Sharks to blame, not ref
8 Mar 2010
Referee Paul Marks did not lose the Sharks the match against the Waratahs in Sydney, writes Keo in his weekly Business Day column.
The Sharks, low on confidence and low on luck but high on ill discipline, were the guilty parties in a fourth successive tournament defeat.
Marks did not stupidly trip a player when there was no danger of a try being scored. That stupidity and subsequent yellow card belonged to Jannie du Plessis. Marks did not cynically dive into a ruck to kill the ball 5m from his tryline. That desperation and subsequent yellow card belonged to Andy Goode.
Calls for a penalty try in the last moment of the match were also based on emotion because Marks, according to the laws, was not within his rights to award one. A penalty try is awarded when the referee is in no doubt a try would have been scored. Invariably penalty tries come from collapsed scrums a metre or five from the tryline or from any professional infringement committed by the defending players very close to their tryline. When Waratahs replacement centre Kurtley Beale went for the intercept, and on seeing he wasn’t going to get it deliberately knocked the ball down, there is no certainty that Ryan Kankowski (waiting to collect the pass) would have scored.
I would like to think Kankowski, one of the fastest loose forwards around, would have scored. So would Kankowski and his coach John Plumtree. But how would the referee have known Kankowski would not have spilled the pass, tripped or pulled a hamstring on his 30m run to the tryline? He couldn’t and that is why the right decision was made not to award the try.
Giving a penalty and the yellow card was good refereeing.
If the Sharks are brutal in their post-match assessment they will know they were not the victims in this match but the guilty parties.
It is the South African way to look to others for blame, but if the Sharks are to find some way back into the Super 14 playoffs the only ones they have to be finding fault with at the moment are themselves. Waratahs captain Phil Waugh is correct when he says the Sharks are too good a team to be zero from four. The Sharks should be in the playoffs with the quality of the squad and coaches. Ruan Pienaar should be playing flyhalf, primarily because it is in the national interest; not a former England international who would look more comfortable in the Vodacom Cup than he does in the Super 14. The selection of Andy Goode has to be questioned, as does the quality of the Sharks back play in the final 20 minutes. It was average.
The Tahs had just returned from SA and if we use the argument that any travelling team is most vulnerable in their first week it explains the Waratahs’ performance, that of the Brumbies, the Chiefs and the Hurricanes in Bloemfontein. It would be hypercritical to use the first-week travel curse as the reason our teams struggle in that first match overseas, but not attribute the same to overseas teams coming here or them returning home when our teams have been there a fortnight or more.
The Brumbies and Tahs players looked lethargic and the Canes appeared to still be in a time zone between Wellington and Johannesburg. The Cheetahs, always good for one big win at home in the competition, were outstanding, but all they did is what they do every year, which is knock one Kiwi or Aussie team over in Bloemfontein.
The Stormers also did nothing out of the ordinary in Cape Town in taking the five points from the Highlanders. It may seem a harsh call on a team that wins 33-0, but if the measurement is title contender then they simply played as you expect of a title contender. They won at home against an ordinary side that invariably struggles on the road. This tournament is about keeping perspective and the one thing its history shows is that the best teams win their home games.
The Bulls are doing this; the Stormers have been better this season than in the past and the Cheetahs never win enough home games to challenge for a position in the top 10.
It doesn’t mean you can’t revel in their Bloemfontein victory, but it has to be seen in the context of the 80 minutes and it should not create false expectation. Neither should the rain in Canberra make you believe the lame Lions will be anything but fodder.
303 Comments
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8 Mar 2010, 17:30 pm
LOL Keo is stirring again… he’s loves to stirr things a bit. That’s why we read him…he’s ALWAYS the devil’s advocate! hehehehe PLAYA
8 Mar 2010, 17:31 pm
@charo:
So says the genuinely unsophisticated and uneducated one.
Who needs a company, or a supposed exotic banning, when you already know you are in Paradise and earning at the best university on the continent of Africa which just happens to, doubly, be my Alma Mater also. And it is the wonderful month of March with its little wind and wonderfully warm days.
Now DROOL on you dumb one.
8 Mar 2010, 17:31 pm
@poppa69:
poppa, i think it goes further back than that…a week or two further back when there were press photos of the all blacks frolicking around the pool.
there seemed to be a general impression that this team would take the rwc – they were hot favourites and the best prepared team at the tournament.
hell, even your pm came across to france to lap up the glory.
