There are two matches taking place in the final weekend of Absa Currie Cup pool stage rugby that will be watched with great interest by a majority of rugby fans as both The Sharks and Western Province seek bonus point wins over Griquas and the Lions.
With compliments from Sharksrugby.co.za
Province currently lead the standings courtesy of a better points’ differential, but equal with The Sharks on 49 log points and face a Lions side determined to end their season on a high, despite the fact that a semifinal place is out of their grasp.
The Sharks meanwhile know that a five-pointer could well stand between them and a home final – should they progress past the semis – and they go into this match full of focus. But Griquas go into this game under massive pressure to end the round still in the top four, a position they have been in since the very first round and losing out now, at this late stage, would be a huge disappointment given their fairytale season which has included victories over three of the top five sides.
At home, Griquas are a formidable foe and will relish the opportunity to add a Sharks scalp to their impressive collection this season. They are a good, committed side who play for each other, but they are going to have their work cut out for them.
While they are feeling the effects of 13 weeks of non-stop rugby action, The Sharks by contrast have been bolstered by the return of injured players as well as a hoard of Springboks, and an International-laden side will run out onto the hard Kimberley field intent on making sure of a good, solid victory on Saturday.
Griquas have made two changes to the starting line-up from the first round match at The Absa Stadium Durban which The Sharks won 41-6. The Sharks by contrast, with a whole host of players available, have a vastly different side, the backline boasting six changes and Stefan Terblanche (pictured) the only familiar face. Where there was one International amongst the backs in that match, there are now six. In the forwards, six changes have been made, and two Springboks in that match have been increased to four.
While statistics are hardly a guarantee of victory, certainly history confirms that The Sharks have seldom come unstuck against Griquas, although in the last 10 years, there have been two losses in Kimberley, the last in 2006 when Griquas won 23-22 and before that, a 33-24 loss in 2004. The last six matches have all been fairly comprehensive defeats for Griquas, including a 44-15 loss in Kimberley last year.
Sharks assistant coach Grant Bashford admits that despite the necessity to win, win well and hopefully come out with the bonus point, first priority is to come out with a victory. “For us, it’s all about us, we’ll be trying to get the bonus point but not at the expense of losing, so we must win the game and worry about the bonus point later.”
He adds that despite The Sharks having a better record than Griquas when the two teams have met before, this year they’ve been a lot more competitive. “They’ve changed since previous years, this season they’ve been a side who counter-attack a lot but have the ability to also play a conservative style. They have leaked over 100 points in the last two weeks but have good attacking side.
“They need two points to make the semis, but will be desperate and hoping to win. They’ve done really well this season and will be pumped up for the game.”
For coach John Plumtree, it’s simple: “I haven’t lost to them since I’ve been in charge of The Sharks and I don’t plan on starting now.”
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Mark Lawrence
Television: MNet / SS1
Teams
The Sharks Griquas
Stefan Terblanche (C) 15 – Riaan Viljoen
Odwa Ndungane 14 – Bjorn Basson
Adrian Jacobs 13 – Jaco Bekker
Riaan Swanepoel 12 – Barry Geel
JP Pietersen 11 – Trompie Nontshinga
Juan Hernandez 10 – Naas Olivier
Ruan Pienaar 9 – Sarel Pretorius
Ryan Kankowski 8 – Jonathan Mokuena (C)
Michael Rhodes 7 – Davon Raubenheimer
Keegan Daniel 6 – Wesley Wilkins
Alistair Hargreaves 5 – Jacques Lombaard
Steven Sykes 4 – Cecil Kemp
John Smit 3 – Ruaan du Preez
Bismarck du Plessis 2 – Ryno Barnes
Tendai Mtawarira 1 – Albertus Buckle
Reserves
Craig Burden 16 – Andries Kruger
Jannie du Plessis 17 – Steph Roberts
Albert van den Berg 18 – Eric Coetzee
Jean Deysel 19 – Heinrich Stride
Rory Kockott 20 – Donald Stevens
Andries Strauss 21 – Wilmaure Louw
Waylon Murray 22 – Gavin Passens
88@K9-MonsterLeeu – ja, daar is baie ooreenkomste tussen die twee. Dink net MS bied meer op die aanval.
