By Craig Lewis
There is no doubt that the Sharks are at present in the habit of winning, with the team relaxed, confident and acutely aware of what their strengths are.
But they will also know just how quickly things can change, and that should keep them on their toes this Saturday when they face the Griquas at the Absa Stadium.
Over the past few weeks, the Sharks have certainly performed with aplomb, and even without key players and during periods of play when they’ve been under the cosh, they have had the composure to find ways to win.
However, things can just as easily start to unravel, as they learnt in 2009’s Super 14, and they can ill-afford to take their foot off the gas against the log-leading Griquas.
“We know Griquas will be hurting after their first loss of the season against the Bulls in a match they perhaps should have won,” Sharks coach John Plumtree said on Monday.
“They’ll be very physical and our forwards will need to muscle up.”
Unfortunately for the Sharks, though, a number of front-rowers are nursing injuries after Saturday’s bruising game against the Lions, with Deon Carstens carrying a niggle, Pat Cilliers suffering from a hamstring strain and young Wiehahn Herbst battling with a bit of a back injury.
All three will be very closely monitored throughout the week, and with the Sharks likely to be without their Tri-Nations Boks – including Jannie du Plessis – they will be desperately holding thumbs that things are looking a little brighter later in the week.
Nevertheless, Plumtree said he had expressed to the team that they would have to be ready to tackle numerous challenges during the next few crucial rounds of the Absa Currie Cup.
“This group is now going to take us through to the business end of the competition and they are the ones who will determine what position we are in when the Springboks return. In 2008 we were able to get onto a winning roll at about this stage in the tournament and we need to repeat that if we hope to be in a good position to make the play-offs later on.”
And this weekend the Sharks may well look to keep the ball in hand a bit more after having to make an inordinate amount of tackles against the Lions, which ultimately saw them drop off the pace and let in three tries in the last 10 minutes of the match.
Certainly, they will have more of a licence to attack if game-breakers such as Juan Martin Hernandez and Rory Kockott are passed fit for this game, but both may well need to be brought back slowly after being sidelined with an ankle and shoulder injury respectively.
Either way, the likes of Monty Dumond, Riaan Swanepoel, Andries Strauss and Stefan Terblanche are certainly steering the backline in the right direction as it is.
In addition, the Sharks will also have their second-row stocks bolstered in the near future, with both Johann Muller and Alistair Hargreaves not looking far away from a return to action.
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- This article was originally published on page 18 of Daily News on August 18, 2009
142@Pietman –
Ek dink die Leeus moet n “feeder union” word vir die ander groot unies. š
Nee wat, ek kan nie so aanhou alles wen (soos die Bulle)nie, dink ek gaan nou eers bietjie afteken en die ander ouens ‘n kans gee. š
@superBul –
Ja nee. Ek stem. Ons moes ons pak vat vir lank. Gelukkig is dit nou andersom š
@superBul – lyk nie of wonde heel as ek na sommige bloggers hier se sensitiewiteit rondom die saak kyk nie. Volg my oĆ«….hulle beweeg š hehehehe
@bdb – 10 000 ! – @OCO –
Bliksem, julle is nou te veel manne gelyk!
Let me start with Osama OCO Bin Seagull….howzit ou maat from ysterplaat?
Nice to see you here.
How was your trip down in my ‘homeland’.?
The Porsche still going well?
BDB.
Ja verander gou na BDB10,000, voordat ons public gaan.
Die T+C is nog nie in werking nie, so ons kan nog vir n kort rukkie kuk aanjaag hier…
@bdb – 10 000 ! –
Die ding hulle weet nie meer hoe om n kans te vat nie! š
@K9-MonsterLeeu – Daai rekord was mooi in gedrang die jaar todat die Cheetahs die Sharks se vinne afgebreek het. O en ja die rekord kan verbetter na tans 14 verloor en dan maklik na 15 as die Southern Kings begin speel.
Good day OCO.
