the Lions surrendering possession on the Sharks’ tryline, and the tourists trudged down the tunnel looking bewildered.
They did, however, start the second half more purposefully, and scored soon after the restart when Mike Phillips jinked his way through some diabolical defence to score in the corner. O’Gara missed the conversion, but extended the lead to 12 points (15-3) shortly thereafter with a penalty.
The Lions seemed to click into gear thereafter, troubling the Sharks’ defensive line with every foray. A period of sustained pressure yielded another three points to O’Gara.
The Lions were always going to have the upper hand in the back division given the experience they boasted in comparison to the Sharks’ rookies, and it was through here that they scored their third try.
The ball was shifted wide to O’Driscoll, who drew the last defender and offloaded to Luke Fitzgerald, who was left with a clear run in on goal.
Their fourth was the pick of the bunch, Lee Byrne scything through the defence after an overlap had been created by some smart work by his inside backs. O’Gara kicked his fifth goal to take the Lions 32-3 ahead before Jamie Heaslip touched down after the siren to end the contest.
‘Must do better’ should be the assessment in the Lions’ report card. The Springboks won’t be shuddering in fear.
By Ryan Vrede, at King’s Park.
573 Comments
10 Jun 2009, 17:58 pm
DRAGONS!
10 Jun 2009, 18:00 pm
Go Tjarks!!!!!!
Go South Africa…..
10 Jun 2009, 18:04 pm
maak sag die lions sharkies.
10 Jun 2009, 18:13 pm
die drake sonder kake and
10 Jun 2009, 18:13 pm
and the sharks wuth a few guppies in the team
10 Jun 2009, 18:15 pm
yup pumas mate ill be off soon to watch
will post after
10 Jun 2009, 18:17 pm
eish if only odwa and ryan could have played too
would have been just a little better and felt better with the back 3
poor stefan is in for a torrid night lotsa wind and new wings next to him
10 Jun 2009, 18:19 pm
#6 sharks_lover: Cheers Mate. I am out of here now. Off to watch on the big screen so wont post during the game.
Catch you all later or tomorrow.
GO SHARKS………….GO SHARKS.
10 Jun 2009, 18:20 pm
#7 sharks_lover: sharks will be ok. if they can just hold on defence for the first 20 minutes, they will be in with a chance.
10 Jun 2009, 18:20 pm
#7 sharks_lover: If Odwa and Kanko was there it would have been a huge help. If all 10 Boks were there think we could have taken this Lions side. Will have to see what our Sharks 2nd side can do.
Now really out of here. Go my Sharkies.
10 Jun 2009, 18:22 pm
go sharkies. gotta go. the bulls will support you all the way.
10 Jun 2009, 18:30 pm
#10 Puma:
The Sharks showed what they could do in the S14.
10 Jun 2009, 18:31 pm
Go Sharkies, show these imposters!!!
10 Jun 2009, 18:38 pm
Hell 1:30 am do I watch the game and suffer tomorrow or wake up early and watch the recording?
10 Jun 2009, 18:38 pm
shark fans were crowing about their depth earlier on in the season, why all this trepidation now? Let’s see how good the shark academy lads are…
10 Jun 2009, 18:42 pm
Think I better stay up … Lions to play a tactical game and monster the Sharks later on. The first game that I was ever taken to see was 1974 Lions vs Natal. Hope the Sharks can stay with them but I think that they are too thin in the backline!
10 Jun 2009, 18:42 pm
#14 Nightwalker: Be brave!!!
10 Jun 2009, 18:47 pm
what what is a trobbing head compared to a game of Rugby?
10 Jun 2009, 18:48 pm
ooh spelling already leaving me can’t divorce drinking and rugby!
10 Jun 2009, 18:49 pm
Greetings from O Neills pub, Kings Cross London. Am outnumbered here. Sharks be brave and smash them up front. Hope the crowd will be good, the pack strong, loosies tearaway and the guppies at the back spirit. “Whites of their eyes” chaps!
10 Jun 2009, 18:49 pm
Sterkte aan die Sharks, daar in D’Urban !
10 Jun 2009, 18:52 pm
#20 Heavens Game: Have a Stella on my behalf!!!
10 Jun 2009, 18:55 pm
No “wife beating” here am on Heineken. But will have one for you.
10 Jun 2009, 19:08 pm
Sterkte Tjarkies.
All Saffas behind you tonight!!
10 Jun 2009, 19:11 pm
Hellooooooooo, just made it back to the office in time !!
Go Sharksssssssssss !
10 Jun 2009, 19:13 pm
#24 Ed_the_Lion: The Lions are nervous!
10 Jun 2009, 19:16 pm
Great defence
10 Jun 2009, 19:17 pm
#26 AB Bullsbok: Good. Let them **** themselves.
10 Jun 2009, 19:20 pm
Freegin baie druk deur die Lions… maar Tjarks het goed absorbeer sover !
10 Jun 2009, 19:21 pm
Verdediging hou tot dusver, kan hulle so aanhou?
10 Jun 2009, 19:21 pm
Daai Robberts senter is flippen sterk !
Bokke kort Jacque Fourie teen hom…
Sharks sukkel in die lynstane…
10 Jun 2009, 19:21 pm
Snorre, WO op binnesenter om vir Jamie uit die game te duik.
10 Jun 2009, 19:22 pm
O ja, naand vrinne…
10 Jun 2009, 19:22 pm
#31 grootblousmile: Jaque sal vir hom vasvat. Net so groot en sterk. Adi kan laaste 30 minute kom drieë druk laat dit gons.
10 Jun 2009, 19:22 pm
Watch online at http://p2pstation.net/rugby.html
10 Jun 2009, 19:23 pm
#33 grootblousmile: Sorry man. Naand GrootBlouSmile. Lyk my jy werk hard.
10 Jun 2009, 19:24 pm
Ai Stefan….
10 Jun 2009, 19:24 pm
En dit is hoekom ek sê Ludik of Zane!!!
10 Jun 2009, 19:24 pm
rubbish from terblanche, missed opportunity to relieve the pressure
10 Jun 2009, 19:24 pm
#33 grootblousmile: Naaaaand!
10 Jun 2009, 19:25 pm
#36 Ed_the_Lion: Ja jong… gejaag deur die reen huistoe vanaf Pretoorsdorp….
10 Jun 2009, 19:26 pm
#41 grootblousmile: Jy betyds, so alles goed.
10 Jun 2009, 19:26 pm
#38 Ed_the_Lion: Ludik is uit vir moontlik die res van die jaar met ‘n moooooooosa kniebesering.
10 Jun 2009, 19:26 pm
Naand aan al die blou bulle en ander rugbykenners !
10 Jun 2009, 19:26 pm
Hierdie ouens se bal beheer is moesa goed.
10 Jun 2009, 19:26 pm
kockott now also showing just why he isn’t good enough to be a springbok yet
10 Jun 2009, 19:27 pm
#43 grootblousmile: Ja jong. Dit is sad vir my as ‘n Leeu,nou dink ek Zane moet die Groen en Goud dra.
10 Jun 2009, 19:28 pm
#44 BDB: Ek sien myself as ‘n rugbykenner, so naand BDB.
10 Jun 2009, 19:28 pm
Sien die Lions willie pale toe nie… hulle wil driee druk
10 Jun 2009, 19:30 pm
Goeie skop Stefan
10 Jun 2009, 19:30 pm
Slegte skop Kockie !
Goeie skop Stefan !
10 Jun 2009, 19:30 pm
Ou Briscoll O Drien is lus vir hardloop.
10 Jun 2009, 19:30 pm
O donner, Tjarks senter beseer en af….
Hoop nie dit byt hulle nie !
10 Jun 2009, 19:31 pm
haha, BOD is so bloody slow, what a joke
10 Jun 2009, 19:32 pm
Faark, maar dit was naby!!
10 Jun 2009, 19:32 pm
Hardloop daai ou vir BoD in met gemak….
10 Jun 2009, 19:33 pm
Oom Brein O Disco het stadig geword.
10 Jun 2009, 19:35 pm
TRy Lions… Mears
10 Jun 2009, 19:36 pm
Well deserved. Pressure Pressure Pressure.
10 Jun 2009, 19:36 pm
THE SA REFS ARE SOOOOOOO CHIT
THE SA REFS ARE SOOOOOOO CHIT
ALL OF THEM ALL OF THE S14
SHARKS DAMAGED BY THEM.!!!
GREEN TEAM AGAINST BRITISH LIONS FIRST GAME
FREESTATE CHEATED BY SA REFS
NOW ANOTHER SA REF IS CHEATING!!!!
WHAT IS IT, IS THR RAND SOOOOOOO POOR THAT BRIBES COUNT OR ARE THE REFS JUST TRYING TO GET VOTED INTO BEING A TRINATIONS OR INTERNATIONAL REF TYPE POSITION?????
SHARKS GAME 15 MINUTED 25 SECONDS, JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHAT WENT WRONG WHEN BY WHO REFFED BY WHOOOOOOOOO????
MUHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH 20 20 CRICKET IS BETTER AJUDICATED AT FULL SPEEED THAN RUGGA AT REPLAY BS
EISH EISHHHHH ;(((( ( ;(
10 Jun 2009, 19:36 pm
Lions 7 / 0
10 Jun 2009, 19:37 pm
Eish, die Sharks moes eerste punte gekry het, nou gaan dit moeiliker gaan.
10 Jun 2009, 19:38 pm
Ag kak man!
10 Jun 2009, 19:39 pm
du plessis getting his head shoved thru his arse…
10 Jun 2009, 19:40 pm
#60 Chuckwoodybumblespri: Stadig ou maat, jou sleutelbord gaan breek.
10 Jun 2009, 19:41 pm
#64 gunther: Carstens ook !
10 Jun 2009, 19:42 pm
#60 Chuckwoodybumblespri: give it a rest!
10 Jun 2009, 19:42 pm
Lions 7 / 3
10 Jun 2009, 19:43 pm
BRITISH LIONS PUSHING BEFORE THE BALL IS IN ALL GAME!!!
NOT BINDIG ALL GAME!!!
SA BULLCITH REF ONLY NOTICES IN MINUTE 28 ???
hahahahahahah
MUST BE A CREDIT CRUNCH REF HAHAHAHA
10 Jun 2009, 19:43 pm
OFFSIDES BS REF HAHAHAHA YOU GOT THE SHARS REF BULLCHIT PERSON
10 Jun 2009, 19:44 pm
#69 Chuckwoodybumblespri:
you are actually right about that happened in the cheetahs game as well..
10 Jun 2009, 19:44 pm
#69 Chuckwoodybumblespri: boet just p!$$ off!!!
10 Jun 2009, 19:45 pm
the sharks still don’t swing **** to their backs, kockott still kicking everything forward hoping for mistakes…robberts & BOD don’t have to do any defending…
10 Jun 2009, 19:48 pm
32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS
SHARKS FULLBACK RIPS BALL AS TACKLER, LIONS OFF SIDES AND GET BALL BUT VELLY VELLY MUCH CHIT SA REF SAYS ITS OK AS BRITISH LIONS ARE GOOD!!!!!!!
OH DEAR SA RUGBY SUPPORTERS WE ARE VELLY VELLY FLUCKED DUE TO THE KLEDIT KLUNCH, OR IS IT THE LIONS SHARE OF THE REFS!!!
hahahaha HAHAHAHAH
10 Jun 2009, 19:48 pm
#73 Transformation: Sharks aren’t playing well bru
10 Jun 2009, 19:49 pm
Sharks moet nou nie punte afstaan voor halftyd nie.
10 Jun 2009, 19:50 pm
These guys are going to need a lot more finishing if they want to beat the Bokke.
Dissapointing.
10 Jun 2009, 19:51 pm
Daa kak ‘n Diesel engine
10 Jun 2009, 19:52 pm
that’s a knock on. Can’t be a try
10 Jun 2009, 19:54 pm
Lions are freegin strong up front… freegin strong…
10 Jun 2009, 19:54 pm
Personally I think Kaplan is being a great ref tonight.
10 Jun 2009, 19:55 pm
Jannie Dup is een moesa vuil speler.
10 Jun 2009, 19:55 pm
Lemoenetyd.
Wat drink ons ??
10 Jun 2009, 19:55 pm
Coke
10 Jun 2009, 19:55 pm
Lions have a whale share of possession AND territory…
10 Jun 2009, 19:56 pm
IF THE BADDY REF ALLOWS THE SHARKS THE RIGHTS THAT THE LIONS GOT IN THE SECOND HALF,,,, THE LIONS ARE GONNNNNNN AGOOOOO DOWWWWWWWWWWN
10 Jun 2009, 19:57 pm
#84 Ed_the_Lion: Wel, ek het nou ‘n bierglas vol Jerretjie-pik-my gegooi….
Moeeeeeeeeedersmelkies !
10 Jun 2009, 19:57 pm
the last movement, kockot gets the ball, passes to dumond, dumond looks outside once, then kicks to nowhere!! What the ****?
10 Jun 2009, 19:57 pm
Mooi, Sharks hou uit, maar hul moet nou meer aanval ook, kan nie net verdedig nie, soek punte.
Ou Stefan is betroubaar, maar het nie meer die spoed om in die lyne te kom met daai ou bene van hom nie.
Zane is die antwoord.
10 Jun 2009, 19:58 pm
#86 Chuckwoodybumblespri: Chucky-with-a-woody… tone down man !
Is jy gesuip ??
10 Jun 2009, 19:58 pm
#84 Ed_the_Lion: Koffie in hierdie koue !
10 Jun 2009, 19:58 pm
#80 grootblousmile:
Agreed but their binding has been questionable IMO. I think Kaplan has had a good game he’s been reasonably fair but it is obvious the scrums are going to be watched closely in the Tests after these warm-up games. We’ll have to watch their technique especially. Jannie giving his all though.
10 Jun 2009, 19:59 pm
#87 grootblousmile: Dit klink lekkerder as koud, maar te warm vir een van daai hierso.
Geniet hom GBS!!
10 Jun 2009, 20:00 pm
#91 BDB: Niks soos ‘n koffie in koue nie. Ek sal maar na werk ‘n koue bier moet drink in hierdie hutte.
10 Jun 2009, 20:00 pm
#93 Ed_the_Lion: Sorry man, ek klink gesuip “lekkerder as coke”.
10 Jun 2009, 20:00 pm
wow. only a half time and whingeing in full bloom by someone.
10 Jun 2009, 20:00 pm
#92 Thameside Bok fan: Yip… would like to see the Tjarks on attack though… see what their forwards can do close to the Lions goal line.
Lions goal line has’nt been under any form of attack yet.
10 Jun 2009, 20:02 pm
THE LIONS # 1 OR PROP FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DONT KNOW POSITIONS HAS NOT BOUND ALL GAME AND HAS NEVER BEEN RULED. HE CAN EVEN DO HIGH TACKLES AND BE IGNORD
10 Jun 2009, 20:03 pm
Dumond is even worse than Frans Steyn at 10!
10 Jun 2009, 20:03 pm
Poefta boys should be thanking their lucky stars, this score should be about 60-3 to the Lions already. Been over the try line about 8 times already with only one try awarded.
And anyone still touting Jannie Dup as a springbok tight head goodness gracious great balls of fire this telly tub can’t stand up once in 40 mins.
One way traffic even worse than against the Xerox team last week except no one wants to put the ball down over the try line for the Lions. Own worst enemies tonight should be game over about 30 mins ago already.
