Sharks knock out Griquas
10 Oct 2009
Griquas’ dream run in the Currie Cup ended in Kimberley when they were defeated 45-30 by the Sharks.
The Sharks had achieved their goal of claiming five points out of the Big Hole after just 25 minutes, but the result wasn’t secured until after the hour-mark. Meanwhile Griquas, after being in the top four for the entire season, drop out at the time it matters most as the Cheetahs edge ahead of them on points difference.
If Griquas were to have any chance of reaching the play-offs for the first time in 11 years, they would had to have taken all their opportunities. But twice in the opening half they dropped the ball over the line, and while you have to feel sorry for them, they would not have been competitive in a play-off away from home. They made too many elementary errors, missed many tackles, and their discipline was again too poor to be semi-final contenders.
Fullback Riaan Viljoen opened the scoring with a 55m drop, but that would set a trend in the opening 25 minutes where the hosts would allow the Sharks straight back into the game after scoring. Their work at the kick-offs was sub-standard and this set up the first try as Stefan Terblanche finished.
Sharks coach John Plumtree would have been very happy with the variation in their play compared to last week. Their kicking game, led by Ruan Pienaar and Juan Hernandez, was much improved from the Lions encounter, while they also weren’t afraid to counter attack from deep when the opportunity arose. Pienaar’s 70m try was started from an attack sparked by his halfback partner, with the scrumhalf clutching onto a grubber ahead from Adi Jacobs.
The Sharks continued to play off the hosts’ many mistakes, and the visitors dominated territory as a result. JP Pietersen finished from another Jacobs chip, while Bismarck du Plessis claimed the fourth as he dived over from the back of a rolling maul.
The Sharks had achieved their goal, but worryingly the remainder of the first half didn’t go to plan as Du Plessis and Beast Mtawarira both had to go off due to rib and shoulder injuries respectively.
Griquas had their opportunities, but in the second minute Naas Olivier fumbled over the line after a Sarel Pretorius break, while two minutes before half-time team-mates Trompie Nontshinga and Jacques Lombard bumped into each other with an open line.
The Sharks would have been content with their lead at the break, and when reserve hooker Craig Burden dived over a 22-point lead should have meant the result was not in doubt.
But the defending champions again failed to close out the match, they didn’t have as much possession in the second stanza, and worryingly fell off numerous tackles (23 were missed throughout). Griquas centre Barry Geel finished off his hat-trick, and as the hosts allowed the game to become loose, Griquas thrived.
The Sharks’ lack of ball came from their ailing lineout as Burden failed to find his jumpers, while both sides repeatedly turned over ball at the breakdowns. Burden’s general play was better, and he grabbed his brace from another counter-attack, but when Pretorius claimed the hosts’ bonus point try, their semi-final dream was still alive. However, they couldn’t manage to claim the second bonus point that would have seen them claim fourth spot.
The champions may have got the intended result, but they will realise if they are to repeat last year’s feat only a much more clinical showing will suffice in the knock-out fixtures.
By Grant Ball
216 Comments
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10 Oct 2009, 16:36 pm
#149 panniepeet: lol
10 Oct 2009, 16:37 pm
This Viljoen Kwas FB is the real deal. Great replacement for F. Steyn. Get him into the bok squad pronto.
10 Oct 2009, 16:37 pm
Update anyone? Is the Sharks going to keep Kwas from a 2nd bonuspoint?
10 Oct 2009, 16:39 pm
#152 skopskiet: Yep lets select really inexperienced players and throw them in the high pressure cauldron of a test match, I’m sure they’ll do just fine, I mean just look at Kirchner…
10 Oct 2009, 16:39 pm
#153 panniepeet:
Looks like your Cheetahs are safe, yes.
10 Oct 2009, 16:40 pm
45-30 with 3 min to go
MacCleod also better scrummy than Pienaar
10 Oct 2009, 16:40 pm
#152 skopskiet: He’ll have to get past Rose first!
