Daniel denies Sharks rift
16 Mar 2010
Keegan Daniel says there’s no in-fighting in the Sharks camp.
With five losses from five starts, the Sharks find themselves in the unfamiliar 12th position on the Super 14 log. Despite the player drain over the last couple of years, the Sharks still have one of the best squads in the tournament as they regularly field over 10 Springboks, but continue to disappoint their fans.
With every loss, the talk of a split between captain John Smit and the Du Plessis brothers Bismarck and Jannie, continues to surface. Bismarck has had to sit on the bench for two games, Jannie has started a couple, while Smit has started all the matches so far.
Daniel predictably backed his team-mates and coach, and said there were no off-field problems, although on the field the trio all look visibly frustrated. They have all been sin-binned throughout the season, while the Du Plessis brothers lambasted replacement scrumhalf Rory Kockott late in the Brumbies match for what they deemed a poor decision to pass to Jannie as the Sharks looked for the winning try.
‘Talk of a split is bullshit,’ Daniel told keo.co.za. ‘Personally, I say there is no rift in the camp. We are the ones here and we know what’s going on. People are just looking for a story and are looking for other reasons for the losses. The mood in the camp is great, we all see how we hang out together and get along.
‘If people think a rift is the reason for losing, then that’s what they must write, but it’s not true.’
Whatever the reason for their poor form, the facts are that the Sharks have lost seven consecutive Super 14 matches and have won just one from their last 10. Most recently they went down to the Brumbies 24-22, the fourth time this season they’ve lost by less than five points.
‘I wouldn’t say confidence is a problem, although anyone will tell you that after five losses it does become harder to pick yourselves up,’ said Daniel. ‘We are positive as we’ve been so close in losing by narrow margins. We’d be having a different conversation right now if we’d won those.
‘But we haven’t been clinical enough in closing out games after being in good positions. Indiscipline again cost us against the Brumbies, as two penalties led to their tries.’
The Sharks’ last victory in the competition came against the Highlanders, who they face on Saturday at Carisbrook. The Landers return from their South African road trip, where they were hammered by the Stormers and Bulls. They will also be jet-lagged after the return journey.
John Plumtree’s charges have also won on their last three visits to the House of Pain, and if they don’t repeat that this year, more questions will be rightfully raised.
‘They say history doesn’t lie and we have been successful there, but we mustn’t take anything for granted,’ said Daniel. ‘We’ll go in with confidence after doing reasonably well, but the Highlanders are still a Super 14 franchise who can play good rugby.’
Meanwhile, centres Adi Jacobs (knee) and Riaan Swanepoel (ankle) are battling to be fit for Saturday’s match, while prop Deon Carstens is also struggling with a knee injury.
By Grant Ball
303 Comments
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 [6] 7 » Show All
16 Mar 2010, 16:27 pm
@Black Panther:
what arrogance, its a dead certainty.
16 Mar 2010, 16:32 pm
@Black Panther:
reminds me a lot of all those bloggers in nz before rwc2007
16 Mar 2010, 16:34 pm
@cab:
There is only 1 certainty in life and that is death. But youre in good company here, little doubt in that.
Better hope they draw Fiji again then.
16 Mar 2010, 16:37 pm
@Atreides: I repeat, go sort your black issues somewhere else, we dont give a **** here, maybe the okes at RT might care, ungomnye ofuna ukugcantswa ngonina, that should take take of your stupid comment about me not knowing ukuba ungungamla or even being dumb enough to insult my intelligence with that….
16 Mar 2010, 16:42 pm
@XhosaKid:
ja, now you talking sense, you sound like a kenner.
16 Mar 2010, 16:43 pm
@charo:
A reference youve made more than once. Provide 1 piece of evidence that I did – all avail to you in the wonderful World of the WWW – and I’ll happily wear a Bok jersey to every match in 2011.
But, for the record, I said France were my Favourites in 2011. Fortunately for your team, they avoided all 3 of JWs-Boks bogey teams in NZ/Aus/France.