Bokke should get ready for a mauling I got suspicions this series is no walk over and one slip and this tour can go same way as 97
10 Jun 2009, 20:04 pm
#97 grootblousmile:
Ja but this is the Tjarks minus JPP, Kanko, Adi et al. I reckon a full strength Guppies team would be more than holding their own out there tonight. Think we will have taken a lot of confidence from keeping them down to just the one try. If we can hit back early in the 2nd could be an interesting game.
Just as an aside, the Lions still have major work to do at the breakdown, the guys have been all over them which is good to see. The Boks will be tougher.
10 Jun 2009, 20:04 pm
#90 grootblousmile: Dink hy tik met ‘n hamer.
10 Jun 2009, 20:06 pm
#102 BDB: Ek dink hy IS gehammer !
10 Jun 2009, 20:06 pm
#97 grootblousmile: Arghhh…I got the times wrong, only just got here!!
GO LIONS….
10 Jun 2009, 20:07 pm
kockott and terblanche are really letting the sharks down with their kicking, their no relieving the pressure, not good enough, thank god they aren’t in the bok squad
10 Jun 2009, 20:08 pm
Try Philips
Damn, that was just too easy !
#104 carol: Naand sustertjie
10 Jun 2009, 20:08 pm
directly from another kockott mistake.. Kockott go have a shower, you’re pathetic
10 Jun 2009, 20:08 pm
Not good , not good at all. Eish ! it’s not good.
10 Jun 2009, 20:08 pm
Lions 12 / 3
10 Jun 2009, 20:09 pm
#107 Pirlet BEL: Nee wat, ou Knockout sukkel vanaand.
10 Jun 2009, 20:10 pm
Oeee, hierdie soetes gaan nou mooooooooi af !
Gesondheid in die rondheid!!
10 Jun 2009, 20:14 pm
Lions 15 / 3
10 Jun 2009, 20:16 pm
47 MINUTES LIONS PLYERS TOUCHES BALL BEFORE IT GOES INTO TOUCH,,, REF IS OKAY LINESMAN OR SHOULD I SAY VELY VELY SILLY TOUCH JUDGE SEES NOTHING,,,,, OH DEAR SHARKS LOOSE OUT TO CHEATS AGAIN
OUCH OUCH OUCH
10 Jun 2009, 20:16 pm
I like this Mvovo guy. Got a promising future. Deysel is anonymous in this game. very dissapointing
10 Jun 2009, 20:17 pm
jannie is eating grass tonight! Ha ha ha
10 Jun 2009, 20:17 pm
#100 skopskiet: Skop keep smoking that crazy dagga! They’re playing a 2nd string sharks team at best with an unbalanced backline and you reckon the Bokke should be scared! LOL!
10 Jun 2009, 20:19 pm
Brussouw is definitely better than Botes.
10 Jun 2009, 20:19 pm
Lions 18 / 3
10 Jun 2009, 20:20 pm
#114, Deysel is anonymous because he isn’t getting any ball. Kockott is trying to do everything by himself like usual and losing every single ball that comes his way. He’s been the worst player for the sharks tonight, can’t win a game with that guy in your team.
10 Jun 2009, 20:20 pm
Ok now i can understand why the sharks didn’t make it this year , they play dirty
, no ways comeone sharks !
10 Jun 2009, 20:20 pm
Sharks moet nou punte kry, anders kan dit lelik raak.
10 Jun 2009, 20:21 pm
#106 grootblousmile: Not too bad so far!!
10 Jun 2009, 20:23 pm
#122 carol: Lions look good but not finishing off half their opportunities…
10 Jun 2009, 20:23 pm
#119 Pirlet BEL: All I’ve ever seen from you is posts criticising Kockott – does he make you feel insecure or something?!
10 Jun 2009, 20:24 pm
this more or less the real level of guppie rugby minus all the Cheetahs they confiscated by default.
Kockott better off going to play in Aus same with his gentleman Jim captain wouldn’t even get a game in Aus. If this is the level of one of our SA powerhouse franchises I’d hate to see what our poorer franchises would offer.
Pdv JS DM GG better get ready for some heavy sweat sleepless nights I got a hunch you be getting some rugby lessons come the tests.
10 Jun 2009, 20:26 pm
Messy **** !
10 Jun 2009, 20:27 pm
#124, no but I don’t like stupid players and he definitely is one.
10 Jun 2009, 20:27 pm
Lions will know that they’ve received some hits tonight…
10 Jun 2009, 20:28 pm
Try Lions
10 Jun 2009, 20:28 pm
The boks not going to have a easy game that’s for sure. We might be in for a big suprise. I hope snor know’s that it’s not going to walkover , look at that. Eish , eish with ys yes
10 Jun 2009, 20:28 pm
Yeahhhh…..try Lions..
10 Jun 2009, 20:28 pm
well played terblanche lol..
10 Jun 2009, 20:29 pm
Ek **** die damwal kraak.
10 Jun 2009, 20:29 pm
Lions 25 / 3
Eish Tjarks, this is starting to look baddddddddd !
10 Jun 2009, 20:29 pm
#123 grootblousmile: We needed that!!
10 Jun 2009, 20:29 pm
Apologies if this has already been discussed but… is anyone watching this on Sky??? Please someone tell me im not the only one who thinks stephen Jones has taken his unknowledgeable biased commentating to a completely new level?!
10 Jun 2009, 20:30 pm
#134 grootblousmile: Hope Puma is OK!!!
10 Jun 2009, 20:30 pm
and some more poor play from terblanche, thank God he is supposed to bring experience because otherwise he really would be rubbsih
10 Jun 2009, 20:30 pm
#136 TBG: Sounds balanced to me !!! Heheheheeh
10 Jun 2009, 20:30 pm
#125 skopskiet: You’re just dying for things to go wrong! Parasites like you thrive off misery!
10 Jun 2009, 20:31 pm
Sharks sukkel nog heel seisoen om drieë te druk.
10 Jun 2009, 20:31 pm
Die Lions se:
voorry
O’Connell
senterpaar
heelagter
lyk baie goed.
die res is gemiddeld
Bokke sal hul vat.
10 Jun 2009, 20:31 pm
Sharks aint playing up to scratch tonight. Dissapointing
Was expecting a better game.
10 Jun 2009, 20:32 pm
he he. sorry carol, I meant to say any saffers watching this on sky!
10 Jun 2009, 20:32 pm
#138 Pirlet BEL: Are you and Skop the same person?!
10 Jun 2009, 20:33 pm
yeah me
10 Jun 2009, 20:33 pm
O’Driscoll magic. Thats the difference quality thinking in everything when going forward. Brains vs boggerol.
10 Jun 2009, 20:33 pm
Both Kockott and Terreblanche are trying way too hard to prove the Springbok selectors wrong and in the process they’re making horrible mistakes.
10 Jun 2009, 20:33 pm
#144 TBG: I think he heard you, there were a few critical comments after that!!
10 Jun 2009, 20:34 pm
#141 Ed_the_Lion: Ek weet hul speel teen ‘n internasionale span, maar ek is werklik teleurgesteld in hul ‘spelpatroon’. Lyk hul het ‘n twee punt plan:
1. verdedig en hou die telling laag
2. Knockout skop al die balle weg
Hierdie was ‘n goeie geleentheid om die bal rond te gooi en die jong agterlyn (behalwe oom Stefan) ‘n kans te gee om lekker te hardloop.
10 Jun 2009, 20:35 pm
Tjarks scrums going back at a rate of knots since Piglet came on
10 Jun 2009, 20:35 pm
#148 siener: Yeah not feeling so bad that theyre both out the team now. Kockott definitely isnt making the grade now.
10 Jun 2009, 20:35 pm
Hey man I like this Mvovo cat. He´s hands on for a back and is making an impression.
10 Jun 2009, 20:35 pm
All Jones can do is complain about the ref, complain about the scrums, complain about the breakdown, how every single decision goes against the Lions. Unreal. Driving me mad! I long for the whiskey laden drivel of Hugh!
10 Jun 2009, 20:35 pm
Pateties !!!
10 Jun 2009, 20:36 pm
Yee, haa Byrne try….!!!!
10 Jun 2009, 20:36 pm
Grrrrr Nogga try
10 Jun 2009, 20:36 pm
#150 BDB: Hulle speel baie negatief. Hulle voel seker maar dat die ‘n toetswedstryd is vir hulle. Nie lekker om te kyk nie.
10 Jun 2009, 20:37 pm
Lions 32 / 3
10 Jun 2009, 20:37 pm
Jim T come and join me for goodness sake……
Let’ savour these precious moments!!
O’ Gara – good lad..
10 Jun 2009, 20:38 pm
Lions backs are looking the business. O’Gara looking crisp, sharp passing, deft kicking. Dunno whats happened to the sharks manic defense this half though.
10 Jun 2009, 20:38 pm
#147 skopskiet: If Sharks are so kak as you like to make out then how is it they finished at 6th way above your beloved WP and would’ve finished 4th if it wasn’t for a 1 point deficit! Jassus you are one thick oke! A squad of the best internationals against a 2nd string depleted provincial side missing 10 of their starting players – what did you expect?! Nothing but mealie pup between your ears boy!
10 Jun 2009, 20:38 pm
My SuperBru is shot to ribbons… I said Lions by 10
10 Jun 2009, 20:38 pm
#158 Ed_the_Lion: Yup, not a nice game to watch. I really hope that WP (with only 3 Boks missing) put up a better show over the weekend.
10 Jun 2009, 20:39 pm
Nooooooo! sky brings us back the coverage!!
10 Jun 2009, 20:39 pm
O’Driscoll is a magician.
10 Jun 2009, 20:39 pm
#163 grootblousmile: I think I said 8 !! hahahaha oooops!
10 Jun 2009, 20:40 pm
#165 TBG: Phew, back…
10 Jun 2009, 20:40 pm
#168 carol: Indeed!
10 Jun 2009, 20:40 pm
Die BIL toer moet teen volsterkte CB spanne wees, of glad nie. Ons gee hul nou onnodig rede om lekker te kry as hul ons spanne so ver wen.
Dink net wat sal gebeur as die Bokke teen al daardie klubspannetjies van die heineken cup speel, sonder al hul BIL spelers ?
10 Jun 2009, 20:41 pm
#164 siener: We will hope for the best, but this lions team looks the business.
10 Jun 2009, 20:43 pm
Sharks are getting klapped. Cheetahs did better than them!
10 Jun 2009, 20:43 pm
You know watching this game it occurs to me that if the Boks play to the Bulls gameplan they’ll be too good for the Lions. One good thing that has come out of these games is that the Lions haven’t really been tested on defence. We need a flyhalf with a big accurate boot to gain us territory (Morne Steyn although Ruan can play that type of game too) then rely on line-outs and agressive defence at the break down to turn over their ball. All we need to do scrum-wise is hold our own which with our pack shouldn’t be too big an ask. The Lions are a good side but I still haven’t seen anything that makes me worry unduly that the Boks will lose. They have scored some soft tries and crucially I think they haven’t been put under big pressure (the Cheetahs did for a while and they didn’t look great under it) Their defence is well organised though so PdV should shelve ideas of running rugby.
10 Jun 2009, 20:43 pm
#152 Slumtown: I still think Kockott is Bok material, but at this stage he doesn’t have the BMT required for a Lions series. Maybe he should be included in the squad for the end of year tour when the pressure is a llot less.
10 Jun 2009, 20:43 pm
pisseasy – men vs boys, poefta sharkies can be lucky this hasn’t been racked up as a cricket score.
If WP perform like this on Saturday I’d die with shame. Somehow I reckon they’ll give a decent account of themselves unlike these half hearted overrated poefta boys.
10 Jun 2009, 20:44 pm
Tjarks is niks sonder hul cheetah spelers ni…
10 Jun 2009, 20:46 pm
#171 Ed_the_Lion: Hi Ed, are you peeking in at work?
10 Jun 2009, 20:47 pm
#175 skopskiet: The Tjarks are missing 8 players FFS.
Get real….
10 Jun 2009, 20:48 pm
#177 carol: Hello Carol. I don’t miss any games, especially at work.
10 Jun 2009, 20:48 pm
#175 skopskiet: Stop stirring Skop !! Tut , tut….
10 Jun 2009, 20:49 pm
Cry me a river Jones, he got the effing yellow card. my god this guy is apratt
10 Jun 2009, 20:49 pm
#179 Ed_the_Lion: Can I have your job?
10 Jun 2009, 20:50 pm
#182 carol: Yes you can, the I will play golf all the time.
10 Jun 2009, 20:50 pm
Those Sharks just keep getting caught in ‘the net’ !!
10 Jun 2009, 20:50 pm
Not a single try. That was unexpected.
10 Jun 2009, 20:50 pm
Kick the F’en ball.
10 Jun 2009, 20:51 pm
FFS.
10 Jun 2009, 20:51 pm
#171 Ed_the_Lion: Well at least Roberts and O’Driscoll will probably not be playing on Saturday.
10 Jun 2009, 20:51 pm
Final try for Lions
39 / 3
Awesome defence by Lions, Tjarks were going nowhere all game…
10 Jun 2009, 20:51 pm
very poor game from the Sharks. No wonder they ended 6th on the Super 14 ladder and yes I know they dont have their Boks but their forwrd pack was strong and they had at least 2 of their usual Super 14 backs.
10 Jun 2009, 20:51 pm
SARU needs to reconsider. People aren’t going to pay to see these training runs. Boks need to play for their union.
10 Jun 2009, 20:52 pm
The Sharks are ****
C.R.A.P
How am i expected to watch this nonsense
10 Jun 2009, 20:53 pm
#189 grootblousmile: So, are we still talking?
10 Jun 2009, 20:54 pm
#188 siener: If they are playing, I feel sorry for WP.
10 Jun 2009, 20:54 pm
I had Lions by 19. Guess that was way wrong.
10 Jun 2009, 20:54 pm
Nou is my superbru in sy m@3r in… Kanni glo ekt di tjarks gekies nie!
10 Jun 2009, 20:55 pm
Now for Western Problems on Saturday…
Lions will play a decidedly weaker Team than tonight… but even their weaker Team’s forwards will destroy the Lighty Capies !
10 Jun 2009, 20:55 pm
The Sharks defended well in the first half … and that’s pretty much the only positive thing that can be said about the way they played.
This was a really poor performance.
10 Jun 2009, 20:55 pm
Nou ja, die drie CB opwarmingswedstryde tot dusver teen die BIL wys vir ons dat die Cheetahs sover die gunstelinge is. Sal moet sien wat die WP Saterdag doen, oor die BB sal ons nie weet vooraf nie.
10 Jun 2009, 20:55 pm
maak julle reg bokke. hierdie lions is hier om te wen. daai 1ste toets gaan groot wees.
10 Jun 2009, 20:56 pm
OK, so I am the only smiley face here tonight!!
Bad luck guys, but I know the ‘heavy mob’ are being held back to ‘shock and awe’ us!!
Bring it on!!
10 Jun 2009, 20:56 pm
#196 Bloudraad: sal jou leer.
10 Jun 2009, 20:56 pm
#189 grootblousmile:
Ja I think this should be enough to convince PdV to scrap ideas of running rugby. We need to play percentage rugby and rely on our strengths: agressive defence and quick ball. Having said that it is going to be interesting watching the Bok backs attack, Shaun Edwards has obviously done good things with the Lions but we have the players to break down their defence. It is obvious that kicking is going to be crucial which is why it is absolute madness to move JP to FB. Pick ZK there keep JP on the Wing where he is so strong and with FdP and Morne/Ruan we’ll have the kicking game to pin them back in their half and then monster their strike runners in defence. We just need to play Bulls rugby and when there is a chance we have the calibre of player to make it happen with JP/Habs/JdV/JF/Adi ect
10 Jun 2009, 20:56 pm
#193 carol: Of course…
Pity the Lions are’nt playing a full strengh Bulls outfit… that would have been a better Test than some of the actual Tests…
10 Jun 2009, 20:56 pm
Also glad Jannie Dup not in Springbok squad cos he was piss poor tonight. Carstens failed to make an impact. Deysel fairly anonymous, Kockott too ill tempered and goes it alone too much, Terblanche starting to lose some form.