BDB, jy moenie so vinnig worry nie. Ek is baie relaxed. Net op naweke wat ek moet aflog. š
@bdb – 10 000 ! –
Not sure. Respect for Griquas must be said but different playing styles of opponents can bring different results. Guess in the final analysis it depends on the game plan that both teams adopt – and its’ suitability. Not sure if GKW would have a hope in hell if the Sharks (and the BB for that matter) had a full compliment of players.
At what stage of the CC do the Bok players return? Any idea?
@ashley –
En JY meneer Asvaal, ek en jy het n mooosa appel te skil, oor kos….jy bars as jy my nie vir ete nooi nie.
Ek het daai nag niks geslaap nie, heelnag van jou vrou se bobotie en geelrys gedroom.
Slegte mens,jy, wat ander honger maak…
@superBul –
Die Kings behoort die Leeus te klap. Kyk hoe amper het hulle die BIL geklop en hoe ver het die Gauteng Leeus verloor teen hulle.
Cheers!!
@Pietman –
Hi Pieta,
Struggled to get back on the plane to come back to the world’s largest ash tray!
Got me thinking of an imminent return to the land of milk and honey etc.
Did get 4 days up at Addo. Never been there before. Nice but give me ‘real African Bush’. However, only 45 minutes from Rhodes so my youngest came and spent 2 days with us. Great stuff!
2 Weeks, 4 Kg extra. Must be the air š
@OCO –
Good question. Probably end of September. But will ALL the players be released?
Guys like Matfield, Bakkies, FDP, Habana, JPP, Spies, Steyn have been playing 80 minutes in almost every match.
@Ed_the_Lion –
Wat nou, sny jy alweer gras?
@Pietman – Nee Pietman.
Nie lus om te lees oor die Southern Kings/ Spears nie.
@Ed_the_Lion –
Was BDB reg? Ek dog jy se jy is relax?
@Supa Die Bloubul – Ek was dood ernstig. Ek is baie relax en ek wil dit so hou.
Cheers ouens, ek gaan werk.
@Supa Die Bloubul –
Yeh, the ‘Will they be released’ bit didn’t escape me either. Perhaps it’s better for both the Bokke and also the CC teams if they remain ‘stsus quo’ for the season. Then again I guess the Bokke will raise ticket sales …
I suppose that it’s a matter of ‘fitness vs. money’ that will rule. š
@OCO –
Yeah. At some point they need rest. If they dont get rest in the ccup, they need to be rested at the end of the year. We play Wales, Italy and France. We beaten the Lions, and hopefully have the Tri-nations title by then.
Maybe not such a bad time to rest them.
@Ed_the_Lion –
Wou nog vir jou se. Leer by ons, kyk hoe mooi hanteer ons Bulle die “Bulls het die minste logpunte ooit gehad” comments š
160@Pietman –
hehehe
eks mos maar Ʊ arm mens, maar ek dink darem ek kan Ʊ ou pieringtjie of 2 voorsit
anyway, ekt die perfekte plek vir ons gekry om Ʊ dop te gaan drink
hul toilette se spoelbakke is agter burglarbars my broe!!
@ashley –
Sal lekker wees.
My vrou sal dit ook geniet.
Ons maak so.
171@Supa Die Bloubul – Ja, ons moet nie vergeet waar ons was nie, voete op die aarde hou.
@bdb – 10 000 – Ken jy daai stats site Lassen.co.nz , hel ek sal liewer daar wegkom ek sal K9 en Ed laat polse sny as ek daai goed moet noem.
175@superBul – nee, sal bietjie gaan loer.
Spot you guys. Must go and find something to rustle up for supper.
Thanks for the chat and thanks for the site!
@superBul –
Moet jy dan na pickandgo toe gaan?
175@superBul – werk nie vir my nie, kom my een of ander gesin uit met die van ‘Lassen’ ?
@Supa Die Bloubul – Ja kyk daar is Internasionaal en Super14 bo aan die header rond.
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