Put up or shut TFU. And put your house on it.
16 Mar 2010, 16:45 pm
@Transformation: 226 “Umsunu wakho…” – WTF. The moderator is having a slack day. Had a few giggles at that though.
@Black Panther: 233. Obviously you would agree to any disadvantage to the Boks. With Smit, the Boks as a team are stronger than without them
@cab: 200 With you there, and you are not being arrogant either – just qietly pointing out the truth.
@charo: 250. Careful Charo, BP’s spit will me smearing his screen by now.
16 Mar 2010, 16:46 pm
@Heavens Game: will be
16 Mar 2010, 16:47 pm
@Black Panther: 254 – maybe because these “bogey” teams weren’t good enough and didn’t have the BMT to make it to the final. You can only beat what’s put in front of you. Just accept it NZ/France/Aus simply weren’t good to go all the way.
16 Mar 2010, 16:49 pm
@Black Panther: 254. France might be the favourites of some teracherous Kiwis, but you do know that with Smitty leading the way, the 2011 WC will be contested by the Boks and the Frogs.
16 Mar 2010, 16:50 pm
@Black Panther:
erm, bp, you keep on thinking that i am referring to you.
where did i say that?
there were a number of kiwi bloggers (hurricane being one if i remember correctly) who unashamedly told those who were interested that the rwc was as good as won by the all blacks.
16 Mar 2010, 16:54 pm
@cab: results in 2009 shouldn’t be used to paper over the shambles that is our scrum. If we keep using poly-filla on it, the next thing come july next year “the cracks have become chasms”
oubaas earlier posted that SARU has initiated a “scrum factory?” or something like that, where the likes of balie swart, os, toks & others can go & impart knowledge & experience to the current players & the youngsters. Now if that is not an alarm bell i don’t know what is…
Drastic measures are needed now.
16 Mar 2010, 16:56 pm
@KZN King Shark:
JWs-Boks had losing records against 3 teams – NZ/Aus/France. Twas thru sheer incredible fortune that they they not only avoided all 3, but then faced 2 teams they had NEVER lost to – Fiji (FFS) and Argies.
Its a fact whether you choose to acknowledge it or not. France may do well vs ABs come RWCs, but they destroy the Boks whenever, wherever. From memory, SA now has 1 (home) win in 5 or 6 matches now….
@Heavens Game:
Im usually quite good with English, but you’ve got me there.
Please keep playing Smit. Is that clear now ?
16 Mar 2010, 16:59 pm
@Black Panther: 261. Don’t worry, little tyke – John Smit will be there in the WC final holding aloft the trophy after a win against the French. The AB’s might win the 3rd/4th playoff – so all will not be lost.
16 Mar 2010, 17:01 pm
Fortunately we are drawn to meet the ab’s in the semis..
If they make it that far?
16 Mar 2010, 17:05 pm
@charo:
Bring it up with him/them then, you keep referring the matter to me for some reason – why ?
@Heavens Game:
“will be”
Ive been away from Keo 3 glorious weeks now but gee, I forgot how much Id missed the place.
Cab
Heavens Game
wheres my other Fan Club members – ROLL UP, ROLL UP, get your brain tested right here !!!
JL1 – how Ive missed you.
BokFan1 – you still here, sweetie ?
Katman – disrespected any International rugby greats recently ?
and where is Peaches ?!! how Ive missed her so.
16 Mar 2010, 17:06 pm
@Heavens Game: @Heavens Game: hey mdlalo wase zulwini…
16 Mar 2010, 17:07 pm
@Black Panther:
short memory mate.
just a few posts back you accused cab of arrogance for putting his house on it
16 Mar 2010, 17:09 pm
@Black Panther: 264. In honour of the comment from Transie @Transformation: 226 “Umsunu wakho…” I say “bepha wena” you bitter kiwi dreamer.