10 Jun 2009, 20:57 pm
#201 carol: You have all the right in the world to smile. Your team just crushed the CC champs.
10 Jun 2009, 20:57 pm
#201 carol: be afraid, be very afraid.
10 Jun 2009, 20:58 pm
My bekommernis is, dat die BIL ses oefenwedstryde agter die blad gaan hê, en die Bokke geen. Dit kan mos nie goed wees nie , of hoe ?
Daar is net een oplossing, maak die Bulle almal Bokke, hulle het 15 oefenwedstryde agter die blad.
10 Jun 2009, 20:59 pm
#204 grootblousmile: So why were the Bulls not included, remind me please?
That would have been superb!! (Actually scary) !!
10 Jun 2009, 20:59 pm
Lions mean business. No more arrogance chaps, this was a good performance.
10 Jun 2009, 20:59 pm
#203 Thameside Bok fan: zane wont play, unless we have injuries. frans steyn should be 15.
10 Jun 2009, 20:59 pm
#203 Thameside Bok fan: Right you are…. could’nt have said it better…
Bulls rugby rockssssssss !!
10 Jun 2009, 20:59 pm
#208 BDB: **** ****.
10 Jun 2009, 21:00 pm
#206 Ed_the_Lion: Shall I not mention that the Sharks Boks were omitted, might spoil the moment!!
10 Jun 2009, 21:01 pm
#207 JM:
10 Jun 2009, 21:01 pm
phillips had a blinder.
10 Jun 2009, 21:01 pm
#209 carol: Heavens only knows… there is the argument that Loftus is getting a Test… but so is Durban and Ellispark..
Maybe they knew the Bulls would be in the S14 semi and final… hehehe
10 Jun 2009, 21:01 pm
Confirmed: sharks has no player depth! Nothing! Nada! Zip!
10 Jun 2009, 21:01 pm
Right so…
The Lions are looking slick in the back division. This was a spirited but fairly toothless NATAL Sharks (yes natal, this wasnt the S14 sharks) that had a strong defence (at least in the 1st half) and the Lions backs persisted and broke it loose. O’gara impressed me and he should provide some worry for the Boks. Lee Mears and the Lions number 9 also really stood out. O’driscol class as always, but hey, crazy to see him brought down on a straight and though intercept. Is he really that slow?
Lions forwards… quite a different story. Jones complained to no-end about unfairness at the scrum but seriously… they should have mauled the sharks. Breakdown was and still is a serious problem. Second string loosies are ripping it from the Lions, and the bok loose trio will tear them a new one if they dont fix that.
Dunno about the Lions defence, havent seen it really tested, although i think the Cheetahs did out score them last week.
Finally, everyone needs to keep perspective about these games. It really isnt about the final result, it about what can be learnt about the oppostion before the big games. Even a mud-tracker side made up of the elite of the Home nations should be expected to defeat quite handsomely a Currie Cup side devoid of its Springboks.
My beloved Province should get a pakslae from these guys.
10 Jun 2009, 21:02 pm
#210 Heavens Game: A positive comment….cheers!
10 Jun 2009, 21:02 pm
Total capitulation again in the end from the lot in Durban just like they did in ’97. Too much adoration for the team from the old country by those from “the last outpost”. The limited Cheetahs, loaded with rockspiders however, showed us the way. A real pity that the Lions don’t play the team from Pretoria, the other bastion of rockspiders who wiped the floor with the ’97 Lions!
10 Jun 2009, 21:02 pm
#214 carol: They still had plenty of the cc players in the team. They didn’t even try to attack a little. To me that was negative rugby from the Sharks outfit. Hopefully they wake up now.
10 Jun 2009, 21:02 pm
#211 JM:
I dont mind FS at FB as long as his brief is to donkey-hoof that ball into their half and not try run from the try-line. He is an exceptional player and I’d back him. The only reason I’d go for ZK is that he’s arguably the form Fb of the SA S14 sides and he is everything we need good handler, good running safe under the high ball and a big boot. FS could open up the game for us later but for the first 65-70 mins I’d like to see him receive the ball from FdP and punt it miles.
10 Jun 2009, 21:02 pm
#208 BDB: Dit maak my ook vrek bekommerd – veral omdat die Bokke ‘n geskiedenis het van sukkel om op dreef te kom aan die begin van ‘n seisoen.
10 Jun 2009, 21:02 pm
#215 carol: no jokes. i’m serious.
10 Jun 2009, 21:03 pm
This Lions Team is bloody good… hard as nails…
10 Jun 2009, 21:04 pm
#217 grootblousmile: Makes you wonder! Seems a shame really..
10 Jun 2009, 21:04 pm
#226 grootblousmile: They are ******* good. I can’t find fault in their setup at the moment. Asterix better not screw around.
10 Jun 2009, 21:04 pm
A few things I take from the game tonight, mismatch that it was.
1. Jannie du Plessis can’t scrum
2. Deysel is overrated
3. Sharks will struggle if that is their CC team
4. Byrne is world class
5. Phillips gave Kockett a lesson tonight
6. Tom Croft looks a class act
7. David Wallace might beat Martyn Williams to the openside shirt
Sharks were shocking. Kaplan was awful, he missed so many things on both sides of the ball.
10 Jun 2009, 21:05 pm
Ek het nog nooit getwyfel dat dit moeilik gaan wees om die BIL te klop nie. Maar, hoe goed hul ook al is, ons grootste probleem is nie die rugby nie, maar watter span gekies gaan word. So, kom ons wag en sien watter span Snorre kies, en dan sal ons eers weet of ons bekommerd moet raak.
10 Jun 2009, 21:05 pm
#226 grootblousmile: Stem saam – as ons die verkeerde span keuses maak en die verkeerde span kies is ons in die moeilikheid.
10 Jun 2009, 21:05 pm
#222 Ed_the_Lion: How are we going to cheer Puma up now? He was not happy after the super 14 rounds!!
Get Rangerman to nip round with a bottle of red wine, that should help!!
10 Jun 2009, 21:06 pm
#228 Ed_the_Lion: Asterix WILL screw around… that we know… hope to goodness it does’nt cost us too much !
10 Jun 2009, 21:06 pm
#202 JM: oops, het ek dit hardop gese? Lol
10 Jun 2009, 21:06 pm
#223 Thameside Bok fan: agree 100%. i also think zane is the best 15 at the moment. steyn is the only one in the squad that i would go for, apart maybe for ruan. jp should stay wing, fourie centre, and morne 10.
10 Jun 2009, 21:06 pm
#226 grootblousmile:
I still think if the Boks come out firing and dominate the collisions for the first 25 mins the Lions will be far easier to break down. They haven’t been defensively tested yet apart from a Cheetahs side with a lot of heart and look how close that was. It will take intelligent, agressive rugby from the Boks but I still can’t see the Lions wiping them. Kicking is going to be the key, that and the collisio point/breakdown area.
10 Jun 2009, 21:06 pm
#230 BDB: Daar is net een persoon in die oefen groep wat my pla. Ek gaan nie name noem nie, want dan gaan ‘n paar manne hier soos droë rose te kere gaan. Verder dink ek ons het die span om hulle te klop.
10 Jun 2009, 21:07 pm
Do not fear my children.
The magic of Earl Rose will put these Lions to the sword!!!
10 Jun 2009, 21:08 pm
#232 carol: I think Puma expected the Sharks to lose. He wasn’t very confident. When he joins us, we can all sit together and sing kumba ja.
#233 grootblousmile: That scares the living roses out of me.
10 Jun 2009, 21:08 pm
#234 Bloudraad: ja, mens se nie sulke dinge hardop nie.
10 Jun 2009, 21:09 pm
#237 Ed_the_Lion: wil jy nou nog steeds aangaan oor fourie du preez?
10 Jun 2009, 21:09 pm
#201 carol: That makes two of us Carol. Although thhe sharks did not offer much tonight. If the Lions had elected to take the penalties in the first half they could have been up by 20 pts at the half.
10 Jun 2009, 21:10 pm
Why oh why did Snorre not select a specialist full back… that is the single most important element that WILL cost us…
… and a specialised fetcher…
… and a pucker back-up Tight Head… BJ… CJ…
Oi Vei !!
10 Jun 2009, 21:11 pm
#205 Slumtown: Carstens was stood up in the scrums several times.
10 Jun 2009, 21:12 pm
On 3 key areas rests a Lions Tour to SA….
10 Jun 2009, 21:12 pm
#233 grootblousmile: Asterix?
10 Jun 2009, 21:12 pm
#229 jonnymain:
so in other words, hier kom groot kak?
thats a pretty much fullstrength sharks pack.
10 Jun 2009, 21:13 pm
#243 grootblousmile: jy is spot on daar. dis die 3 posisies wat kommer wek. kon maklik opgelos gewees het.
1) zane instede van rose
2) brussouw bo kanko (of selfs bekker)
3) bj bo carstens
10 Jun 2009, 21:13 pm
OK… that was it for me for tonight…
Let me go rest these weary, cold bones….
10 Jun 2009, 21:13 pm
#237 Ed_the_Lion: Nou watter roos in die boktuin soek jy nie daar nie ?
#209 carol: I heard that a possible game between die Bulls and BIL could only be scheduled on the same date a confederation cup soccer game were allready scheduled on loftus. It would have been a great game, even without the boks in the bulls side.
10 Jun 2009, 21:13 pm
#242 JimT: Jim at last, did you hear me calling you out?
Hey, not to bad in the end!!
10 Jun 2009, 21:14 pm
#241 JM: Ek wou nie name noem nie, maar jy lees my soos ‘n boek.
10 Jun 2009, 21:15 pm
i cant believe some of the rubbish i am reading on here ?? did some of you morons think the sharks were goning to win against the test team of the lions ?? 4 strong rugby nations in one
against a watered down provincial team without 9 boks?? seriously some of you okes have problems , and it involves the lack of brains …….
the ref did stuff up and 3 of the lions tries came from knock on’s and forward passes
the lions played offside 90% of the game
never retreating after any tackles etc etc etc
trust me the bulls without rheir boks would have done no better
10 Jun 2009, 21:15 pm
#247 cab: not really a full strength pack. no smit, beast, bismark, kanko. 50% yes.
10 Jun 2009, 21:15 pm
#246 carol: Yeah… the little man with the heavy hairy growth ubove the lips…. Mr Helium himself… otherwise known as Snorrie !
10 Jun 2009, 21:15 pm
#249 grootblousmile: Oi waarnatoe hardloop jy now? Hoe die blink kant bo Africaans broer. xxxxx
….and wear more clothes next time!!
10 Jun 2009, 21:15 pm
#250 BDB: Victor Matfield.
10 Jun 2009, 21:15 pm
Nou ja, saterdag skree ek vir ‘n slag vir die WP, nie op die WP nie.
10 Jun 2009, 21:16 pm
#252 Ed_the_Lion: pasop ja, weet net wat jy dink. jy maak asof jy van marsmannetjie praat, maar ek weet…
10 Jun 2009, 21:16 pm
#253 sharks_lover: I know what you feel like Sharkie. Let it all out!!
10 Jun 2009, 21:17 pm
#256 carol: ….anyone looking in would think I talked like a ‘local’.
Hahahahaha
10 Jun 2009, 21:17 pm
#259 JM: Jy ken my te goed. Tyd om ‘n nuwe blog te gaan soek vir my.
10 Jun 2009, 21:17 pm
#248 JM: ons se dit al heel week dat kirchner vir rose , brussouw vir bekker want danie speel flank en slot , en BJ vir nokwe or january
10 Jun 2009, 21:17 pm
#261 carol: You support the Bulls. You have to sound like a local.
10 Jun 2009, 21:18 pm
#257 Ed_the_Lion: Ons moes al lankal van hom en Bakkies ontslae geraak het …
10 Jun 2009, 21:18 pm
#260 Ed_the_Lion: lol boet im fine just feel some peeps cant seem to understand rugby
10 Jun 2009, 21:18 pm
#255 grootblousmile: I see, does that make **** Muir Obelisk? He is the tall one!!
10 Jun 2009, 21:18 pm
#258 BDB: Hehehe, Saterdag kyk ek as ‘n “Neutral observer”… hehehe
Joke sommer net, sal darem die WEEEPEEE ondersteun teen die Bleekbene !
Goooooo Prooooblems !
10 Jun 2009, 21:18 pm
#251 carol: I’m not sure what the Lions were trying to prove in the 1st half. Passed up on 3-4 penalties. Got across the line 3-4 times(?) & no score. Where’s the killer instinct?
10 Jun 2009, 21:19 pm
#253 sharks_lover: Julle dink soos verloorders, en daarom …
10 Jun 2009, 21:19 pm
#264 Ed_the_Lion: Oh yes, otherwise it could be ‘gevaarlik’ !!!
10 Jun 2009, 21:20 pm
#265 BDB: Sê ek ook. Jammer niemand luister na die ondersteuners nie.
#266 sharks_lover: I thought the Sharks would do a little better, but that was a very strong B & I Lions side. Keep your chin up.
10 Jun 2009, 21:20 pm
#266 sharks_lover: Haal asem, en in, en uit, en in en uit … nog ‘n keer, en in en uit …
10 Jun 2009, 21:21 pm
#269 JimT: I missed the first half, got the timings wrong and went for a run!!
10 Jun 2009, 21:21 pm
#271 carol: Very gevaarlik Carol. You made your choice, now I can’t help you anymore.
10 Jun 2009, 21:22 pm
#266 sharks_lover: Hey, bad luck tonight…..good job there is more to life at the moment!! Have you bought the new grandaughter a rugby ball yet?
10 Jun 2009, 21:23 pm
OK fellas and flattellas… Cheers
Goooooooooooi Mielies !
10 Jun 2009, 21:23 pm
#275 Ed_the_Lion: cheers !!
10 Jun 2009, 21:23 pm
#254 JM:
the only one there who i’d say would’ve added anything against the lions would’ve have been bismarck.
cruised thru them like a knife thru butter.
even the FS game, there B side was 20 points up with 20 gone, FS only got back into it when ferris was sent off and they lost their shape.
Their tight 5 are too strng for our lot.
Hier kom groot kak.
10 Jun 2009, 21:24 pm
#277 grootblousmile: Cheeers GBS.
Rollllllllll Mielie.
10 Jun 2009, 21:24 pm
#266 sharks_lover: Tjarks were plain kak tonight, get over it !
10 Jun 2009, 21:25 pm
Die groot teleurstelling met die verloor vir die Sharks, is nie die verloor nie, maar die hoe. Hulle het opgedraf om te verloor, het net verdedig om die telling laag te hou (wat nie gewerk nie), en Knockout het nie sy agterlyn vertrou nie, en daarom alles weggeskop of alles self probeer doen.
Niemand het enige hande opgesteek vir Snorre om raak te sien nie.
10 Jun 2009, 21:25 pm
#256 carol: GBS not wearing clothes AGAIN?
10 Jun 2009, 21:26 pm
#278 carol: BDB, Staal, GBS, Bul_a_Bhloo and Superbul will still help you. I don’t know the Pretoria slang and I don’t know all the different Ford Cortinas, so you will need to ask them for advice.