10 Oct 2009, 16:41 pm
#149 panniepeet: Ja, but there is a excuse of me you see. I live in two cities…..hehehe. 7 months in Umhlanga and 5 months in Joburg.
Ag, look have supported Natal/Sharks since 1981 and will always be my 1st team to support always.
This year thought I will have a 2nd team and thats the Lions.
10 Oct 2009, 16:41 pm
Poor Griquas. At least the Cheetahs will give WP a sterner semi final (provided WP beat the Lions of course).
Sharks will snaffle the Bulls easily.
Sharks v Cheetahs final. Kings Park.
Lol.
10 Oct 2009, 16:42 pm
#155 WP Till I Die: Cheers WPTID – by looking at the scoreboard here I think the Cheetahs must fancy a semi against the Sardines…
10 Oct 2009, 16:42 pm
Another try, Griquas?
10 Oct 2009, 16:42 pm
#154 Crouching Tiger Hidden Bokke:
Like Frans at the WC.
10 Oct 2009, 16:42 pm
Pienaar is the 2nd best scrumhalf in the country. And to think he hasn’t played there in ages.
10 Oct 2009, 16:42 pm
#156 skopskiet: I suppose Pienaar scoring a try counts for nothing in your book?
10 Oct 2009, 16:42 pm
crotchety crutchwit still too big for his boots.
How experienced was F. Steyn when he became a bok, or Habana or Jdv.
Viljoen far better FB than Kirchner in current form.
10 Oct 2009, 16:43 pm
#153 panniepeet: Looks like it.
10 Oct 2009, 16:43 pm
#160 panniepeet:
All depends on whether WP beats the Lions – and if they do win, whether they can do it with a bonus point.
10 Oct 2009, 16:43 pm
What’s been happening here?
I’ve missed the game
10 Oct 2009, 16:44 pm
#163 wooden spoon: I know and he is getting it together again. Needs a bit more time and he will be back to where he was before he got messed about.
10 Oct 2009, 16:44 pm
Too little too late. Too bad Kwas always next year.
10 Oct 2009, 16:44 pm
#159 wooden spoon: Yeah right!
10 Oct 2009, 16:45 pm
#168 WP_:
You sound surprised.
10 Oct 2009, 16:46 pm
Pienaar must play FH. Far too many good scrummy’s as good or better than him. He’s a natural play maker but better at Fh than Sh.
10 Oct 2009, 16:46 pm
WELL DONE SHARKS. Win and win it with a bonus point too
Now my 2nd team must keep WP from getting the bonus. GO LIONS
10 Oct 2009, 16:47 pm
#165 skopskiet: crutchwit? ha ha ha! This is currie cup level Skop – Frans is a freak of nature and at he had S14 experience. If you plucked FS straight out of the CC he would struggle. You need BMT and that is something which comes through experience. Though I admit not all players have the sufficient BMT, it also comes down to mental toughness.
10 Oct 2009, 16:47 pm
Will be interesting to see the quality of Wp’s game today – will give us an idea of where they are…Win convincingly and it will be a close semi against the Cheetahs – if they lose today the Bulls will slaughter them in the semi. Just my opinion. Go well guys.
10 Oct 2009, 16:47 pm
#159 wooden spoon: Think it could be a Bulls/Sharks final at the tank if WP don’t get the bonus today
10 Oct 2009, 16:47 pm
Well let’s all hope Jake has worked his magic in Jhb.
10 Oct 2009, 16:49 pm
OK, WP has to get the bonus point. Should be a good match!
10 Oct 2009, 16:49 pm
#174 Puma: That’s a great result, better than I expected! Just hope we can stay on top of the log. But if we go down to 2nd we should still get a home-semi?
10 Oct 2009, 16:49 pm
Eish!! Maybe I am paranoid, but itlooked for all the moneyas if the Sharks tried to help the Griquas get within 7, they certainly weren’t playing to close the Griquas out!!
Never mind, my thanks to the the Sharkies for keeping the heetah’s in the hunt!!
Now who do we play???