16 Mar 2010, 17:11 pm
@gunther:
The last time the Boks met the Blacks in a RWC – coincidentally also the last time the Boks met a decent team in a RWC – well, ‘losing Quarterfinalist’ should ring a bell.
If they make it that far.
Dont you just cringe every time your countrymen use ‘will be’ ?! Come on, Gunther, we may have got off to a slightly rocky start but……..youre better than that !
16 Mar 2010, 17:13 pm
@charo: @266
please explain.
16 Mar 2010, 17:14 pm
@Heavens Game: @267
when C3POs escape-pod lands safely on Tattooine, I’ll be sure to ask him.
16 Mar 2010, 17:16 pm
@Heavens Game:
disgusting!!!!
luckily the automoderator software only understands english
16 Mar 2010, 17:18 pm
@Black Panther:
sigh….
winning the world cup with js as cappie
16 Mar 2010, 17:19 pm
@Transformation:
ja that scrum factory is a bladdy good idea, its a disgrace that the bokke have seen there gatte for so long in the scrum.
16 Mar 2010, 17:21 pm
look i think the ABs are a great team and deserve to have won a professional world cup, but lets face it, they are playing at home, imagine the pressure – there is just no chance.
16 Mar 2010, 17:25 pm
@Transformation: 265. Hawu uyaqondo! Careful umjita basokhala masinya.
16 Mar 2010, 17:27 pm
@charo:
Im sure the correlation between me saying ‘JS to continue’ and Cab/HG saying ‘put the house on Boks winning’ is there somewhere.
somewhere….
@cab:
the pressure will be massive, every single time a NZer pulls on the Black jersey, RWC or not.
Personally I hope the ABs have another average year of results this year, that would be the perfect buildup. Almost as perfect as Safas saying their team “will win”.
Astounding arrogance. I recall a blogger here once saying there is a Google-stat about this linkage with SA males. Now I believe it.
16 Mar 2010, 17:30 pm
@Black Panther: 268 The Boks met a decent team in the final. It was England – who did beat France, who in turn beat the AB’s.
As good as the AB’s are in that lopsided 3Ns tournament, they are just not good enough to win WC’s outside of NZ.
Next year, in all probability, they won’t be able to do that any more. 1987 is a long time ago – times have changed.
16 Mar 2010, 17:37 pm
@Heavens Game:
Give yourself a large pat on the back – youre the first person in years to call Engl a “decent team”. Well, other than Big Hit, that is, soon after swanning over his real team, the Boks.
Of course you/all Safas have a vested interest in calling that (terrible) Engl team ‘decent’, so we really expected nothing less. They proved in Round 1 how ‘decent’ they were….
Have they beaten a TriN team since ?
Oh, I forget….TriN titles are, in your own words, “lopsided”. That is to say, topsided with the 3 best teams in the World, winning 5 of the 6 RWCs on ofer…
16 Mar 2010, 17:52 pm
@Black Panther: 278. England still beat France, who walked all over the AB’s in the WC. England also beat Aus in WC 2007, which they also did in 2003. I think “even” England have a better record in WCs than the AB’s. Its okay though – you are always “No. 1″ between premier tournaments.
16 Mar 2010, 18:00 pm
@Heavens Game:
‘Engl have a better record in RWCs than ABs’
youre a geeeeeeenius !
They both have 1 Title.
And in 3 x RWC-matches, Engl have never beaten NZ, and 2 of those on home soil. In fact, the ABs outscore them 2 tries to 1 and almost the same stat in points.
But, go ahead, keep telling us about this “decent” Engl team.
funny word, ‘decent’. Its kind of like saying a chick has an ‘OK’ figure when, in fact, she has a face only a mother could love.
16 Mar 2010, 18:20 pm
@Black Panther: 280. When last did the AB’s win the WC? The familiar refrain next year might be “4 more years!”. Someone should get George Gregan to sing that as the theme song for WC2011 in place of “World in Union”. Kiri te Kanawa is a bit old for that.
16 Mar 2010, 18:31 pm
@Heavens Game:
Youve lost it, that is if you ever had it.