10 Jun 2009, 21:26 pm
#272 Ed_the_Lion: lol bro chins up mate i was one that kept saying all day we in trouble as our backline if far to weak and inexperienced
10 Jun 2009, 21:27 pm
#281 grootblousmile: you think bulls would have done better without their boks??
i dont think so
10 Jun 2009, 21:27 pm
#274 carol: Bet you were red faced, not from the run but sheer embarrassment
10 Jun 2009, 21:27 pm
#285 sharks_lover: Its over now. We are all looking forward to the tests. If we lose those games, you will see an uproar of note here.
Atleast the didn’t score 70+ points against your team
10 Jun 2009, 21:27 pm
Ja hier kom GROOT KAK better believe it, and anybody not shaking in their boots just yet you better start shaking cos the Bokkie Boys up in the stands with their David Bekham hairsyles and their fairy god mother coaches are shaking in their boots as we speak.
10 Jun 2009, 21:28 pm
#276 carol: lol carol eish let her walk first
10 Jun 2009, 21:29 pm
#288 Ed_the_Lion: lol ed
10 Jun 2009, 21:32 pm
Ek wonder wanneer skopskiet weer hier gaan kom ‘stir’, wonder wat het van hom geword ?
10 Jun 2009, 21:33 pm
#292 BDB: Hy was seker ‘n jaar terug hier. Hy kom glad nie meer op keo nie.
10 Jun 2009, 21:33 pm
ja vir seker, the Bokke better have hunger and committment, cos they could very well lose this 3-0 and be embaressed.
how many times have we seen our lot breying and bragging b4 a gig bladdy fall?
they are in for a helluva hard fought series of rugby.
forget the trinations, this lions team is capable of pomping the boks 3-0.
10 Jun 2009, 21:33 pm
70 + points were on the cards here, only reason it wasn’t a cricket score is every time Lions went over the try line nobody put it down on the ground, the possession and territory stats was ONE WAY traffic all 80 mins long.
And this supposed to be one of our front line powerhouse franchises, Sies man, the Royal Bafokeng Kings did 100 times better than this bunch of powder puff poeftas with their poefta captain always smiling sweetly and graciously bowing and curtsying pleasantly like a gratuitous gentleman in defeat.
10 Jun 2009, 21:35 pm
#286 sharks_lover: Ons sal nooit weet nie. Wat ek wel weet, as die Bulle sonder hul bokke vanaand teen die Sharks gespeel het, sou hul ook maklik gewen het.
10 Jun 2009, 21:35 pm
#162 Crouching Tiger Hidden Bokke: Agree toa degree, but the Sharks have lacked any real try scoring ability, they fed off the other teams mistakes in the S14. Even the wooden spoon Cheetah’s thrashed them !!
The Sharks have been pretty ordinary since the beginning of the year, even though they were winning some games initially, they didn’t impress
10 Jun 2009, 21:36 pm
Prepare to watch a Bok scrum moving backwards. And still win. Nothing else seriously worrying in this game except the Sharks.
10 Jun 2009, 21:36 pm
#269 JimT:
It looked to me like their one-dimensional approach in the first half was a deliberate tactic to give their pack a workout.
10 Jun 2009, 21:37 pm
#295 skopskiet: Agreed Skoppie, it could have been 60 pts. I’m still puzzled by Lions tactics in the 1st half.
10 Jun 2009, 21:39 pm
#283 JimT: Hahahahaha…
10 Jun 2009, 21:39 pm
#253 sharks_lover: Howzit boet. I agree 100%. WE all knew without our 10 Boks it would be like that. Thats why only about 15 000 in the stadium tonight. Why not release our best for this tour which only comes around 12 years. I think the Boks could be under cooked. Hope note. No warm up games and the Lions have 4 now. Although it took them a long, long time to get ahead of a very understrength shark team. They wont get away with this against our best Boks. Never unless we are not match fit.
10 Jun 2009, 21:39 pm
#299 Viscount Crouchback: It could be. They maybe wanted to muscle things in for a while. But for professional teams you always take the points on offer IMO.
10 Jun 2009, 21:40 pm
#299 Viscount Crouchback: You don’t appear to be in ‘Who’s who!!
10 Jun 2009, 21:40 pm
#302 Puma: note = not
10 Jun 2009, 21:40 pm
Kokkorot can go crock his crotch somewhere else looking to be a prima donna hero when it don’t count
If somebody don’t start kakking in his pants and soon these underdone bokkie boys could get taught a rugby lesson they don’t want to have to remember the rest of their glory boy days
I hope somebody in that dressing room and management team knows whats coming, somehow I got a nasty little hunch they don’t.
10 Jun 2009, 21:40 pm
#302 Puma: PUMA, come here for a big hug……
Does that feel better??
10 Jun 2009, 21:41 pm
#302 Puma: Sorry Puma!!
10 Jun 2009, 21:43 pm
#301 carol: Girl in the gym today (a college prop of all things) had a T shirt with this slogan on the back:
“trample the weak.
hurdle the dead”
I thought it was pretty good but suggested an improvement:
“trample the weak,
hurdle the fallen.
eat the dead”
10 Jun 2009, 21:44 pm
#306 skopskiet: The afterbirth bucket you crawled out of trailor trash is calling you
10 Jun 2009, 21:44 pm
#289 skopskiet: Our brave boks are not shaking just like Liewe Lulu is nie bang nie. Their coach knows what he is doing (no TH against Sheridan, no FB, no fetcher) and have a plan! Anyway, it is the Lions shaking seeing the tremendous physique of a certain Mr Rose, just like Jonah Lomu scared the living daylights out of the Poms in ’95!
10 Jun 2009, 21:44 pm
#294 cab: You can’t be serious !! I don’t say it will be a walkover for the Boks, but I will be very surprised if the Boks lose, the BIL’s haven’t played with any intensity yet !!!
10 Jun 2009, 21:44 pm
i hope someone is getting these bokke mentally and physically conditioned for this contest. if they lose it, bye bye to coaching careers and a few others, forget 3n.
10 Jun 2009, 21:44 pm
#303 JimT:
I disagree. They need to play with the Tests in mind. There’s nothing to be gained from exploiting an obvious deficiency in the warm-up opposition that won’t be there come Test time. It gives a false sense of security.
The Lions will have looked at the relative strength of the Sharks pack compared to their backs and decided to take them on at their point of strength so as to maximise their workout before the Tests.
It’s a sensible strategy.
10 Jun 2009, 21:44 pm
The Lions play as well as they are allowed to play. I feel Pieter de Villiers has made a huge mistake not allowing the bok squad to play for their franchises. Firstly it devalues the Lions tour. Secondly it gives them the opportunity to play themselves into form, build confidence and build combinations against effectively our franchise B teams. Why are we making it so easy for them? We as a SA rugby public hate seeing our teams lose and when de Villiers condemns us to losses every game by wrapping his players in cotton wool, we lose in every respect and the Lions win. This strategy can backfire badly.Weeks of inactivity by our top players could mean an unnecessary test loss. I feel SA Rugby should have a stronger hand in the decisions about the strength of the teams that play against the Lions. It means smaller crowds and takes the gloss off their victories. If I was part of Lions management I would serious question whether to go on such devalued tours. It is disrespecting the Lions brand.
10 Jun 2009, 21:45 pm
#307 carol: Carol thanks for the hug but I always knew without our 10 best it would never be the same. Same if the Lions never played their 10 best against this very young Sharks side.
I actually have huge, huge feeling this Lions team could be beat 3/0 against our best Boks. This very under strength and young Sharks team kept them out for more than I thought they would.
Bokke may just be far to strong for this Lions Carol. I think they may be not match fit but a far, far stronger team sat above and just watched and smiled. Lets see the Boks against this team. Our provincial teams are not playing their best players. Sad.
10 Jun 2009, 21:45 pm
#305 Puma: boet i am struggling to respond to anything as my connection keeps kicking off when i post anything
Keo is playing up i think
10 Jun 2009, 21:46 pm
#309 JimT: Did she call security?
10 Jun 2009, 21:46 pm
#312 Cheetah 4 Eva:
lol, hello cheetah4eva, i am deadly serious to the extent that if the boks are not fully committed to win the collisions for 80mins * 2, they will lose this series.
10 Jun 2009, 21:47 pm
#302 Puma: Was the crowd as low as 15,000? It looked fuller to me. If true that’s disappointing especially since the Lions supporters are starting to show up.
10 Jun 2009, 21:48 pm
#315 ant: Brilliant post. Well said mate. I agree 100%.
10 Jun 2009, 21:48 pm
#304 carol: You must have looked in an old edition
He’s a newbie !
10 Jun 2009, 21:48 pm
#298 lightie: Bakkies het gesê as Smit sy rug reguit kan hou, sal die skrum vorentoe gaan.
10 Jun 2009, 21:49 pm
#316 Puma: Even after our last few wins I am inclined to agree with you!! However PLEASE let me see the Lions win at least one test LIVE !!
Your Shark Tank looked quite smart!! I will give you my impressions on my return!
10 Jun 2009, 21:50 pm
Thanks buddy. I am a frustrated SA rugby supporter right now.
10 Jun 2009, 21:50 pm
#322 JimT: Ahh, the Crouchbacks of Crouch End!!
10 Jun 2009, 21:51 pm
#314 Viscount Crouchback: THat makes sense I suppose. Clearly it was a deliberate tactic.
10 Jun 2009, 21:51 pm
#316 Puma: What saddens me is the lack of insight by most on here and in a stupid kid like manner only have it in them to trash the sharks , even when they know the sharks are playing without 10 boks
what makes it worse instead of seeing the strength of the lions and what is awaiting the boks
I been saying it all week the sharks firstly are facing the lions test team
the lions are choosing big backline players fast and strong
they do everything at pace and the support play is brilliant
yes i know tonight they got away with murder at being offside most of the game , but the same kind of reffing could take place when the boks play
10 Jun 2009, 21:52 pm
#320 JimT: That stadium goes very steep very high up and holds more than 52 000. I think no more than 15 to the most 20 000 and thats a mixed bag of Brits and Saffas. Not good enough for a franchise that really always has a full stadium in the S14. If we don’t play our best we will never ever go to watch at the stadium. Why keep back 9 of our Sharks players. Why? Its daft. No contest if that what happens. The same would happen if 9 of the best of the Lions were kept back. PdV has lost the plot. No game time with the Boks and never even released the Boks for their franchise. Huge, huge mistake. WE are going to be under cooked. Or just maybe pull it off.
10 Jun 2009, 21:54 pm
#318 carol: Nah, she took me out with one punch
10 Jun 2009, 21:54 pm
#329 Puma: I think Grant is going to be a bit more nervous after tonight!!
10 Jun 2009, 21:55 pm
Conversely should the Boks have played for their provinces
And got injured, PdV would be similiarly damned
The season is long and strenuous
PdV has a Lions Series, 3N and EOYT which to win and set more records
Prefer the prudent approach of wrapping the Boks in cotton wool
Bokketeass 3 – BIL 0 with a record score to boot
Blow that damn test whistle already
10 Jun 2009, 21:56 pm
#326 carol: LOL I knew them well, on the mother’s side
10 Jun 2009, 21:57 pm
#328 sharks_lover: Not sure that’s the Lions test team. Will be at least 3-4 changes IMO.
10 Jun 2009, 21:58 pm
Pink poms paste piss-poor sharks…
10 Jun 2009, 21:58 pm
The Bokketeas will dominate the breakdowns and collisions
The sheer strength and pace at(to) the breakdowns and collisions will be far to intense
This is where we shall win the series
10 Jun 2009, 21:59 pm
#329 Puma: Are you OK Puma? Carol was very worried about you!!
10 Jun 2009, 21:59 pm
#330 JimT: Girl Power!!
#333 JimT: Tee Hee…Must go now, keep the Lions Flag flying for a bit longer!!
Night Gentlemen – Puma and Sharks Lover thank you for your comments, difficult night for you, will get better…promise!
10 Jun 2009, 22:00 pm
#323 BDB:
Ja but they will be up against Sheridan with O’Connell pushing him. It will go backwards.
10 Jun 2009, 22:00 pm
#331 carol: He might be but that was a very under strength Shark side Carol. 10 Boks missing you cant really count or even compare that to what the Boks may do. We are without a warm up game. Thats the only thing that worries me.
10 Jun 2009, 22:00 pm
#329 Puma: But for a country who used to be known for treating rugby like a religion it’s surprising to me. In Wales (another “religious tribe”) you would always get a full crowd for a touring side.
10 Jun 2009, 22:01 pm
#335 gunther: ‘Black and White you were hopeless tonight’
Only joking……just came to me!!
10 Jun 2009, 22:01 pm
Scrums will be parity
Lineouts with slight advantage to the Bokketeas
Bokketea loosies will dominate
The dominating Bokketea loosies will give advantage to the Bokketea backs
10 Jun 2009, 22:01 pm
#331 carol: The men in the white suits took him away tonight
10 Jun 2009, 22:02 pm
#341 JimT:
The cost of the tickets are to great for the local market
At close to R300 its pretty steep
10 Jun 2009, 22:02 pm
#338 carol: Cheers Carol. Have a good one!!
10 Jun 2009, 22:02 pm
#340 Puma: Yeah, but you know how he worries!!
Must go now, I am as bad as you for saying goodbye and stopping!!
10 Jun 2009, 22:03 pm
#332 saffa_guy: Yeah but the Lions have had a longer season at this point.
10 Jun 2009, 22:03 pm
#332 saffa_guy:
deadright, blow that bugger already.
10 Jun 2009, 22:03 pm
#309 JimT: I suspect it more accurately looked like
TRAMPLE the WEAK if it was a girl.
sounds kinda scary.
Well done Lions.
Looks like Sheridan might have booked his place in the Test team.
Lions looking good. Phillips very good. But Lee Byrne is proving to be a large handful, with a mule like kick. Almost end to end. We might need Steyn at 15.
10 Jun 2009, 22:03 pm
I have no doubt in what the Bok team should be now that i have seen the Lions main test team
There is no doubt , Nokwe , Rose and bekker should not have been there
Their places should have been taken by ,Kirchner , BJ and Brussouw
But unfortunately our selectors are one track minded and this is probably going to hurt us bad in the series
15 F Steyn
14 JP Pietersen
13 J Fourie
12 JD Villiers
11 B Habana
10 M Steyn / Ruan
09 F Dup
08 P Spies
07 J Smith
06 S Burger
05 V Matfield
04 B Botha
03 J Smit
02 B Dup
01 T mtawarira
16 G Steenkamp
17 D Carstens
18 D Russouw
19 R kankowski
20 A Jacobs
21 W olivier
22 R Pienaar / M Steyn
I believe Ruan should cover 9 as well and J Smit should cover Hooker as well as TH
10 Jun 2009, 22:04 pm
#335 gunther: Is that a headline from local paper?
10 Jun 2009, 22:04 pm
#332 saffa_guy: I agree. The guys need to work through injuries, bumps & bruises.
3 Tests against the Lions is a long road.
10 Jun 2009, 22:05 pm
#338 carol: Don’t make those kind of promises. Give no quarter, take no prisoners. Bye !
10 Jun 2009, 22:06 pm
#350 SodaJoe:
Seems like O’ Gara is gonna be the BIL 10
O’Gara has a pretty decent boot on him
Very tactical
Hope we play Steyn at 15 to return those kicks
10 Jun 2009, 22:06 pm
#336 saffa_guy:
Very True. Their tight-five has struggled to dominate other than the scrum. The WeePee loosies will give them all sorts of troubles.