Mannie, gou uit, sien later.
@bdb – skuus, ‘mannie’ moet ‘manne’ wees, net voor Ed dit sien, en my ‘n goeie :poop: gee !
@smallies72 – dink Bakkies sal lekker regkom daar in Bloem.
@bdb – braai
@smallies72 – Ek het Jannie eerste keer sien speel daar op Bloem OVS o/20 teen ntvl. My moerse beindruk. Baie meer aanvallende loskakel gewees. Sy manier van speel het verander oor die jare. Ek hou nie van skoppende loskakels nie. ‘n Loskakel moet meer bied as net skop. Dink Jannie se beserings het hom kwaai gespyker.
@K9-MonsterLeeu – dalk sy ingels is k@k genoeg hy het op skool ook seker net van die taal geleer 😀
Hallllllooooooooo almal.
Sharks gaan swem dat die stof so staan vandag.
@K9-MonsterLeeu – besering is ma ‘n lelike ding ky vir ashwin willemse
@smallies72 – sy engels is nie sooo :poop: nie. Hy sukkel net met tenses en has en have 😆
@trupisero – Sharks gaan wen …met ‘n paar beserings.
77 @K9-MonsterLeeu – wou nog sê, as ‘mooiste rugby’ beteken baie drieë druk, dan moet die finaal tussen die BB en Cthas. Hulle het verreweg die meeste drieë gedruk hierdie seisoen.
BB: 58
C: 53 (met nog 1 wedstryd oor)
Verder, die Ctahs se verdediging is net so sleg soos BB s’n:
Driee teen:
BB: 28
c: 26 (nog ‘n wedstryd oor)
Dus, as dit gaan oor baie drieë druk = mooi rugby, dan is ‘n BB vs Ctahs finaal op Loftus die antwoord ! :yes:
@smallies72 – en Dean Hall.
@K9-MonsterLeeu – ek ok en al wat ‘n soutie is kraak hom vir my as ek daai taal eers begin pleeg :laugh:
@trupisero – en hulle wind uit val in die proses
@bdb – ja ma die staat het gedink dis ‘n touch rugby toernooi die eerste vier games 😀
GBS – die reply ding nog gefark op mobile?
Smallies – you talk da english tale very much deliciously?
Smallies – oppas of ons gee die kwas sommer 4 driee en. Laat hulle met net 5 verloor… :rotfl:
@trupisero – ja dit gaan maar verhel as ek forren try praat :laugh:
@trupisero – NEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!
106@trupisero – Nee dit weet ek goed…. het juis noudie aand gesê ons sal die “Reply” Funksie HEEEEEEEEELTEMAL moet oorskrywe, van A – Z
Sien julle later. GO LEEUS!!!!!
My sussie nou net terugekom van ‘n marketing trip in USA. Die mense daar is we’ll so stupid as wat almal dink. Een vrou se haar seun kom gereeld SA toe en toe sy nou wil weet waar presies toe antwoord dit mos Tanzania, Lusaka en Kenya sommer.
Reken ook dat jy ‘n moerse jetsetter is as jy ‘n paspoort het.
Cheers monster en mag jou span seevier!
Ek moet ook hol. Later
nou ja ek moet so stadig begin dink aan werk so sal ma die games op r-t en radio sonder mense volg cheers almal en geniet die games
WIE STEM DAT DIE SHARKS MOET WEN
@trupisero –
Kan jou baie stories vertel oor die Yanks se kennis van AAAfricuh, glo my.
Hulle weet deesdae bietjie meer van SA, met tv en alles, maar destyds toe ek daar was was dit een moosa joke as hulle my vra van waar ek kom.
Een ou vra my eendag in die rokersgedeelte op Dulles Airport in DC (hy het so n rooi keppieopgehad, ‘Dont mess with Texas’ staan voorop geskryf),
‘And where are you from bud’?
Ek se, ‘South Africa’.
Hy antwoord, ewe selfvoldaan, ‘Oh yeah, I know, that’s near MadaGAScar aint it!’
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