Youre ‘decent’ Engl team were ***** before RWC’07 and theyve been ***** ever since. It matters not when who won what, altho to be fair, Engl have been going ON about the roundball version since 1966. Which begs the Ques, do you have any English blood ? Im guessing you do, a ‘decent’ amount probably too.
I was in Stade de France, Paris, 2007. And I cheered on your lot, no matter how farken lucky they were to meet that dire Engl team.
Go ahead tho, continue trying to make that silk ear out of a sows purse.
16 Mar 2010, 18:54 pm
@Black Panther: 282. No need for personal attacks here, little guy.
“It matters not when who won what” – who has lost it now. I was at Twickenham when the Baa Baas beat the AB’s last year.
And I didn’t cheer on your lot – how could I.
It was funny hearing the English, Welsh and Irish supporters of the Baa Baas shouting “Matfields ball” when the Baa Baa were given a penalty. Sure enough, Giteau kicked for touch.
It was also funny seeing Twickenham giving Habana a standing ovation after his hat trick.
The funniest was hearing the Kiwi supporters shouting “we’ll win the game with tries and running rugby”.
Funnier still was the sour looks on Kiwi faces upon leaving the stadium after the game – if there was a moment for rugby hooliganism, that was it. Bad attitude and sportsmanship.
I respect Kiwis of an older generation – the young’uns I’ve met in “Blighty” are a different breed. A sense of entitlement wrt rugby that beats the cr*p out of any “Yarpie” arrogance. I sense you are one of the new breed.
16 Mar 2010, 19:17 pm
@Heavens Game:
Asking your heritage now equates to a ‘personal attack’ ?!
Wow.
Im struggling to understand the relevance of a BaaBaas non-Test match against a AB-B team however. Unless youre telling me that the Boks losing to Leicester and Sarries equates to something less embarrassing. How were the faces leading out of Wembley and Welford Rd that day ?
Frankly, youre all over the shop.
Oh, I think I get it now. Youre trying to take the Moral High Ground ?! This, the man who says the Boks “will win” the next RWC ?
Bless. I sense you are one of the new in-breeds.
16 Mar 2010, 19:40 pm
wakanathan @ his best!! Lovely
16 Mar 2010, 20:04 pm
@Black Panther: No – asking my heritage does not equate to a personal attack, its all in the tone, my son.
The relevance of a Baabaas non-test match has nothing to do with the result, it has to do with the Kiwi supporters on view there and their unsportsmanlike attitude when, as you have pointed out – a non-test match with an AB-B team – lost.
As I said before, the new breed of Kiwi supporter(and i have met a few) has this sense of entitlement and preciousness that far exceeds any arrogance shown by the “yarpies”. This does not reflect the respect, knowledge and more humble attitude of previous generations.
It will be interesting to see what happens in NZ if a team other than the AB’s lift the WC.
This new gen attitude I see in your commentary. If you were a troll then this would be another story – bait, counter bait and have laughs stirring (as in poppa, hurricane), but you are a different breed.
Just to expand on England: Yes they have won 1 WC (=NZ)
They were in the final (1991), ABs knocked out in semis, Semi final 1995 (ABs knocked out in final), 1999 QF (ABs 3rd), 2003 (WC) ABs – Semis, 2007 Eng Finalists ABs knocked out in QF.
So from 1987 – Eng have progressed further than NZ in 3 WCs, and likewise for the ABs (progressed further than Eng in 3 WCs). The record of NZ and Eng in World Cups in terms of progression is pretty even.
Bt hey “It matters not when who won what” as you say.
16 Mar 2010, 20:10 pm
@Black Panther: Therefore we come full circle back to your comment to Gunther: “The last time the Boks met the Blacks in a RWC – coincidentally also the last time the Boks met a decent team in a RWC”
And I said despite your preciousness – the Boks did beat a decent team in the Final. Heck, it must have been decent – it beat the team that beat the mighty All Blacks – WC winners 1987.
