[2016 Super Rugby] Hurricanes vs. Sharks (QF) 23/07/2016

[Bazzy]

Man Barrett is in some form! I just don't see how you can not start him for the ABs. Perenara definitely has earned the backup half back role for the ABs as well.

 

[nero]

I have this policy to never stop watching the game no matter how my team is doing. It was very difficult to see this game out. Well done to the Hurrricanes they were by far the better team on the day. I just don't know what the Sharks were thinking in their approach to this game.

Mate, the Canes played well and you were missing some players...but the conditions were dreadful. Worse than seemed on telly. I feel bad for the Sharks - they never really got going. But man, I hope we can take the ***le this year!

 

[Jaguares]

This is embarrasing for South African rugby. What is the excuse? They have something like 500k registered players, almost 5 times than their rivals (NZ 140k, OZ 90k, Argentina 120k)

 

[SomeOke]

I wouldn't want to be someone who backed the Sharks before this game that would be embarrassing.

 

[ianw16]

This is embarrasing for South African rugby. What is the excuse? They have something like 500k registered players, almost 5 times than their rivals (NZ 140k, OZ 90k, Argentina 120k)

Too many players playing in Europe doesn't help. When you see someone like a very average Michael Claassens. now back in SA, who can make a very decent living in Europe, it is not hard to understand why so many are playing there.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

In fairness it was top seed versus bottom seed. If any game was to be a blowout it'd be this. We'll be in a position to judge SA rugby later today.

 

[Jaguares]

Beasts stats looked embarrassing there. 2 tackles?! Did he go off early?

He's the most overrated loosehead in the world. If he wasn't black. Would he be a starter Springbok yet?

- - - Updated - - -

Too many players playing in Europe doesn't help. When you see someone like a very average Michael Claassens. now back in SA, who can make a very decent living in Europe, it is not hard to understand why so many are playing there.

But they have almost 600k registered players. You can take that for the Aussies who have just 86k registered players and their numbers are decreasing every year. But in their case it's the highest registered rugby players for a country outside of Europe and they have the support of a super professional tournament like the Currie Cup with 14 professional teams

 

[Larksea]

Man Barrett is in some form! I just don't see how you can not start him for the ABs. Perenara definitely has earned the backup half back role for the ABs as well.

IMO barrett has taken his game to a new level this year. His goal kicking is better and still needs a bit of work but IMO hes probably the form 10 in the world right now.

The way barrett Adjusted his kicking game to make difficult conditions work for his team was amazing to watch.

Perenara is playing well, issue is that TKB and Webber are also playing out of their skin. And Hansen seems to like TKB as a very good 9 who offers a different style of play to Smith. NZ genuinely have 4 world class halfbacks right now. Actually some of the other guys are playing bloody well too.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

We'll have 4 SA better next year than this year don't you worry.

The Lions are the only SA side with any semblence of continuity from the last two years to this season.

Now we still have the issues of a mass player exodus and political interference in sport. These are all linked. The poor governance, the ever weakening currency, poverty and crime, racial quotas all linked and hinders our sports in general and promotes an exodus of SA talent (not just sport).

But at a less macro level I think its fair to say the traditional big three of the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers all had horror seasons and at the end of the day a lot of it is down to factors that should be less impactful next season;

1) New coaches. All three those teams have brand new coaches. The Stormers didn't even have a coach till the start of the tournament with Eddie Jones pulling out in our pre-season. The Cheetahs also have a new coach and the Kings are new to the tournament (again).

2) New packs. The Bulls have essentially an entirely new and young forward pack. So too the Sharks where Mtawarira is the only survivor. I'm not counting Marcel Coetzee since he missed the season and is lost to the Sharks from next season onwards. The Stormers lost Vermeulen and Kitshoff, two of our 3 best forwards. Don't get me started on racial quotas..

3) Injuries to KEY players and/or new backlines. The Sharks, Bulls and Stormers all three were withour their 1st choice 9 and 10 near enough the entire season. Sharks had Lambie for all of 3 games, Reinach for near enough the same and couldn't field Lambie for their QF. Garth April left how many points at goal and let in 3 tries from missing tackles. I'm not saying the Sharks would've/could've won that QF but I am dead certain with their halfbacks fit it wouldn't have been a run away loss. Bulls spent their entire season without Hougaard and Pollard. Also Kriel, Gelant and Serfontein were out large spells. That's their entire backline bar wingers. The Stormers had 2 games out of Vermaak and Du Preez. Du Preez coming back cold in the QF and it showed. Zero match fitness. On top of that, De Allende had half a season and we missed the rest of our 1st choice backline in De Jongh, Kolbe, Senatla and Hendricks.

My hope is we see some of the influetial players that missed this year through injury availabel next year, our teams gel better having had a year together, a year of SR experience and a year with the new coach. And this year is both an election year and a Olympic year and I hope afterwards we see less political influence in our sports when things 'die down' after they are over.