10 Jun 2009, 22:07 pm
Cant say this enough
we are going to miss BJ here bigtime as well as kirchner and brussouw
10 Jun 2009, 22:08 pm
#336 saffa_guy: Bud, your assumption that we will win the collisions is ambitious. These are very big men we’re playing against and strong and fast.
I assumed that we would win on pace, they are also fast.
I am starting to get very nervous.
Hopefully we are getting wake up calls every night.
I also think that Shaun Edwards defensive lines are genius, and being executed brilliantly.
10 Jun 2009, 22:08 pm
#345 saffa_guy: One can always mortgage the house
10 Jun 2009, 22:08 pm
#348 JimT:
Suspect the Lions long season may count in SA favour
Injuries taking its toll already
A fresh team Vs a potentially tired team
Reckon advantage SA
10 Jun 2009, 22:09 pm
#328 sharks_lover: Jeez, Boet just answered your post then when hitting the sumbit button it just vanished!!!!!!! hehehe. Fingers going to get tired from all the typing. LOL.
I agree 100%. Without our Boks it was no contest. WE all knew that. The ones that have anything to say well let them. We also don’t have any warm up games with the Boks? Which coach would do that? Very daft from PdV. He should have released our Boks for this game. I said it all week. At least we would have faced them with our 10 Boks from the Sharks and had some sort of view of what to expect. Was very daft not to release our Boks for the Sharks. Supporters were very, very disappointed. Tank always full house. Sad to see it 1/4 full with a international game. Then we vote with our feet. Don’t select the Sharks best and we wont go.
Saying all that above. It took them a long time to get going againtst us. Think they will need a lot more than that to beat the Boks. The only thing that worries me is no game time at all. Very daft of PdV not to have a warm up game for the Boks. Also to bring the Boks to sea level to train when he never had to do that. Boks should still be training in Fourways at altitude. Should only have brought them to Durban next Thursday. No humidity to get used. Well they now here since Tuesday. Think we missed something by not training at altitude.
10 Jun 2009, 22:10 pm
#358 SodaJoe:
Have to own up
Regular Prozac user
So take the extreme optimism with a pinch of salt
10 Jun 2009, 22:10 pm
#355 saffa_guy: Nah – I don’t think so. Jones will be at 10 with Phillips. Wales combo at 9, 10, 12.
Which we may do well to emulate.
8. Spies
9. FdP
10. Morne (take the points, please take the points)
12. WO
10 Jun 2009, 22:11 pm
#350 SodaJoe: That would be a kicking duel Steyn vs Byrne. Maybe the other players should drop out & let Steyn/Byrne have at it? The longest kick (out of the stadium) wins
10 Jun 2009, 22:11 pm
#360 saffa_guy: aye.
10 Jun 2009, 22:12 pm
#332 saffa_guy:
Ek reken die bokke moet in die games speel. Die lions se toets spelers speel en kan seer kry en hulle speel meer games as ons manne voor die toetse. Nie net sal dit ons bokke game-skerp maak nie dit sal waarde gee aan die geld wat die toeskoers op die oomblik betaal. Maar ek dink die grootste waarde om die die bokke vir hul provinsies te laat speel is dat jy die lions wen en hulle van hul game afgooi en hulle ritme en selfvertroue in die grond in trap.
En dan laaste en my grootste rede is dat alle lande ‘n verantwoordelikheid teenoor die sport rugby. Soos hulle se, die game is groter as die man wat speel en so is die game ook groter as enige land wat daaraan deelneem. ‘n Toer is meer as net die toetse en om jou beste spelers te laat speel vir hulle provinsies kry jy die maksimum uit die toer wat op die ou end die belangrikste is vir die game. En as ons eerlik wil wees sal 1 of 2 beserings geen waarde of kwaliteit van die toetse af trek nie.
10 Jun 2009, 22:12 pm
#364 JimT: And who would bet against either?
10 Jun 2009, 22:12 pm
#361 Puma: meant = submit.
10 Jun 2009, 22:13 pm
Springboks are getting soft, I can see it in their eyes, and in their hairstyles, they getting far too soft far too soon, they gonna come into this cauldron undercooked and get a rugby lesson if they not careful.
Jenkins/Sheridan/Murray/Vickery vs Smit/Gurthro/Beast with Carstens as backup, thats one way traffic already
O’Connel/Shaw/Jones vs Botha/Matfield/Bekker/Roussouw we are on par or perhaps a shade in front
Croft/Worsley/Wallace/Jones/Powell/Heaslip vs Burger/Smith/Spies/Kankowski/Roussouw – even stevens
Phillips/Blair vs FdP/January – even stevens
Hook/Jones/O’Gara vs Pienaar/M.Steyn – Lions dominate
Roberts/D’Arcy/Fluty/O’Driscoll vs JdV/Jacobs/Fourie/Steyn – even stevens and Lions much slicker on attack.
Full Back Byrne vs Who the f’ck knows – Lions come up trumps
Wings – depends who bosses the midfield
10 Jun 2009, 22:14 pm
#358 SodaJoe:
Using Southern Hemisphere (SH) EOYT 2008 as a reference
All three SH were very dominant at the breakdowns and collisions
Apart from Ireland, did not see much else in the 6N that was on a similiar level to what the SH produced on EOYT 2008
Maybe i’m to biased
10 Jun 2009, 22:14 pm
Cheers ppl. Sorry Sharks. Not easy playing the best team from the B & I Lions against a under strength Sharks team.
10 Jun 2009, 22:14 pm
#355 saffa_guy: I’m not so sure, Jones may get the call. He’s more used to playing with Phillips & Roberts. Plus his defense is stronger.
10 Jun 2009, 22:15 pm
#369 skopskiet: aye
The wtf knows also scares me.
10 Jun 2009, 22:16 pm
#372 JimT: aye
10 Jun 2009, 22:16 pm
#360 saffa_guy: Yep, we knew that before starting out. Halfpenny is a good example. But that’s usually true for any touring side.
10 Jun 2009, 22:16 pm
#356 lightie: WeePee loosie wont give anybody trouble if they go backwards at 100m/h in the scrums.
If you put 2days sharks against saturdays weepee – who do you think will win and what will the score be.
10 Jun 2009, 22:17 pm
#361 Puma: exactly mate
Did you hear the commentators talking about how the bulls would have beat the lions because steyn would have kept the ball in their 22???
they are so thick they cant even understand the sharks are without 10 players and if the balls played the lions they too would have been without atleast 10
but then again garth wright has always hated the sharks with his little moron small brain mind
10 Jun 2009, 22:18 pm
#371 Ed_the_Lion: Cheers mate catch you 2morrow
10 Jun 2009, 22:18 pm
#372 JimT:
9. Phillips
10. Jones
11. Bowe
12. Roberts
13. BOD
14.
15. Byrne
Good backline. Forgot the other wing.
10 Jun 2009, 22:19 pm
#363 SodaJoe:
I’m a big Welsh fan and admirer of Jones
With O’Gara having played two matches with Roberts and BOD on his outside (likely test midfield) make me think its the Irishman
10 Jun 2009, 22:19 pm
#369 skopskiet: Agreed, although not really on the locks or centres. Also you can’t really make the call on how the Boks will play but that Lions front row is formidible.
10 Jun 2009, 22:19 pm
#363 SodaJoe: Great minds think alike Soda, that’s my bet for the Lions selection.
10 Jun 2009, 22:19 pm
#363 SodaJoe: i dont understand how so many people want WO in the starting line up,sure he’s been great this season but compared to JDV he’s still a rookie.and should and probably will be on the bench .
10 Jun 2009, 22:19 pm
#372 JimT: maybe the injury roberts picked up when a few sharks hit him will send him home lol
10 Jun 2009, 22:20 pm
#367 SodaJoe: Now that’s a problem
10 Jun 2009, 22:20 pm
#369 skopskiet:
Praat Pish. Grammar and content. The Bok-less Provinces have already exploited the rucks, what do you think is going to happen come test time?
10 Jun 2009, 22:22 pm
The Sharks were sad tonight. All defence and nothing else – just like during the super 14 – they never even tried to be positive and play – that is why they won’t even smell the curry cup this year.
I do not think Plumtree is up to it.
They need a coach who has a bit of imagination on attack in order to succeed.
Plumtree has none.
And Mr Goody Goody Gumdrops the captain should get the sack as soon as possible.
Give the job to Rory.
At least he got some backbone and spirit.
10 Jun 2009, 22:23 pm
#369 skopskiet: thats a rubbish comment and you know it!
10 Jun 2009, 22:23 pm
#383 mbaxman93: Max. I was illustrating the Bulls combination and how it compares to the potential Lions.
Not necessarily my personal position.
Personally I don’t rate WO or JdV so much. I think Francois Steyn is an intimidating powerful presence at 12. But that’s just me.
And goodness knows what we are going to do at 15.
Oi Vey.
10 Jun 2009, 22:24 pm
#379 SodaJoe: Agree with that lineup. The #14 could be Monye or Fitzgerald. Don’t think Williams will make it.
10 Jun 2009, 22:24 pm
The Sharks key area of weakness is more Plumtree than anything else
Even at full strength, Sharks have been lacking incisiveness on attack
Seem very cramped and disjointed
More a coaching matter than personnel matter imo
10 Jun 2009, 22:25 pm
#377 sharks_lover: Garth Wright is just so brilliantly stupid it is unreal. Crikey was he commentating? I could hardly hear at was at the clubhouse. Just please I missed his commentating. Stupid bugger.
Really Bulls would have felt just the same as us. No 10 Boks Bulls would have been the same. No matter what one says. Only a good brain tells you that. We need our best to play this side. This is the side that will play the Boks. So the ones that had anything to say against a very young under strength side better get real. Our Boks are under cooked no game time and it would have been good to have our Boks for the Sharks game. At least they would have known what we needed to get ready. See 1974 coming here. Just hope we play our best against this side. Must say this very under strength Shark side kept them out for long periods. A full strength Boks side even without a warm up game wont be as easy.
10 Jun 2009, 22:26 pm
#384 sharks_lover: Now that would a pity. I’m sure you want to play against the best?
10 Jun 2009, 22:26 pm
#376 Balletjies:
Front foot ball at scrum does not equate to quick ball at rucks. That is a good looking backrow and will be their Lion counterparts their biggest challenge yet.
10 Jun 2009, 22:26 pm
#391 saffa_guy:
Yip, he is the problem.
An overrated Kiwi, our Mr Plumtree.
Time for him to go home.
10 Jun 2009, 22:26 pm
#387 cris:
Yep, Plumtree still seems to be stuck in the pressure and counter attack of errors mindset
It work a wonder in 2007
The game has changed dramatically since then
Now, the winner must make the plays
10 Jun 2009, 22:27 pm
#386 lightie: And you think that Schalk will do a Brussouw on the ground?
10 Jun 2009, 22:27 pm
of = from
10 Jun 2009, 22:27 pm
The sharks simple lost the collusions, they were also out numbered at the break downs and “brutalized”, they were outgunned, BUT I just dont see the Boks being out done even with Burger at 6.
Burger should then win us the collusions in order to justify his inclusion ahead of Luke and Brussouw
10 Jun 2009, 22:27 pm
#376 Balletjies:
WP are going to give these Lions a game on Saturday, not like the little breeze in the park one way traffic you saw tonight. Watch.
10 Jun 2009, 22:28 pm
Stormers will play a better game. They have more of their team to play with this Saturday. Only 4 made the Boks squad. Then again…………Not so sure. They messed up bit with their best against some very poor teams in the S14.
10 Jun 2009, 22:28 pm
#388 mbaxman93: Not so much.
10 Jun 2009, 22:28 pm
#392 Puma: what worries me is what is the mindset of our players going to be like
10 Jun 2009, 22:28 pm
#395 cris:
Reminds one of Jake White
No need to send packing
Has great skills in other aspects of the game
Needs to be complemented by a Pieter Russouw
10 Jun 2009, 22:29 pm
#390 JimT: Me neither. But I like Monye a lot. Bloody race horse.
10 Jun 2009, 22:30 pm
#401 Puma: province is going to get killed on saturday , specially if the lions play with round about the same team as today to gain that momentum
10 Jun 2009, 22:30 pm
#399 XhosaKid:
Hoping Luke plays a Stormer at the breakdowns this Sat
This place will EXPLODE
Shall make for great viewing
10 Jun 2009, 22:30 pm
#394 lightie:
Correct, watch out Lions your first real game of rugby next to the Bafokeng Kings comes this Saturday next against Lukas Kotse and his band of merry kotchers,
we might even have ourselves our very first surprise this tour, wouldn’t surprise me much if we did.
10 Jun 2009, 22:30 pm
#403 sharks_lover: Not so sure. You need game time together. That is very important. WE have nogthing!!!!!! Go figure. Boks are under cooked. If Sharks at least got their 10 players back it would have helped. Should have but never. Always the case with SA rugby.
10 Jun 2009, 22:31 pm
#409 Puma: nogthing = nothing.
10 Jun 2009, 22:32 pm
#399 XhosaKid: He better.
#400 skopskiet: Doubt it my friend.
10 Jun 2009, 22:33 pm
#408 skopskiet: Don’t put too much money on it.
10 Jun 2009, 22:34 pm
#408 skopskiet: Come now skop. Thats getting ahead of yourself. Really be real about this. Our Sharks never had 9 of their best. You cant count that. Our Boks with no game time is going to cost them huge. Huge bloody mistake by stupid coaches. We have brilliant players. Lets hope they just do the business. Think they will and the coach he is a joke well coaches.
10 Jun 2009, 22:34 pm
Cant see WeePee taking it this Saturday
We’re in a rather bad state at the moment
Lions will hold to much
As for the next match at Newlands
Reckon the Emerging Boks could do it
10 Jun 2009, 22:34 pm
wtf knows does not scare me, its prep and lack of one of cj or cj there that gives me nightmares. thats first one could catch us cold, if it all goes tits up, there aint no plan B.
Plan B is a recognised TH, a fetcher like brussouw whose going to scrap to try compensate for a beaten tight 5.
in fairness to the Boks tho they are class from 1-15, provided they are committed they will win, if not, they will lose, but that goes without saying.
Guess what i’m saying is this is not the type of touring NH side that has visited our shores recently, its stronger than a touring oz side and about as strong as a touring AB side with its depth at tight 5.
10 Jun 2009, 22:34 pm
#409 Puma: i enjoyed Mvovo on the wing tonight , quite strong and fast , and looked for work
10 Jun 2009, 22:36 pm
#413 Puma: ingore the moron bro he is only here to start trouble
his mother deserted him as a cub so he seeks attention elsewhere
10 Jun 2009, 22:36 pm
#406 sharks_lover: Well think they may not. We played the team that will play the Boks. No way will that sly and smart Scot coach of theirs play a Lions team that will face the Boks the very next week. It will be their 2nd side that will face the Stormers. We faced the Lions that will face our Boks.
10 Jun 2009, 22:36 pm
#409 Puma: Boet. We are usually bitching that they are OVERCOOKED.
These guys have just finished a brutal S14.
Ruan. Steyn. Adi. Schalk. JdV. Groot Bek. Are all coming off injuries.
There are good combos that know how to play together.
The biggest risk we face is putting out a dof 22 with Rose, Fatty, Nokwe on the park.
We have made the errors of omitting Zane and Brussow. We musn’t compound them.
10 Jun 2009, 22:37 pm
#397 SodaJoe:
Not a Brussouw. He will do a Burger. It’s not all about one player tallying up turnovers.
