Gary Gold
With the Cell C Sharks sitting in 11th position on the Combined Log, after suffering 7 losses, the only thing left to play for is pride, as the play-offs seem an almost impossible dream.
The Sharks were humiliated by the Highlanders in their 1st game of their Australasian tour, with even the most faithful of supporters conceding that the season is effectively over.
It seems that Sharks boss Gary Gold is in agreement, stating that they are now only playing for pride and to try and win back some disgruntled fans.
“The issue for us is that this is a matter of pride, of massive pride,” Gold said.
“We’ve let a lot of people down, we’ve let a lot of supporters down – the expectations were high for this team.
“I’m not about to provide any excuses for what happened in our performance, it was sub-standard and whatever the reasons are, we’ll investigate that.
“I take responsibility for it, I’ve said that before, but the bottom line is that we have to fix it.
“The business we’re in provides us with lots of opportunities to fix it.
“If we don’t fix it this weekend, we’re going to be on the end of another hiding and none of us wants that.
“We understand what this weekend is going to bring, there’s a big personal element involved, I’m a good friend of Plum (Hurricanes assistant coach – and former Sharks coach – John Plumtree) but it doesn’t help that he knows the intricacies of nearly all of our players.”
It will be an interesting reunion for Plumtree and the Sharks with the Kiwi coach being dumped by CEO John Smit when he took over the reins in Durban.
Gold was pressed further about what he though he could salvage from the remainder of the season, and again he went back to the issue of pride.
“It’s about gaining pride,” Gold reiterated.
“Letting the supporters realise that we are hurting in this matter – for us, this is far from what we expect.
“We have 3 games to go and nowhere to hide – no-one wants to hide – and it’s about showing some incredible courage.
“We want to show, as players, and to the supporters, that we have a lot of fight still in us.
“From my point of view, this is a group that has to show that we want to fight for our pride and to show everyone what it means to us to be involved in the Sharks.”
rugby365
John Smit has written an open letter to Sharks fans.
I’m sure we’ll have a dedicated thread for it later on?
Sharks (vs. Canes):
15. Lwazi Mvovo, 14. Odwa Ndungane, 13. JP Pietersen, 12. Francois Steyn, 11. S’bura Sithole, 10. Lionel Cronje, 9. Stefan Ungerer, 8. Renaldo Bothma, 7. Etienne Oosthuizen, 6. Marcell Coetzee, 5. Marco Wentzel (Captain), 4. Stephan Lewies, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. Bismarck du Plessis, 1. Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements
16. Franco Marais, 17. Dale Chadwick, 18. Lourens Adriaanse, 19. Mouritz Bothma, 20. Kyle Cooper, 21. Conrad Hoffmann, 22. Andre Esterhuizen, 23. Waylon Murray
(As I suggested on another thread, Kyle Cooper loose forward cover)
2 @ Angostura:
That is probably the best available team selection that Gold could have selected.
Go Saarks!
There is now so much hope and “confidence” goign into this game.
The sweet adorable open letter.
Positive team selections like Ungerer and Mvovo to FB.
Signings of players like Jackpot and maybe Michael Claasens(though the merit of that one is up for debate).
Some supporters will of course be “glass half empty” but the cup has certainly been flowing to a sense of confidence.
If they can win this game, it will certainly be a legendary win, but I think if the Saarks get thumped in this game, it could literally break Sharksworld.
Oh and also the fact that the Canes are resting Perenara, Savea, and Barret out… Amazingly the Canes team still looks flippen scary.
Hurricanes: 15 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith (c), 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Matt Proctor, 10 James Marshall, 9 Chris Smylie, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Blade Thomson, 5 James Broadhurst, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Ben Franks, 2 Motu Matu’u, 1 Chris Eves.
Replacements: 16 Brayden Mitchell, 17 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 18 Reggie Goodes, 19 Callum Gibbins, 20 Brad Shields, 21 Frae Wilson, 22 Otere Black, 23 Rey Lee-Lo.
Those loosies eish
5 @ MacroSssss:
You forgot about Dane Coles, Reggie Goodes & Brad Shields – 6 1st choice players not starting
88
Sharks only hope is to dominate upfront, not to kick possession away (onto the Canes’ back 3), not to meekly turnover possession, to defend like demons & to largely starve the Canes backline of the ball.
And to hope the Canes mind is already focused on next week (vs. the Chiefs, I think)
But miracles do happen …
@ Angostura:
Miracles do happen but not this week.
@ MacroSssss:
So we gain Michael Claasens and possibly Joe
Petersen.
Good players,but not in the first flush of youth.
A very promising young scrum half going
to Montpellier,
“Kings Park” or “Shady Pines”
8 @ ryecatcher:
Joe Pietersen’s defence is atrocious (Sharks need another turnstile like a hole in the head)
88
As regards Claassens Mike Greenaway reports as follows in this morning’s Mercury:
“Meanwhile, Smit has admitted he has given up hope of Toulon scrumhalf Michael Claassens pitching up for duty.
A deal seemed to have been done with the French club earlier this year, but with just five round robin matches left for the Sharks, it is becoming increasingly pointless to prise the experienced Claassens from the grasp of the French club.”
@ ryecatcher:
Joe P is another player “returning home”
probably still has another good season in him,
Claasens however is 33 years old… could the Sharks not get Jano Vermaak’s signature? even though he is also 30 years old. Would Claasens have signed jsut for currie cup duty? He probably has about another month left at Toulon.
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