8 Mar 2010, 17:33 pm
@poppa69: huge pressure next year for the Blacks in their own back yard. If they dont win it, despite what they say, theyl be scared for a very long time. The only real threat to them is the Boks and France, if the boks beat them again at home in the 3nations then theyl believe they could win them at home during the WC
8 Mar 2010, 17:42 pm
@elliott2:
i was at uct in my misspent youth.
the only lecturer that stood out for me was prof francis wilson (economics).
wonder if he is still alive?
instead of being so insular in your little heaven, maybe you should try to get out and earn a real living in the international community.
you might find the competition a little tough without aa/ee though.
8 Mar 2010, 17:45 pm
@Mustard: yep, will definitely give the boks some serious belief, but having won the last few times there I think would have already instilled in the Boks that they can do it… big series the 3Ns this year… I for one would be happy ( perhaps the wrong word), but wouldnt mind them losing this years 3Ns as well… thus handing favouritism to the boks, may be a blessing in disguise.. I truly believe the NZ public wont be as expectant, especially after the last two events..
Charo: to a point I agree with you, but I also believe the players DIDNT think they only needed to rock up to win it…the media all over the world suggested that, so they probably were complacent to a point… but to truly believe they had to just turn up to win, nah, cant buy that argument sorry..
8 Mar 2010, 17:51 pm
@poppa69: If the All Blacks make the final next year, which I believe they will – whoever their opponents are, will be playing for possibly the biggest prize ever in International rugby – to win the World Cup against the All Blacks in the final in New Zealand.
So – there will be pressure on the All Blacks, and huge amounts of inspiration and incentive for whoever their finalist opponents are.
Whoever it is – it will be tough for the All Blacks – despite their home ground advantage.
But – they kind of deserve it. They have been the class side for a long time – they deserve a world cup.
But, the Bokke will be there to make it difficult…for sure
8 Mar 2010, 17:52 pm
@charo:
Stop sucking things from your thumbs and stop fishing.
I have already done research on the continent and am deliberating whether to do so again.
And I am done as there are better things to do.
8 Mar 2010, 17:53 pm
@poppa69:
yes, think the media were a bit slective in those photos to give the impression that the players were just fooling about.
couldn’t imagine graham henry allowing complacency
8 Mar 2010, 18:00 pm
Does anyone know whats up with the pitch at Loftus ? It looks terrible.
8 Mar 2010, 18:11 pm
@Dusky: you may wish to change your belief that they will make the final, I beleive the draw if it goes according to script will see the ABs play the Boks in the semi final..
while I agree there will be huge pressure on the ABs, (there always is anyways, there is a strong legacy to maintain), the expectation of the public will not be as intense as it was in 07 IMO… extremely hopeful rather then expectant..once bitten twice shy is the perfect analogy..
I believe there are only 4 teams this far out who can win the WC, the 3Ns teams and France.. I dont think England have the personnel anymore to be serious contenders…Ireland would be the dark horse IMO
@charo: agree Charo.. But I have to question the cartels wisdom, I seriously think they dropped the ball, choosing players who werent in form and disregarding experienced players proven against the French side… they to me got the makeup of the side horribly wrong that day..
time will tell if they did the right thing retaining henry and letting Deans go…
8 Mar 2010, 18:13 pm
@elliott2:
clearly your research is incomplete if you think the only saffas running around are mercenaries or menial workers.
get your fat arse into some of the subsaharan countries and do some real research you lazy tool
8 Mar 2010, 18:18 pm
The idiot who wrote this can’t see the forest for the trees
8 Mar 2010, 18:19 pm
@charo:
Delusional again, reinforced by more thumb sucking.
8 Mar 2010, 19:15 pm
where is the varsity cup thread?
trying to watch uj vs nmmu but it is too one sided.
where is all this rugby talent in ep?
urban myth i would say
8 Mar 2010, 20:09 pm
@charo: look at this old toppie…what a serial pessimist, you can’t help yourself charo, it is ingrained in your psyche along with other ills that were visited on people in this country! Go and read the thread “greatness beckons for Grey PE” or a similar title, where you will learn that the current administration is effecting change that is being recognised by the high school directors of rugby who have been shipping all the talent from the eastern cape to other provinces. Change is happening in our province and structures are being put in place and they will work. Pessimists like yourself will not derail this change with your inane comments.
Ndiyakonyanya charo! What a pr*ck!
8 Mar 2010, 20:15 pm
it is time for a review system.Captains should be able to
ask for a review of critical decisions (once during each half)
If the TV ref. upholds the field referee’s decision,it stands.
If he overrules the refs decision must be reversed.
8 Mar 2010, 20:26 pm
@Transformation:
hey lightie – getting into a froth?
uj just put 97 points past your local varsity…wtf????
and we are told that there is all this latent talent in ec?