10 Jun 2009, 22:37 pm
#412 SodaJoe:
You may be putting too much money on the opposite, watch and witness a game of rugby come Saturday, Joe Pietersen, Grant, Bobo, Watson, Lebenberg, Fondse, gonna take the game to these tourists. Watch net.
10 Jun 2009, 22:38 pm
#415 cab: aye
But I worry about everything else too.
10 Jun 2009, 22:39 pm
#415 cab:
Doubt whether PdV intends on scrapping for the ball
Looks like we simply going out to moer up front
No small guy with technical super skills ala Brussouw or Luke
Rather a big bunch of brutal Boere bliksemming into submission at the collission
10 Jun 2009, 22:39 pm
#415 cab: Cab hiyas mate , my point exactly
I keep saying this we are not thinking smart here, the lions are comming at us with huge experience and we playing kiddies games
what worries me is everyone like tonight is rather saying how **** a watered down sharks team is instead of seeing the threat the lions actually pose
they are far better as a unit playing together , support brilliantly and everything is done at pace with strength
if we dont choose the right team and plan properly i am afraid we in for a terrible hiding
10 Jun 2009, 22:40 pm
#400 skopskiet: Skopskiet ons het nog altyd ons veskille gehaat. Ek hoop die WP wen saterdag. Maar eerlik (op papier) wie sal wen tussen vandagse sharks en saterdag se WP. Ek reken die sharks sal 6 uit 10 uit wen. Nou dra dit oor na saterdag en die wp se kanse is maar skraal.
10 Jun 2009, 22:41 pm
Calm down, people.
This is the best team that four nations combined can put together. And what have they been up against? SA’s best team? No. SA’s 2nd best team? No. Probably not even SA’s fifth best team.
Why? Because you can take out our top 28 players, and get down to our third best team and still come up with something FAR better than the Lions faced tonight, or in any other game thus far.
If you combined the best guys from the remaining Bulls, Sharks, WP and Cheetah players, you’d have a team far stronger than anything the Best of Britain have faced thus far.
Just the pack could be picked from the likes of:
Jannie du Plessis, Derick Kuun, Werner Kruger, Johan Muller, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Steven Sykes, Dewald Potgieter, Heinrich Brussouw, Deon Stegman, Duanne Vermeulen, Pedrie Wannenburg, the list goes on.
Seroiusly, one one side you have the best of all the British Isles.
And on the other side you take away the top 28 guys of SA. Then you split the remaining guys into 4 or 5 different, watered down teams, each then having to face the combined might of the British Lions?
Why on earth would any person in his right mind be worried if the Lions then manage to win these games?
Wait for the big guns to take the field. Then it will be mayhem.
10 Jun 2009, 22:41 pm
#415 cab: Cab don’t rate our Sharks side tonight boet. We had 9 missing players. No way could we beat them. I knew that the whole of bloody SA knew that but the daft Springbok coach that never released our 9 players to play for our Sharks. That was the Lions side to face the Boks. We have no game time mate. PdV should have released the Shark Boks to play tonight. Huge bloody mistake by him. At least we have our seniour players that will take control of the first test. Thank bloody hell for them. Our Bok coaches are a joke. Enough said.
10 Jun 2009, 22:41 pm
#421 skopskiet: I hope so. I really do.
The problem is the same – the WP front 3 as a whole are pap pathetic. And it all starts and ends there.
and back at the training camp
Smit better be using this time to scrum, scrum , scrum, scrum, scrum. (Seriously what genius thought it was a great idea to retread our hooker captain in to a 3?)
Come to think of it all 3 of them should be.
With Bismark getting extra homework THROWING THE BALL IN properly in to the fkn lineout.
10 Jun 2009, 22:42 pm
#400 skopskiet: Not getting ahead of ourselves, I hope Luke continues to play to the ball and that Duane does his ball carrying, then at least there is a chance for WP
10 Jun 2009, 22:42 pm
#423 saffa_guy:
And if the starting 8 cannot achieve the objective
We simply send on some equally physical replacements
Relentless physical onslaught up front
From the 60th minute it’ll become to much for the BIL
At this point the gaps will start opening
And our backs will take the match
10 Jun 2009, 22:43 pm
#427 Puma: Sorry for typos there.
10 Jun 2009, 22:45 pm
#423 saffa_guy:
lol, yeah always a good strategy. u right f’ck plan B, if the boks are committed they will win, simple.
#424 sharks_lover:
i think skoppie is just revving u sharks up, but its a class lions team whom i think are going to pomp wp too, but we shall see. for the bokke it will take a complete effort, players and coaches, this is a class outfit and will beat the Boks if not at their best or slapgat, which they often are 1st test of the season.
10 Jun 2009, 22:46 pm
#431 Puma: Boet you don’t have to worry about your typos. No one else does.
10 Jun 2009, 22:46 pm
#427 Puma:
The flaw with your postings is regardless of the result your judgement of PdV shall remain the same
Fail = PdV’s fault
Succeed = Its the players
10 Jun 2009, 22:46 pm
Delayed by traffic; did not see the game. Thought I had it recorded but not. Will watch highlights any time now.
What is this result?
Massacre. The boys here on keo must be gutted.
10 Jun 2009, 22:46 pm
#426 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: Well said Tacitus , 100% correct , i even earlier in the week said the sharks team should have been atleast combined with the bulls team( the left overs from both teams ) to make a more solid team
people here forget we just played the test team of the lions and its 4 countries of good rugby stature combined into one
and the lions had to face a very watered down provincial team and they expected us to win ??? me thinks not
our rugby administrators have let us down with poor thinking
10 Jun 2009, 22:46 pm
#418 Puma: Come on now PUMA, thats unfair to WP, coz they are damned if they win and damned if they dont. Sharks simply lost the collusions, Keegan is no 8th man, he’s an opensider and Botes is a solid provincial grafter, nothing special
10 Jun 2009, 22:48 pm
#432 cab: amen
10 Jun 2009, 22:48 pm
Watch Lions on Safari.
BI Lions 1980, Bill Beaumont’s team
Jan Snyman jou yster!!!!
10 Jun 2009, 22:48 pm
#432 cab:
Someone has to be the optimist
On a more toned down note
Do believe folk are writing off Burger to easily
He is going to suprise with his fetching performance
Spies will assist
10 Jun 2009, 22:49 pm
#434 saffa_guy: Nah. That’s not true.
Puma is an early supporter of Piet Snor.
But the squad selection has made all of us unduly anxious.
10 Jun 2009, 22:49 pm
BI Lions 100 – WP 13 ?
10 Jun 2009, 22:49 pm
#437 XhosaKid: i said today that keegan is not an 8thman and some cut me down and said i was mad
i said they should have rather played a natural 8th man like whitely from the sharks VC team
he is also big and strong and has played 8thman all his life
10 Jun 2009, 22:50 pm
Cheers guys!
Just cannot believe the result…
10 Jun 2009, 22:50 pm
PdV is trying to avoid the front end collision, he’s hoping our front three don’t get drilled into the ground and at least even if we don’t get parity there we at least don’t get drilled into submission.
Everything else is geared to happen at pace because we good enough through the second row and back row to give them better than they give us or as good at least,
and he’s banking big time on Pienaar at 10, cos if he doesn’t cook first game up then he better have M.steyn on bench. (But I suspect if he’s got JPP at 15 and Ndungane and Habana on wings then he’ll have January, Fourie and F.Steyn – not M.Steyn on the bench – hence no back up goal kicker behind Pienaar).
Jones or Hook or O’Gara are all seasoned veterans, so PdV is going to have to prepare to run these guys ragged, if he goes in for a slug fest, I reckon we come off second best, only way to beat them and good is do what we did to Aussie at Ellis Park, show them some absolute Spingbok clean heels, that they’ll respect, slug fest will be playing right into their NH hands, then we lose.
10 Jun 2009, 22:51 pm
hell i been saying in here all week the sharks are going to get hell with that weak backline
and early on we lose the one big defender in the team to make matters worse
no ways was this mix and match backline so inexperienced do well against the might of the BI
10 Jun 2009, 22:51 pm
#440 saffa_guy: Bud if Spies assisted as a fetcher it would be the very first time.
We didn’t pick a fetcher. simple. Same as always.
Dof.
10 Jun 2009, 22:51 pm
#427 Puma:
a first string backline might have kept the scoreline, but the forwards were done in and they basically have a bok B side in Carstens, Dup, Sykes and Muller – according to TH our best technical scrummers – who were drukked. if you losing posession and tightloose, its only a matter of time before u broken down in 2nd half.
10 Jun 2009, 22:51 pm
One last thing before I log out tonight. Why the bloody hell are we training at sea level? Damn bloody stupid if you ask me. WE have two tests at altitude. Boks should stil be training in the highveld. You lose all advantage of altitude training in just a week if you never lived there. We have 10 coastal Sharks and 4 from Stormers. The rest will probably keep the altitude in their lungs for a few weeks. Like the Bulls/Lions and Cheetahs Boks. To take advantage of altitude you just train there until at least two days before going to play at sea level. Why has no one told this coaching side. WE will have no advantage of the altitude when we go back. Lions players will have lost ther advantage now playing at sea level then going to Cape Town then back to Durban. We missed something. Boks should still be based in Fourways. No humidity to get used to here in Durban this time of year so no need to come here to train just yet. Would have come with a huge advantage with altitude training. Should only have come next Thursday.
10 Jun 2009, 22:53 pm
#427 Puma: I would assume that is just emotions talking right now….
10 Jun 2009, 22:53 pm
#440 saffa_guy:
i think he’s going to suprise allround and come out flying, am hoping its going to be the mother of burger performances.
10 Jun 2009, 22:54 pm
#448 cab: aye.
#449 Puma: aye. Another genius move.
10 Jun 2009, 22:54 pm
Regarding the tighthead selection
Could be mistaken, did Sheridan pack down at loosehead EOYT England 2008
Cannot recall our scrum suffering in that match and we had Jannie & Mujati covering tighthead – neither pillars of strength by any means
Smit could very well do the job
10 Jun 2009, 22:55 pm
#451 cab: Bacon, Mushrooms,Cheese & Fries. Rare. Blood dripping. No fkn lettuce. Just All Gold.
10 Jun 2009, 22:56 pm
Okay cheers all out of here now.
10 Jun 2009, 22:56 pm
I read on sports 24 that Jean d Villiers and Luke might be leaving WP. Will be sad to see Jean go.
10 Jun 2009, 22:56 pm
Am I the only one holding up the light of optimism around here?
10 Jun 2009, 22:56 pm
#455 Puma: Cheers Puma. Lekker aand.
10 Jun 2009, 22:57 pm
#425 Balletjies:
Die WP span van toekomende Saterdag teen jou Sharks span van vanaand is geen wedstryd, WP sou hulle met 30 geklop net soos die Leeus gemaak het, ons het amper jou S14 span geklop, net toe JdV af was en Rassie and January deurmekaar geraak het, toe was julle terug in die spel gelaat, anderstens sou WP die eerste game van die S14 teen die Sharks gewen.
Kyk net Saterdag se game, WP sal die Leeu ouens bietjie van a game gee, nie soos die Sharks vanaand gemaak het.
10 Jun 2009, 22:58 pm
#451 cab:
It’ll match 2005′s super human wrecking ball performances
And we got the better of McCaw that year
See PdV taking a similiar approach up front
10 Jun 2009, 22:59 pm
Cheers all out of here now.
Go Bokke.
10 Jun 2009, 23:00 pm
#458 Ed_the_Lion: What’s going on at the Golden Lions?
10 Jun 2009, 23:00 pm
Anyway, time for bed
Keep the faith lads
We’ll take this one
10 Jun 2009, 23:02 pm
#463 saffa_guy: Night bud. I think we will win. I just don’t take it for granted. Sleep well.
10 Jun 2009, 23:02 pm
Stephen Nell
Durban – There are plenty rumours floating around that Western Province rugby will lose cand Luke Watson to overseas clubs.
Sport24 recently revealed that the Irish regional team, Munster, was prepared to lure De Villiers with a substantial offer.
The Springbok inside centre himself said at the time he would make a decision about his future after the British and Irish Lions Test series.
However, informed sources told Sport24 that it was certain that De Villiers would join Munster in 2010. “Jean is gone,” Sport24 was told.
Bok centre Jaque Fourie, is also expected to leave South African shores to join the French club Clermont at the end of the local season.
Watson, who will lead the WP in Saturday’s match against the British and Irish Lions at Newlands and will probably also be the team’s captain in the Currie Cup series, is on the Bath shopping list.
Bath is looking for a substitute for the English flank, Michael Lipman, who left the club earlier this month. Lipman together with Alex Crockett and Andrew Higgins resigned earlier after a probe into an alleged bar brawl.
Informed sources told Sport24 Watson was identified as a possible substitute for Lipman.
Watson’s Springbok career has probably come to an end after he reportedly made controversial comments about the Bok jersey.
He played brilliantly in the Super14 series this year, but the Bok coach, Peter de Villiers, made it clear that he thought Pierre Spies and Ryan Kankowski were better eighth men.
Should De Villiers leave Western Province, Schalk Burger would probably lead the Stormers’ Super14 campaign in 2010.
Burger and Watson in the past often competed for the same position and apparently don’t like each other much. It is unlikely that either of the players would be keen to play under the other as captain.
Bath is apparently also interested in the services of the former WP lock, Ross Skeate who is good friends with Watson.
10 Jun 2009, 23:03 pm
#445 skopskiet:
very good post imo, but Boks can also beat them in the collisions and show them a clean pair of heels, in fact they must beat them in the collisions with numbers, their are some tough customers in the Boks outfit and matfield and smit will need to play that game since they have to. can make plan with scrums but cant get away from the tightloose.
10 Jun 2009, 23:04 pm
#460 saffa_guy:
later.
10 Jun 2009, 23:04 pm
Jean Deysel is a Schalk like human wrecking ball.
Didn’t seem to do too much damage tonight? Didn’t seem to hold up the Lions too much.
So …
Human Wrecking Balls vs Tokoloshes.
Tokoloshes usually beat us.
Not too many Tokoloshes in the Lions either I have to say.
10 Jun 2009, 23:08 pm
#465 sharks_lover:
Schalk is no captain – never was and never will be.
All brawn and no brains
10 Jun 2009, 23:10 pm
just back from mates…have read no posts…Hreres my take….we in kak!!!! We have chosen a unbalanced squad…these guys gonna sctum us and maul us and do the basics and kick us into submission…we choose poorly we pay the price…we got no tightheads in SA….how on earth we lost CJ AND BJ is strategically bankkrupt….
We got no chance in 1 st test….UNDERCOOKES…1997 groundhog day ,,,,same old movie…and P D V looks concerned.
10 Jun 2009, 23:13 pm
#470 grant10:
any team that can beat
1. Beast 2. Bismarck 3. Smit
4. Bakkies 5. Matfield
6. Burger 7. Smith 8. Spies
is a bladdy good one.
10 Jun 2009, 23:15 pm
#469 cris: wow cris i aint saying that the press is
its an article i posted here , but didnt write
10 Jun 2009, 23:16 pm
#471 cab: ABs of 2008 then
10 Jun 2009, 23:17 pm
Deysel overrated, not a patch on Potgieter, Vermeulen or even Ernst Joubert
Sharks loosies of Botes, Deysel and Daniel are not up to top rate international standard, and I fear Kanko not far better either. And it showed when they went to Bloemfontein and got blown right off the park.