10 Oct 2009, 16:51 pm
#181 Cheetah 4 Eva: Nope, I just think the Sharkies are a bit overrated to be honest – leaking so many tries…? And we have been their bogey-team for so long – bring on a Shark v Cheetah semi I say!
10 Oct 2009, 16:53 pm
Steyn was 19 so was Schalk and Jdv. They went straight from juniors to senior bok’s. Nothing wrong with this Viljoen’s Fb game. Big kick nice runner into space, fearless tackler. I’d definitely look at promoting him into the big league before all that natural talent gets wasted. Geel and Pretorius the same.
10 Oct 2009, 16:56 pm
#183 skopskiet: I must say that I agree with you there. Maybe give him/them some time in the 7′s game first to hone his/their attacking skills…
10 Oct 2009, 16:58 pm
#178 wooden spoon:
Hoping too….hahaha
10 Oct 2009, 16:59 pm
I don’t really mind who WP meets at Newlands. Bulls or Cheetah’s same diffs. Either or make little change to final outcome. I reckon Sharks should have ensured its not Cheetah’s or Bulls, they should have let Griquas through now they probably choke out in the semi.
10 Oct 2009, 17:01 pm
#182 panniepeet: Think we were also trying to pick up our score rate. So probably not focused in the tackles there today. Next week no pressure for the bonus just to win it.
Will be at the Tank too so should be a great game who ever we face.
10 Oct 2009, 17:01 pm
#186 skopskiet: no chance
10 Oct 2009, 17:02 pm
#177 Puma: Puma based on what i saw in the second half the Sharks will struggle against the Cheetahs. I honestly cannot believe how we cannot build phases and are scoring at the moment only from broken play. A side that doesn’t make mistakes and matches us upfront will beat us. The 2nd half lineouts were terrible as well as the scrums. Albert cannot scrum at all and I’m not sure about what he brings to the lineouts judging by the second half display.
I’m hanging in there with hope at the moment. Tell me something about this side that will cheer me up for the semi’s
10 Oct 2009, 17:02 pm
Sad ending to season full of promise for Griquas.Hope they can hang on to theirs stars,before they are gobbled up by the bigger Unions.
Free State should be able to field a good Super 14 team with
so many talented players available for selection.
10 Oct 2009, 17:02 pm
No bonus for WP today and they have to face Bulls next week. Its goodbye WP. Bulls will slaughter them even at Newlands
10 Oct 2009, 17:04 pm
#187 Puma: We’ll have to wait and see, but you might be right. Semis and finals are one offs so you never know…
10 Oct 2009, 17:05 pm
David
Thought the Griquas could do it.
10 Oct 2009, 17:05 pm
#189 bananaboy: Think we wanted a huge score today plus the bonus. If WP get the bonus then it goes on points difference. Think we were just not focusing too much today.
It will be different next week at the Tank. Don’t need the bonus just to win. We will play it tighter. I think.
Hope Muller is back then too. That will make a difference. Only hoping now that Bissie does not have a broken rib. It looked like that it could be. That would be a really huge, huge blow if he is out.
10 Oct 2009, 17:07 pm
What did I tell you guys yesterday?
Now for WP to show what staff they’re made off.
10 Oct 2009, 17:08 pm
#192 panniepeet: Pannie I am not really serious there, just winding the WP boys up there
Having a bit of fun mate.
Not sure who will win next week who ever they face. It will be tough in both semi finals.
10 Oct 2009, 17:08 pm
#195 nama1: Staff? Like Moses’s staff parting the sea?
10 Oct 2009, 17:08 pm
#194 Puma: I hope so Puma. There’s always JS at hooker as well to bolster front row.
10 Oct 2009, 17:09 pm
#193 WP_:
So did I. Not win, but get the 2 bonus points. Kimberly has seen a number of high scoring close games this year.
From the looks of it, Dawie will have to do more rebuilding next year.
10 Oct 2009, 17:09 pm
Okay off to watch the next game. Back later.
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