8 Mar 2010, 20:37 pm
@charo: you say you are told, who is telling you? Do yourself a favour before you make poephol of yourself & do an audit of the various rugby academies to see how many boys from EP are in those rugby set-ups. Go and check where former SA Schools captain dewalt potgieter comes from. Where sa u21 player of the year Lionel Cronje comes from.
keep hating sbhanxa, sizobuya ngawe…hahaha
8 Mar 2010, 20:37 pm
Bottom line there are far to many rules which can be (mis) -interpreted by the refs. What on earth was wrong with the old rules of a ball being thrown in square to the hookers to give each side a chance of winning the ball. Now-a-days their is absolutely no reason to have a scrum, let alone all the rules surrounding them
8 Mar 2010, 20:43 pm
@Transformation:
why can’t epru get these boys back?
because epru is a disgrace and riddled with corruption…which is why it has sunk so low in such a short time.
clean up your own backyard and then maybe the good players will stick around.
oh……and stick your xhosa insults right up your jack boyo
8 Mar 2010, 20:48 pm
@posts: lol, are you saying we also need a revised interpretation of the scrum feed laws? I remember being gobsmacked when brendon leornard was pinged twice or thre times [not to sure] by the referee during the tri-nations game in bloemfontein last year
8 Mar 2010, 20:55 pm
@charo: old man, get you reading glasses and comprehend properly this time, i know you’re senile and all that…
Who is the current CEO of ep rugby? How long has he been office? How many scandals have you read about ep rugby during his tenure?
Just answer those questions before prattling on about things you know nothing about!
How corrupt or incompetent is ep rugby compared to the golden lions rugby union?
uguga kakubi mbomb’ akho!
8 Mar 2010, 21:06 pm
@Transformation:
if this new ceo gets the union in order then well and good.
all of sa rugby supporters want to see this happen.
just not holding my breath….that’s all.
and quit the gobbledegook at the end of every post…doesn’t make you look very intelligent.
8 Mar 2010, 21:12 pm
Aha, the waBenzis are afoot
8 Mar 2010, 21:49 pm
only in your convoluted mind would posting isiXhosa come across as unintelligent lmao
I suggested you go and read the article on Grey PE that was posted last week and let go of your parochial ideas…but again i understand you colonial types nithatha kade.
8 Mar 2010, 22:03 pm
@Transformation:
listen lightie, posting in a language that is clearly not understood by the recipient is plainly a schoolyard tactic at trying to be funny.
to me it is churlish and indicates a large degree of immaturity….sorry to say o
8 Mar 2010, 22:04 pm
oh, and since when has grey high been anything else than pretty average in the greater scheme of things?
8 Mar 2010, 22:10 pm
@charo: blah blah blah…i asked you who the ostensibly corrupt CEO of ep rugby is and you haven’t answered, yet you feel entitled to clutch to your prejudiced views, mnxim. Stay over there in Ghana we’re better off without your kind.
8 Mar 2010, 22:16 pm
Apparently my comment is awaiting moderation, so here goes again:
@poppa69:
Hi Poppa,
Not sure where you are based, but did you see the poll in the NZ herald?
It claims 59% of Kiwis expect the ABs to win the next world cup – it seems to me that some people are already building expectations and it’s 18 months out.
8 Mar 2010, 22:20 pm
@Transformation:
you are yabbering away like a frustrated spinster while all the while i am trying to watch the maties/ikeys intervarsity.
having watched the piss poor nmmu get given 97 points, this is a breath of fresh air.
i do not give a toss who the new ep ceo is.
if he starts achieving something i might take a bit of notice.
enough already – ok?
8 Mar 2010, 22:23 pm
haha, transie i see you are flying the flag for the ec even after they just took a BEATING at the hands of a glru feeder
good form man, keep it up. it reminds me of the limpopo mayor this morning saying “responsibility must be shared” for the roads that malemas company built that fell apart lmao! who must share this responsibility?
let me guess, its everyone who steals the players from the ec, not the admin or union there that cant win a vodacom cup game (ok, they beat border by a few points) let alone reach the 1st div of the cc.
elliot, you are truly a halfwit
if you think popularity is my goal, you are sadly misinformed. now take that bee out of yer *** 
8 Mar 2010, 22:26 pm
@Transformation: by the way transie, i will be visiting the wonderful, incomparable kei this weekend.
xolobeni area again, before those aussie ******** rape and pillage it.
it is a light at the end of a long, dark sharks tunnel for me
8 Mar 2010, 22:36 pm
@rangerman:enjoy rangerman!
@rangerman: well if you have read what i have been saying to the senile fool on this thread, not even once have i blamed anyone. The ep rugby problems will be fixed by ep people with this place @ heart.