Best loosies in the country are our Bok trio, then Vermeulen, Brussow, Potgieter, Stegmann, Watson, Joubert.
10 Jun 2009, 23:18 pm
#470 grant10: Hiyas Grant , i told you guys this week the sharks were in trouble with the team they had to play with , anyhows here is my assumption after what i saw tonight
I have no doubt in what the Bok team should be now that i have seen the Lions main test team
There is no doubt , Nokwe , Rose and bekker should not have been there
Their places should have been taken by ,Kirchner , BJ and Brussouw
But unfortunately our selectors are one track minded and this is probably going to hurt us bad in the series
15 F Steyn
14 JP Pietersen
13 J Fourie
12 JD Villiers
11 B Habana
10 M Steyn / Ruan
09 F Dup
08 P Spies
07 J Smith
06 S Burger
05 V Matfield
04 B Botha
03 J Smit
02 B Dup
01 T mtawarira
16 G Steenkamp
17 D Carstens
18 D Russouw
19 R kankowski
20 A Jacobs
21 W olivier
22 R Pienaar / M Steyn
I believe Ruan should cover 9 as well and J Smit should cover Hooker as well as TH
10 Jun 2009, 23:21 pm
#475 sharks_lover: not so sure on BJ, wasnt he backpedalling the entire Baabaas match until he was substituted ? appreciate it was a composite team, but not so sure he’s as good as the hype…
10 Jun 2009, 23:21 pm
#471 cab:
The Sharks pack today weighed about 820kg’s to the Lions 880kg’s or thereabouts.
The Bok pack will be a different story.
10 Jun 2009, 23:22 pm
#471 cab:
You really think so?
Beast: never dominates in the scrums
Bismarc:has lost form – cannot catch a ball anymore and gives too many penalties away
Smit: Overweight hooker that will never dominate any decent international prop in the scrum
Bakkies: Excellent
Matfield: Very Good
Burger: Finished, 50% of the player he used to be
Smith: Probably over the hill, just hanging in there.
Spies: When the going gets tough he goes walkabout.
They are no world beaters imo.
Luckily for them the Lions are not so good either.
50/50 contest.
10 Jun 2009, 23:24 pm
That game proved what I ghave been sayig about Muller- not a Bok’s backside. He was completely anonymous in the loose. I didn’t see him hit a ruck once.
I thought the game was worrying in a sense. Yes you expected the BIL’s to score through the backs, but the forwards in gereral were quite a good bunch of players (Sykes, Botes, Daniesl, Jannie, Deon Carstens, etc (even Muller is a good CC level lock). Quite a few tries were scored through or close to the forwards. IMHO the scrumming seriously depleted the Sharks props, leaving their defence around the fringes full of holes. also, none of the Sharks forwards have any where close to Brussouw’s ball stealing ability on the ground.
Clearly this is the Lions aim – just like Jake white used to say- use the scrums to tire their forwards, and then exploit that tiredness. It doesn’t help having mobile forwards that go backwards
And the Sharks cleaning out is atrocious – this is the basis of their inability to score. They cannot build up pressure because they either lose the ball because the player is isolated (sometimes not very far from the last ruck, but with the forwards out to lunch), or it takes so long to come out
Their organisation to back each other up and trundel over the top to get quick ball must be fixed.
10 Jun 2009, 23:24 pm
#473 poppa69:
good try, but afraid not, boks were missing the kingpin, bakkies.
When Bakkies was there SA beat NZ, first time in 5 years NZ beaten on home soil.
This combination have never played together.
10 Jun 2009, 23:25 pm
#466 cab:
They will have to compete like their lives depend on it, thats the only way they’ll do the business
I got some fears surrounding Burger, I reckon Brussow is far more effective in the tight loose, in spite of what you and Jake might say. Why should he suddenly up his game when its Springbok showtime, where’s he been since 2007
Our same loose trio of Burger, Smith, Spies got done in Perth, Cape Town and Durban last year, whats to get them motoring all a sudden against Croft, Wallace/Worsley, Powell/Heaslip
PdV is going with same old same old, and Kanko offers sweet f’all if one of them goes down, only some poefta speed in a sideways directional line. Powell would own Kanko all game long, same as the big Aussies and Kiwis do.
10 Jun 2009, 23:25 pm
Shane Williams was nowhere, and after Jamie Roberts was off all of the Lions backline players seemed very scared of contact. Shane Williams threw the ball away like a hot potato when he looked up and saw a shark, as did Ronan. I had a good laugh.
10 Jun 2009, 23:26 pm
#478 cris:
Ok. So now we have your opinion, for what it’s worth, and can move on.
10 Jun 2009, 23:26 pm
#471 cab: they are bloody good…we were scrummed in our moer cab….with Carstens and jannis dup…that are probably better then Jsmit and beast….the lions dominated the collissions…intelligent big backs…we are nowhere from a plan b perspective…we lose the contact areas we dead!!! The scrums will be the slow poison….no boet…i called this for a while now….we too stupid to evolve …no fetcher equals very little ball….who the hell gonna win and slow the ball….no one in that 28!!!
10 Jun 2009, 23:28 pm
#476 poppa69: mate not true and remember a pack grows together , it dont matter how strong you are
the sharks for example has a weak hooker in the scrums tonight and one could see the diffs
a prop is only as strong as his pack who either push together and how they technically combine as a unit
the baabaas isa new unit put togther and no ways in hell would dominate
so its hard to say from that
if you put bj back in the bok team and he trained and played together as before you would see the diffs
10 Jun 2009, 23:29 pm
If you had to pick one pack out of the Boks and Lions forwards, the only Lions that would make the team would most likely be the two props. The other 6 positions would be made up of Springbok players.
10 Jun 2009, 23:29 pm
#477 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: exactly tac, i am afraid some in here do not look at the whole picture and are purely here to talk ****
10 Jun 2009, 23:30 pm
#478 cris:
we got parity in our thinking, but then most around here reckon we no good unpatriotic bokkie bashers
I say we going to come unstuck at 3, 6, 8, 10, and perhaps 14 and 15.
And 2 is getting mighty ragged when he can’t hang onto a loose ball, I put Liebenberg in there before Bismark on current form.
This Bok team is pretty much on par with this Lions team, but most times out of 10 AB’s still put us away.
10 Jun 2009, 23:31 pm
#486 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: whats your thoughts on the story doing the round that russouw will start at 7 and not juan ??
10 Jun 2009, 23:31 pm
#486 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: there is that scary saffa arrogance again Tac
10 Jun 2009, 23:31 pm
#477 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season:
true and your post above about the 4 unions combined is correct too.
but the signs are there, this aint no cake walk.
#478 cris:
No matter who SA pick, cant see Boks withstanding Lions scrum, its their main strength. if we get parity its already a victory. Beast is far more mobile than their lot, jenkins is also mobile. Their front row is superb, but Bismark is far better than anything they have in their squad. Smit is one of the best captain in the world and def on the field by a long shot. Our locking partnership is the best in the world provided Matfield cleans and works like he’s done at the bulls for the last 2 weeks (if u see him punting thru one of his grubbers u know we going to lose imo). backrow is fnatastic, all need to shape and hit the breakdown, including pierre spies.
10 Jun 2009, 23:33 pm
#483 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season:
Why so nasty?
We all have our opinions.
Yours count not more or not less than mine
It is only about Spies isn’t it?
10 Jun 2009, 23:33 pm
#485 sharks_lover: yeah agree, thats why I said it was a composite team… would love to see him in a decent 8…
#480 cab: oh well, the ABs of 2009 then
10 Jun 2009, 23:33 pm
lions better than us technically in lots of areas…and beat us 9 times out of 10 when it comes to intelligence…we choose a **** starting 15 its tickets….and i bet we do …
10 Jun 2009, 23:34 pm
#482 Spies_Is_King: and that against a weak shark backline
imagine F steyn or fourie hitting them lol or bakkies lmao
10 Jun 2009, 23:36 pm
#493 poppa69: bok front row should have been beast smit bj
10 Jun 2009, 23:37 pm
#484 grant10:
the fetcher aint gonna count for much if we living off scraps grant, if they beat us in the setpiences and collisions, its over and they will have deserved to have won and no matter how many plans B, C, D or E will help there.
the cheetahs and brussow never got a hand on the ball v the Lions in the firt 20 mins, only when ferris was sent off and they lost their shape and continued to play a silly looser game (away from their strengths) did brussow start to wreak havoc.
Brusow is brilliant, but the series will be decided on committed players who’ve done it in the RWC in 2007 and NZ in 2008.
10 Jun 2009, 23:37 pm
#489 sharks_lover:
I don’t understand why so many Bok coaches keep making the mistake of picking Rossouw at loose forward. He is the 2nd best enforcer lock in SA – and dare I say it, in the world.
His place should be booked on the bench, as a 2nd half tactical replacement for Bakkies. Don’t get me wrong, he is a more than decent loose forward, but the only reason to pick him at flank, that I can think of, is to find an excuse to keep Andries Bekker in the match 22. Because with Rossouw on the bench, there is no need for that rather tall Habana-impersonator to be in the team.
10 Jun 2009, 23:37 pm
even the bulls seen the light with Dewalt and steggmann….both fetching to free up spies…we as boks decide screw it…we choose none….dimwits i tell you…we wont change till its too late….schalk has been nowhere for 2 years…and now all of a sudden he is a superman….kak man…this is professional sport…not Alice in bloody wonderland…
10 Jun 2009, 23:38 pm
#496 sharks_lover: yeah, cant understand the train of thought that has Smit propping… feel for the bloke, is a WC winning hooker, and now is being shunted around the front row… crazy stuff.
10 Jun 2009, 23:38 pm
#496 sharks_lover: agree
10 Jun 2009, 23:39 pm
#498 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: one hundred percent agreed have a look at this posting i made where in i also said we didnt need bekker with russouw there
I have no doubt in what the Bok team should be now that i have seen the Lions main test team
There is no doubt , Nokwe , Rose and bekker should not have been there
Their places should have been taken by ,Kirchner , BJ and Brussouw
But unfortunately our selectors are one track minded and this is probably going to hurt us bad in the series
15 F Steyn
14 JP Pietersen
13 J Fourie
12 JD Villiers
11 B Habana
10 M Steyn / Ruan
09 F Dup
08 P Spies
07 J Smith
06 S Burger
05 V Matfield
04 B Botha
03 J Smit
02 B Dup
01 T mtawarira
16 G Steenkamp
17 D Carstens
18 D Russouw
19 R kankowski
20 A Jacobs
21 W olivier
22 R Pienaar / M Steyn
I believe Ruan should cover 9 as well and J Smit should cover Hooker as well as TH
10 Jun 2009, 23:39 pm
#492 cris:
On the contrary, its about you venturing the opinion that probably the most talented Bok pack in history is for the most part either “overrated”, “playing on reputation”, “a bunch of hasbeens” or just not good enough when the going gets tough.
Sure, you’re entitled to your opinion, but then you should be ready to take some criticism when others think said opinion is daft.
10 Jun 2009, 23:42 pm
#497 cab: we will have to agree to disagree….Schalk is finished imo….has been for a long time…juan still digs deep…but a head blow away from retirement…..the near future is brussow, dewalt potgieter ,spies and steggman….and Luke should be in the mix….we 1 test away from seeing the light
10 Jun 2009, 23:42 pm
#481 skopskiet:
agree Brussouw should be on bench, his form is phenomenal and you are right he provides the backrow with more balance by bringing something different – but Burger always plays full-out for Boks.
If boks lose, am sure Brusouw will replace him such will be the outcry, imo Burger’s going to play the game of his life.
10 Jun 2009, 23:44 pm
#502 sharks_lover:
We need a fetcher in that squad. If not in the starting 15, then at least on the bench.
I read on Beeld’s site that Burger and Kankowski are carrying injuries at the moment, and were not able to participate in the first full on physical training session involving the entire team.
So what is Snor’s plan if one of them has to withdraw from the squad? Is he then just gonna put Rossouw in? My fervent hope is that Brussouw or Stegman is brought in to terrorize the Lions at the breakdown.
10 Jun 2009, 23:44 pm
#500 poppa69: thats cuzz fools dont see what a hooker actually has to do , and thats play hooker first , dont get me wrong i like bismark , but smit is the best hooker in SA by a mile
and a front row of beast smit and bj would not stand back for any other
add to that the worlds best 2nd row in bakkies and matfield
thats an awesome tight 5
our loosies is ok to and with a good tight 5 wouldnt stand back for anyone
i know some are crying about burger but i tell ya im yet to see him have a bad game in a bok jersey
he as usual mate will give his all
10 Jun 2009, 23:45 pm
#505 cab: burger is then very disrespectful of the stormers and wp jersey….and that pisses me off…
10 Jun 2009, 23:45 pm
#506 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: agreed
whats you thoughts on the team i posted and also as you can see i said we need kirchner , brussouw and bj
10 Jun 2009, 23:46 pm
#506 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: yes….yes….yes….yes……
10 Jun 2009, 23:47 pm
#506 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: and to be honest i agree stegmann is getting better but brussouw should be the man as he has been great for 2 years now and just being overlooked
10 Jun 2009, 23:47 pm
#508 grant10:
Mate, there are a hell of a lot of disgruntled people who are rather disrespectful of the WP jersey at this particular point in history, I can guarantee you that.
After all, disrespecting jerseys isn’t exactly unheard of among some of your most high profile players. Your new captain, to start with…
10 Jun 2009, 23:48 pm
#509 sharks_lover: those 3 and its a 55 …45……now its a 60….40….in favor of lions….and they like durbs
10 Jun 2009, 23:48 pm
#506 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: kanko by the way had a slight lower back strain but is said to be fine
so he will be fine
they could have left out bekker for brussouw
nokwe for kirchner and rose for bj
10 Jun 2009, 23:50 pm
#512 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: at least luke has given his all to the stormers and wp jersey….unlike the glory boy….i am sick and tired if schalk just walking into the bok set up after pathetic year in and year out performances for wp and stormers…gatvol i am
10 Jun 2009, 23:50 pm
#509 sharks_lover:
Just about the perfect team, given the squad that was picked. One thing though. I would not have Kankowski on the bench. I’d replace him with a flank, as Rossouw is a lock replacement who can also cover eigthman in a pinch.
I just don’t see what Kankowski adds to that particular line up.
10 Jun 2009, 23:51 pm
#513 grant10: nope bro trust me that team i put up there if coached right can beat these lions
you saw a very waek and watered down sharks team tonight , do not go by that
10 Jun 2009, 23:52 pm
#516 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: no problem with that as i said there just add brussouw and it could have been so much better
also i dont think kanko is in the same form as last year
10 Jun 2009, 23:52 pm
Burger is no No.6, never has been and never will be, and therein lies all the imbalanced melodrama that is still going to unfold, either he plays 7 or sits on bench, but 6 is alien to Burgers disposition, all Jake Whites fault for reading the script all wrong and passing it on down the line, exactly same as Tacitus is saying about Roussouw playing flank,
we go down this road trying to match brawn for brawn in every position we going to get done, simple as pie.
Roussouw is a lock klaar, and Schalk Burger is a No.7 or at a push a No.8 but no No.6
10 Jun 2009, 23:52 pm
i tell you guys now….we play jpp at 15….nokwe at 14….ruan at 10 [half fit and no game time ] it is all over rover….we go to altitude 1 nil down…mark this post!!!!