16 Mar 2010, 20:23 pm
@Heavens Game:
assume you living in the uk – which part?
16 Mar 2010, 20:29 pm
@charo: Hi Charo. Yup, I live in a great little area in SW London called Barnes. (Just up the road from Richmond). You – Ghana, apparently?
16 Mar 2010, 20:36 pm
@Heavens Game:
lovely around richmond, kingston area.
have a son in wandsworth and a daughter in fleet.
yes, currently in ghana. i work for a uk shipping company and they have a habit of shifting their senior guys around africa.
moved here from sa (including angola), prior to that in lag0s and ghana.
been living this expat life for 10 years now so looking to give it up soon.
16 Mar 2010, 20:50 pm
@charo: Barnes is really lovely – its a village in “London”. I get woken up on a Sunday by the bloody Church bells ringing in the little Catholic Church a few blocks away. A 100 meters from the Thames and some great pubs – the only time it gets really hectic is at the time of the Boat Race – other than that, its great.
Fleet – thats funny – I drove there today. Little market town in Hampshire, seems quite nice.
Jeez, so you must have seen it all in terms of business on the continent. Whats it like in Ghana – are you in Accra
16 Mar 2010, 21:22 pm
@Heavens Game:
on this continent, the chinese have taken over and basically control the new markets.
the african govt ministers are selling their souls to get a chinese sponsored swiss bank a/c and the ordinary people will see nothing.
been the same story, different colonial powers, for hundreds of years.
live in accra, work in tema.
accra is pretty cosmopolitan, lots of foreign companies and ngo’s so one gets to meet a large cross-section of the international community.
not a bad life but the locals drive worse than our taxi maniacs back home. think they were introduced to these mechanical devices far too early in their natural development.
16 Mar 2010, 22:07 pm
Heavens Game
“it’s all in the tone” …..my God, that truly is desperate !
Whatever problem you have with the modern Kiwi fan I couldn’t really care less. I certainly don’t refer to anyone here as “Yarpies” ( altho I do suggest it has more to do with the proliferation of “Jaaaaa” pies than any of yr own sensitivities). Nor have I ever seen a Kiwi fan ever run on to the field and attack the referee. Nor have I seen Kiwis, en masse, quote victimisation as fact and refereeing conspiracies out of thin air.
Nor have I ever, here, once said “we will win the RWC” as you have. Far from making some non-existent perception of Kiwis as poor sports you have, instead, perpetuated the image of the arrogant Safa. So congratulations !
17 Mar 2010, 09:30 am
@charo: 292. Whatever the Chinese don’t control, the weazel NGOs seem to find their way in under the pretensions of “development”. They probably have all the mod-con offices, drive top-spec Landcruisers, and money meant for the person on the ground gets spent on the NGO/Adviser/Consultant structure. The NGO people are either ultra-cynical or they have a messiah complex – a definite pet-hate of mine.
Oh well, at least you get to play the odd round of golf and ex-pat tax benefits.
17 Mar 2010, 09:39 am
@Black Panther: 293. You’re not making sense here. You seem a bit hysterical – take a deep breath… Why have I “perpetuated the image of the arrogant Safa” when my point was about England and saying that in the 2007 WC they must have been decent – they beat France who beat the mighty ABs (WC winners 1987). The arrogance has come from you – “youre the first person in years to call Engl a “decent team” “. I then pointed out that in WCs England have as good a record as NZ, in terms of progression.
Its called being rational, my son – not arrogance.
17 Mar 2010, 10:54 am
@Heavens Game:
“we will win the RWC” is nothing short of sheer pure unadulterated arrogance. Are you related to Kobus K Kitty ?
happy to dish it tho, arent we ?!
17 Mar 2010, 10:59 am
@Black Panther: But hey “It matters not when who won what” as you say.
17 Mar 2010, 11:30 am
@Heavens Game:
context is everything
you arrogant finger-pointing moron.
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 [6] 7 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.