If some people can support the golden lions who in the past five years only, have managed to not only haemorhage(sp) players but average a no:13 finish in super rugby why can’t i support EP…it is where i am from, can’t change it.
8 Mar 2010, 22:41 pm
@Transformation:
hey, you!
who you calling senile????
what’s your name again?
8 Mar 2010, 22:43 pm
@Transformation: ag charo is a good guy, i am not sure why you guys are slinging punches but he is a credit to sa imo.
if you get so uptight after a few comments about ep, then i must remember what to do next time you start shark bashing
btw, ep are not even close to the lions class mate, they nearly lost to border on the weekend??????????????
a strong ep would be a major bonus for the boks so heres hoping one day they can rise from the ashes.
8 Mar 2010, 22:45 pm
@poppa69: 225 I think you are in La La land my friend. Brumbies are gonna tear us about 3 new ******** on Saturday.
8 Mar 2010, 23:23 pm
@rangerman:what class do the lions possess ranger? a rugby union in GAUTENG to be so ***** is unforgivable…jaque fourie, willem alberts & louis ludik, all had flawed janitor contracts! Such class boet.
Ranger beside EP, liyeyisa lelikhehla!
@charo: what are you going to do with my name? Senility is rogering you…
8 Mar 2010, 23:30 pm
@Transformation:
oh dear, you are really working yourself up into a tizz aren’t you.
sit back, have a cup of tea and calm down.
it is obvious to me that you love to hand it out but ain’t so cool when it comes back.
btw, that last post of mine was a weak attempt at a joke but it went sailing way over your head
8 Mar 2010, 23:38 pm
@charo: I caught it
8 Mar 2010, 23:43 pm
@Big Hit:
well thank goodness – i thought it was too obvious at one stage
8 Mar 2010, 23:57 pm
@charo: there are lot of things that are odius, ahem i meant obvious about you too…but that for another day…
Simathumathu sexhego!
9 Mar 2010, 00:03 am
@Transformation:
well then i guess we are both pretty transparent.
maturity, though, is something acquired over time…..you will get there one day (ask your old man)
9 Mar 2010, 00:06 am
@charo: that courtesy unfortunately you don’t deserve
9 Mar 2010, 00:11 am
@Transformation:
this silly back and forth is going too far.
you are a proud supporter of ep – good for you.
i am a proud supporter of natal/sharks – good for me.
you denigrate natal/sharks on a daily basis – i ignore you.
i denigrate ep rugby – you make a big deal of it and get personal.
see the trend?
9 Mar 2010, 03:57 am
Keo is becoming a spineless Stranksy. Worried about not getting those press perks for criticizing officals.
That was a penalty try do#s. Stop been a like Stranksy *** kisser.
The Sharks were poor and if ever there were 2 teams who deserved to loose then we saw it.
The tahs were to scared to loose and the sharks were too cr@p to win.
Marks was really poor against the sharks. The line out drive was atacked from the side and never through the gate. Watch the games coming up and see the defending sides at the line out(once it is a mall) drving in and around from the side then attacking the ball carrier.
The funniest thing I saw on the weekend was the attacking teams loose forward leaving the line out running behind the defending teams backline passed the startled fullback and then entering the ruck from the side on the opposite side of the field.
9 Mar 2010, 04:07 am
Keo. Man up, if your rugby knowledge is so great than please explain to me why a collapsed scrum would ever be a try if you can never prove the 8th man would not have knocked the ball on or the opposing scrumhalf could not have poached the ball. Don’t hide away from this, i would like to have your expert opinion. You made your name as being a contreversial figure if sa rugby, now prove that you not just trying to further your name again by being contreversial and follow up your comments on the penalty try rules as many people who read your blog are not 100% sure of the rules, yet you claim to be so you owe it to your followers. Please also define a professional foul very close to the try line and how a spilled pass close to the try line would be a worthy penalty try yet a spilled pass 20 meters out would not, even if you had a clear run into the try line. The Sharks if good enough should have won by way more against a poor waratahs side, they didn’t, thats it. But poor reporting like this show people who never played much rugby and are limited on the rules, yet get there name through controversy and that in turn gets them a blog. Please explain as I do no tunderstand your logic, have the balls pal
9 Mar 2010, 04:50 am
Ah! Are you losing your grip again? You could do better than writing such drivel.
9 Mar 2010, 06:16 am
@KevinRack:
#293
Seemed like you pointed out at your own deficiencies?
9 Mar 2010, 09:01 am
Ah. Keo will always be a moron and a pure excuse for a journalist.
Now he tells us the Cheetahs will achieve nothing, because of their history (4 years to be exact), but the Stormers will do great. Based on what? Their 15 year history? Achieving what? Your article is a joke. Biased writing of the top order.
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