10 Jun 2009, 23:53 pm
#516 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: problem is there is no other flank in the squad
10 Jun 2009, 23:54 pm
#516 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: did you notice tonight maybe how many times deysel was doing the fetcher role for the sharks and won quite a few balls, even though he is not a 6 flank
10 Jun 2009, 23:54 pm
#507 sharks_lover: yeah, beggars belief to me… especially against an experienced Lions pack…
Im not so sure about Burger, as Ive said on here previously, I think he is in the same boat as Jerry Collins, physically exhausted… the mental challenge of playing the Lions will see him lift (if fit), beat the Lions and in all seriousness I think he may exit the stage of international rugby… even though hes only 26, I think his body is telling him its time to prepare for life after rugby… (he has lacked hunger all season, but I know he lifts for the SA jersey)…
10 Jun 2009, 23:55 pm
#518 sharks_lover:
Its not about his form, though. If Spies was injured, I’d have Kankowski in the starting line up. Its just that Kankowski doesn’t add anything different to the mix if Spies is already there. I’d rather have a versatile loose forward who gives us multiple replacement options, than a specialist no.8 on the bench.
And it’s not as if Spies needs to be tactically replaced after 60 minutes. If anything, he is at his most devastating when the game loosens up in the last 20 minutes.
10 Jun 2009, 23:55 pm
#517 sharks_lover</ lets see….j smit at 3 crazy….no fetcher…half the side hasnt played in 2 months….we gonna get some players way out position…no boet….we in it deep !!!!
10 Jun 2009, 23:56 pm
#508 grant10:
well by that reasoning the entire stormers tight 5 have been disrespectful of that jersey for the last 5 years or so, hopeless.
10 Jun 2009, 23:57 pm
#503 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season:
Of course I must accept critisism – especially if it is backed up with some analysis (as done by Cab)_
You did not do that – You just dismissed my opinion.
Are you serious in your assesment that this is the most talkented bok pack ever?
Smit as prop?
Bismarc as hooker?
The over the hill Schalk as no 6?
Pierre who has never consistently excelled at test level against strong opposition?
Bakkies and Victor are exceptional and has proven it.
Schalk was exceptional but after all the injuries there is serious doubt about him.
The others????
10 Jun 2009, 23:57 pm
#521 sharks_lover:
You know what that tells us: It means that Rossouw was picked as FLANK, not as a lock. Meaning that Bekker is the chosen one to replace Bakkies in the 2nd half. So we’re replacing a hard man with a fairy who plays most of the game on Habana’s outside.
But of course, how else will you be able to play the basketball style rugby that Snor dreams about?
10 Jun 2009, 23:58 pm
#524 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: as i said mate i agree , i would have had brussouw on the bench atleast
our coaching has lost the plot
if he ever had it
10 Jun 2009, 23:59 pm
#528 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: my point exactly and i believe bekker should not be there
if anything in history we should have learnt by now is the lions come with all the hard men and play hard
softies wont stop them
thats a fact
10 Jun 2009, 23:59 pm
#519 skopskiet: that is the biggest sin Jake shoved down SA Rugby throat …schalk has never and will never be a 6…we just cant and dont win the scraps at the breakdown …i cannot understand the thinking….then pdv says this morning he feels the loose trio unbalanced…his solution…d rossow at 7….FFS man!!! Juan is fine ….it is Schalk that cant fetch …his build is all wrong….brussow says in an interview it is his body type that makes him effective…but we will learn the hard way.
11 Jun 2009, 00:00 am
#525 grant10: KAK
11 Jun 2009, 00:01 am
guys, all you need to do to beat the Lions is spear tackle BOD… works like a charm
lmfao !
11 Jun 2009, 00:02 am
#527 cris:
From 4-8 this is the best Bok pack since readmission, yes. And let’s be honest, if Spies was let loose on the 1974 Lions in his current shape, he would run them ragged, so one can comfortably say then that the modern guys are in a different league to the guys of 30 years ago. Therefore, by extension, the best Bok pack since readmission is also most likely the best Bok pack ever.
From 1-3, no, but they can hold their own against these Lions, apart from the odd scrum that might be a bit shaky.
11 Jun 2009, 00:02 am
Was Ryan watching a different game than me? Where did he get this stuff from? The Lion’s dominated the lot, hook line and sinker. Deysel ended up looking useless, ditto Daniel, Kockett showed why PdV is right, the lineout was shaky, the scrum a mess, the backs a joke. The best player was an unknown 22 year old black kid and occasionally a 33 year old has been at No 15.
The Sharks lost endless turnovers in the 2nd half. I hear the Keo writers like to party…what were they on when they wrote this? The Lions were good and will get better. Overconfidence is a SA fault.
11 Jun 2009, 00:03 am
#526 cab: we know the tight 5 are ****….the schalk is supposed to be better….but i dont want to sound like a schalk basher…just gatvol we always gotta swim against the tide.
11 Jun 2009, 00:04 am
#520 grant10:
Looks like its gonna happen Grant make your funeral pyre ready now, that way you won’t need counseling when sh’t hits the fan
11 Jun 2009, 00:04 am
#533 poppa69:
lol
11 Jun 2009, 00:06 am
#530 sharks_lover:
Biggest softie in that setup is Kanko, not Bekker, any day of the week Bekker will stand his man, and Kanko will make like hay and run the other way.
11 Jun 2009, 00:07 am
#537 skopskiet: yeah….tough 1 st test ….anyway …till later…sleep time…cheers all…
11 Jun 2009, 00:07 am
#530. sharks_lover I agree, the Lions always come with plenty of mongrel in them. I think tonight they have shown their tactics to play a hard forward game, and I think they have the personnel to do it or certainly to have a good go. I would warn the Boks against over confidence, on this site it ooozes from every pore.
11 Jun 2009, 00:11 am
i am out too
take care tac , grant , peter , poppa , cab
catch you guys tomorrow have a good one
11 Jun 2009, 00:11 am
#536 grant10:
look i think u and skopskiet have a very strong point on brussouw and PdV will recognise this. i dunno why he has not chosen him and opted instead for an extra back like ndungane in the squad, but i should imagine their are political issues at play, which he or any other bok coach simply have to live with.
Likewise the lack of a specialist TH is a valid issue imo, but is it really going to make that much diff? Today the sharks had a helluva tight 5 with our supposed best technical scrummagers and they got pomped.
Fact of the matter is this is a very strong Lions pack, we always knew it, now we just have to have faith in the guys chosen who have given us so much pride before. Burger is a bok legend imo and has more than earned the right to pull on the G&G jersey in his prime at 26 years old.
11 Jun 2009, 00:17 am
#535 peterg123: Deysel was far from useless, he was killing out there. Great defensive performance.
11 Jun 2009, 00:19 am
#523 poppa69:
You are correct, Burger is done, and next time he gets a big blow it could be serious, people have no idea what attrition someone who has scant regard for physical rehabilitation undergoes on an international rugby field for 7 or 8 years on the trot, the young guns will take their turn but the veterans, and Burger and Smith are there already, have to start protecting their ailing muscles and sinews and blood vessels from taking much more punishment.
One thing thinking the body is unrelenting and superhuman, quite another thing when it cries out in silent anguish every time it takes one of those enormous hits.
Spies or Kankowski are not superhuman either, (Spies more superhuman than Kankowski will ever be) and won’t go into trench warfare when its required for the very reason that deep down they know it only too well.
11 Jun 2009, 00:21 am
#544 Big Hit: agreed BH deysel was doing the fetcher role for the sharks too
not usual for a 7 flank
infact the people are trashing the sharks rather then give the lions some credit here
also as you know this is not the real sharks team with 10 in the bok squad
11 Jun 2009, 00:22 am
#545 skopskiet:
Yeah well somehow I think the “ageing” Bakkies Botha – 29, and Danie Rossouw – 31, still have plenty of appetite left for the so called “trench warfare” you’re referring to.
And both of them are quite a few years older than either Schalk or Juan. I also seem to recall that the likes of Dallaglio and Martin Johnson were rather adept at “trench warfare” well into their thirties.
So maybe thins quite aren’t as dire as you try to make out.
11 Jun 2009, 00:24 am
#545 skopskiet: Im not willing to write Burger off completely Skop, I think his star is definitely waning, and will happily be proven wrong if he poroduces the goods… I do believe he deserves first crack, having been a loyal servant to the Bok jersey in the past… but another ordinary (on the levels he has previously set) performance and the question will need to be asked…
11 Jun 2009, 00:27 am
#542 sharks_lover: catch ya later…
11 Jun 2009, 00:33 am
Since a lot of people are raving about this “fetcher” role I’d like to ask who the Lions have used and the damage he has done in the tests so far? Don’t get me wrong though, Brussouw is a player I try to emulate.
11 Jun 2009, 00:33 am
#547 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season:
Their metabolism is different, ask someone like Tim Noakes about the attrition rate that the flanks and No.8′s have to endure, it is more pronounced when guys of their size are asked to perform at such optimum levels so often, big locks like Bakkies and Danie or Shaw and Johnson are different kettles of fish and get through ‘less work’ than the likes of Burger and Juan in 80 minutes, beside they invariably play 60 or less out of 80 most times and are first to get subbed.
Even Richie McCaw is on the wane and will need to protect his place against some the new up and coming AB youngsters hitting their straps now, Jerry Collins is yesterdays hero, Palu too.
Burger has another 12 months and so too Juan if that against the likes of Brussow, Potgieter and some others challenging their supremacy, I doubt they see out WC 2011.
11 Jun 2009, 00:48 am
#543 cab: I really wasn’t all that impressed with what I saw today with the Lions! They made hard work of what should’ve been easy tries. They were slow and disorganised! They took ages to ramp up and beat an extremely kak Sharks team…there’s nothing in that performance that should worry the Boks.
Am disappointed with Terblanche and Kockott, perhaps it was right to leave them out, though Rory is still young and has huge potential. I’m not at all convinced by Vermaak so I at least think Kockott should’ve been in E Boks ahead of him.
I can’t see Burger, Smith and Spies being bullied around by the Lions, I’m still of the opinion that they’re being overhyped somewhat. If that was a Bok team performance instead of the Lions I would be very concerned.
11 Jun 2009, 00:50 am
#154 TBG: it’s Stuart Barnes, not Stephen Jones.
11 Jun 2009, 00:51 am
#551 skopskiet: Insufferable as you are Skop I actually agree with you for once! We need to get rid of this pathetic excuse for a coach…Boks need to be invested in future talent as well as maintaining the status quo and that means including players like Potgieter, Brussouw and Steggman who are the future.
11 Jun 2009, 01:03 am
#261 carol: Not bad!! but remember that you dont get any c’s in Afrikaans. Only K’s.
#448 cab: Agree cab – very worrying.
11 Jun 2009, 01:16 am
I’ve just read the whole thread. A whole lot of Shark and Plumtree bashing where it is not warranted. They were missing 10 Springboks and were up against the most of the Lions test team representing the best of 4 test nations. They were also very unfortunate with injuries in the S14.
A few players impressed me. Jean Deysel was immense although few seemed to have picked up on it, he destroyed the Lions captain O’Connell in one particular tackle and made many more besides. Stefan Terblanche also had a tidy game.
11 Jun 2009, 01:58 am
#457 saffa_guy: Dude one mediocre Lions performance and suddenly we’re screwed! These so-called Bok supporters have no confidence in our players!
11 Jun 2009, 03:01 am
#557 Crouching Tiger Hidden Bokke: These imposters have not played any proper opposition yet! They are going to get hammered!!!!
11 Jun 2009, 03:04 am
More all
Biggles ! You worried about the tests ?
AB … is that you ?
11 Jun 2009, 03:12 am
#559 Rugby_Princess: Morning your highness! Yip its me, and guessed right, its exam time and I am the coffee maker!!
11 Jun 2009, 03:16 am
#560 AB Bullsbok:
Ola … wish you were here I could do with a coffee boy
.
11 Jun 2009, 03:21 am
#561 Rugby_Princess: LOL
11 Jun 2009, 05:23 am
315. ant :
June 10th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
I think you talk a lot of sense here.
As an Irishman who naturally wants the Lions to win, I want to know that the team we may beat is playing at the top of its game and I don’t believe they will be, being wrapped in cotton wool for so long, and being denied genuine competitive game time.
On the other hand the Lions may not be said to be pushed to the pin of their collar as at the very best these provincial teams could only be considered at best Springbok ‘A’ team standards, but, against that, for most of those players this is the equivalent of a Cup Final for them: the opportunity for them to be able to tell their grandchildren in years to come
11 Jun 2009, 05:59 am
#556 Big Hit: Really? I thought he was way short of his best, although to be fair he didn’t get much of a chance to show what he can do on the run.
My Lions 15 after tonight looks something like this:
15 Byrne
14 Bowe
13 BOD
12 Roberts
11 Williams
10 Jones
9 Phillips
8 Heaslip
7 Williams
6 Croft
5 O’Connell
4 Wyn-Jones
3 Murray (token Jock)
2 Mears
1 Sheridan
11 Jun 2009, 08:32 am
Ouch that hurt. Sharks were missing a bunch of players and also the ones that got on the field mostly looked like they never pitched up. Having not played rugby in a month it was always going to be hard but it also sends out a message as to why the Bok players are also being rested going into this series.
Surely some game time would be helpful as the Lions are gellign together better and better. The lackluster performance last night however gives no indication as the the strength of the Lions. Admittedly I am cross about forking out good money to see that pulp last night but it’s not the end of the world.
It does seem though that the breakdown and ball retention part of the game is lacking with the Sharks at present from senior down to 3rd team. What is going on? Not sure how a team can play worse and worse throughout a season unless the tactics are questionable.
I just don’t see any sense of cohesion and purpose and I hope it was a once off thing but the signs have been lurking since mid-rounds of the S14.
Up your game guys.
11 Jun 2009, 08:35 am
Sorry I do have one very negative thing to add… Monty Dumond is particularly useless. Very very average player. Was apparent last night he hasn’t a clue.
11 Jun 2009, 08:49 am
Sies man as I read Ryans report , I thought the Sharkies won. 39-3 is a huge hiding.
Whats wrong with the Sharkies ?
This team has 9 players thats part of the S14 team, ag nee Sharkies
11 Jun 2009, 09:22 am
The Lions have not encountered a single GOOD SA No 10 yet.
A Pretorius was pathetic, Cheetahs Jaques Louis Pots was average and then subbed by a worse option who couldn’t kick a tin can off the pavement on the night.
The moment they face a thinking 10 like Morne or Ruan, they will be forced on the back foot with decent tactical kicking over the top and putting our loosies and backs on the font foot. Different ball game…Bring on our REAL Players!
11 Jun 2009, 10:18 am
The Sharks second string back line was poor. Terblanche was the only bit of clas their.. I was happy with the forwards as they defended well and kept the Lionsa out over the first 20mins.
11 Jun 2009, 10:22 am
If the Lions continue to kick for touch in try scoring situations then they will be defeated. O Gara kept kicking for territory in game clinching situations. Luck the Sharks did not have the class playing out wide they usually have..
11 Jun 2009, 10:32 am
#10 Puma: I agree. I do not believe the Sharks would have one but it would have offered a bit more on attack. Jean Deysel had a good game. I see the emerging boks getting a win against the Lions.
The Sharks were poor on attack, where as in the pack they were not bad.
11 Jun 2009, 10:52 am
How we would love to see the Bulls team that played in the Super 14 final (with maybe JP Nel added) against this Lions outfit. The full strength Bulls team will probably nail Piet Helium’s envisioned Bok team – all hypothetical though.
11 Jun 2009, 13:56 pm
This is no shock really. All this “hype” about the Sharks having “Great” player depth, and how they will dominate rugby in South Africa was utter nonsense and was proven last night!
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