[2020 Super Rugby] Round 2 (7-8 February)

[SomeOke]

The sharks played very well but the ref was blowing against you because you were always off side...can you really claim to be hard done by?

Have to agree with this, if you play the rush defense game, you take the good and the bad. Game was a little ****ly (especially in the first 20 minutes or so) with regards to penalty count with both teams aggressive at the breakdown, but I didn't think either team was hard done by.

Sharks have a very solid game plan. Extremely dangerous outside backs who are lethal on the turnover, and an excellent territorial game (helped by Bosch's excellent boot) to only play ball in the right half of the field. They will be tough to beat, but the real test will come when their pack is matched.
Fassi and Venter excellent.

Highlanders in my opinion are still getting used to their 2 play maker axis and it got a little sloppy at times, but some good signs, Nareki looks dangerous, the rest of the Highlanders outside backs were a bit rattled today, should come right with time.
That new number 8 impressed as well.

Well played Sharks lovely to see SA teams winning in NZ.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Sharks went well but I think the Highlanders are going to be the bottom placed NZ team this year. Thought so beforehand and this game has gone some way to making me back myself. Crusaders and Chiefs are going to be the challenge.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Sharks went well but I think the Highlanders are going to be the bottom placed NZ team this year. Thought so beforehand and this game has gone some way to making me back myself. Crusaders and Chiefs are going to be the challenge.

Cheers for the doom and gloom, the result wasn't quite enough

 

[SomeOke]

Sharks went well but I think the Highlanders are going to be the bottom placed NZ team this year. Thought so beforehand and this game has gone some way to making me back myself. Crusaders and Chiefs are going to be the challenge.

Possible, but its very early, Highlanders have time to come right, plus the Canes were pretty bad last week as well, im still not sure who's kicking for poles for them...

 

[unrated]

Possible, but its very early, Highlanders have time to come right, plus the Canes were pretty bad last week as well, im still not sure who's kicking for poles for them...

Yea i can see the Sharks taking the Hurricanes at home, we now have an 8 day turnaround, will chill in NZ and wait for the Hurricanes to finish playing in Argentina. By the time the Hurricanes get back home it would have been:

• Fly from NZ, to Cape Town, Play Stormers
• Fly from Cape Town to Argentina, Play Jaguares
• Fly From Buenos Aires to NZ to play a Sharks team waiting in NZ all along. The Sharks will actually have all the benefits of a home team.

If the Sharks can beat the Hurricanes then we only need to navigate past the worst two Australian teams before heading home for arguably one of the toughest parts of our schedule.

 

[TRF_heineken]

What is worrying for the Highlanders, is that their goalkicker takes forever to kick the ball. His one kick from touch was successfully charged down, and the one before that was also nearly charged down.

If he gets frazzled, then they will start to lose crucial points.

 

[Oliver Madden]

watched the Highlanders/Sharks game this morning and thought the Sharks were impressive. they've got some very mobile players in the pack. thought the back row stood out all game. wouldn't give up on the Highlanders yet. I could see what they were trying to do in attack, it just didn't click. they created space but they didn't finish off the opportunities. I would make the Sharks strong favourites to beat the Canes next week.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Cheers for the doom and gloom, the result wasn't quite enough

Hey, at least you've had a ***le. I'm a Stormers supporter so no pity here

 

[Umaga's Witness]

I see Oliver Jaeger is starting for. The Crusaders this week and started last week. How's he playing? Is there and injury that has him in or is he the legitimate starter?

Well there is no Owen franks this year. It's hard to tell for sure because they don't always pick the top team every week, but maybe he's surpassed Michael Alaalatoa too. Can't think who else has been around, but I think he's done his time, done his apprenticeship, and may well now be top pick.

The confidence that Fassi had in this game is what seperates him from the others. He just looked like he was having fun, and not a care in the world.

Great game to watch.

He looked like an older kid playing with the younger kids, teasing and tormenting them.

certainly not a team you want to give turnover ball to.

Well....I think I called the game plan right, loads of kick and chase...just not the best kicking...ok, **** kicking, rob thompson had a shocker

enough good to be a little excited, nareki had a great game, looses we're great, Mackay and Hunt had rough ones

As we know browny likes to be ambitious with his game plans. They were super fast and aggressive on the gain line at times at the start of the game, just not very accurate. You can imagine if they could click with those plays they could open any defence. Will be interesting to see to what extent they continue to be bold. Starting one game behind is not what they needed.

Possible, but its very early, Highlanders have time to come right, plus the Canes were pretty bad last week as well, im still not sure who's kicking for poles for them...

yeah, I think the canes last week were worse than the highlanders this week. What's more the canes showed zero promise of getting better.

 

[petite]

Sharks went well but I think the Highlanders are going to be the bottom placed NZ team this year. Thought so beforehand and this game has gone some way to making me back myself. Crusaders and Chiefs are going to be the challenge.

did I miss something? last year nz teams where rocking now everybody predicted this win away for the sharks. and also jags to beat the canes. os it the player drain.? the canes back line looks strong to face the jags with laumape lam smith proctor.the sharks where a machine l! is it the wc confidence? they didn't take games in nz so easily last year.

 

[The Seeker]

did I miss something? last year nz teams where rocking now everybody predicted this win away for the sharks. and also jags to beat the canes. os it the player drain.? the canes back line looks strong to face the jags with laumape lam smith proctor.the sharks where a machine l! is it the wc confidence? they didn't take games in nz so easily last year.

You're not alone petite. I missed it too.

 

[unrated]

did I miss something? last year nz teams where rocking now everybody predicted this win away for the sharks. and also jags to beat the canes. os it the player drain.? the canes back line looks strong to face the jags with laumape lam smith proctor.the sharks where a machine l! is it the wc confidence? they didn't take games in nz so easily last year.

The Sharks always tour well, last year the Crusaders also narrowly hang on to draw with the Sharks in Christchurch.

The Sharks struggles immensely to win games at home though, I sound like a broken record but Durban this time of the year is not a great place to play rugby, so I think they embrace the tour, really try and play the way they want to when away from home, when you lose then it's an away game anyway and the media won't be berating you as much, just saying **** like "not many teams comes here and wins games" to a large extent its actually true, you can be up by 20 and then a team like the Hurricanes out of nowhere comes back and scores 5 tries. I won't be and I know the Sharks won't be underestimating the NZ teams especially at home. But we have got a killer backline and now a proper fetcher and the Hurricanes looked bad against the Stormers, it will be tough to look good against the Jags in Argentina and then there is all the traveling, the stars are aligning.

 

[The Seeker]

The Mighty Crusaders fall to the Chiefs, 25-15.

 

[unrated]

The Mighty Crusaders fall to the Chiefs, 25-15.

Did not expect that at all. Gatland is a good coach and everything but damn it's the Crusaders.

 

[The Seeker]

Did not expect that at all. Gatland is a good coach and everything but damn it's the Crusaders.

I didn't expect it either, but I must admit that I like it.

 

[The Seeker]

Blues just cruised past the Waratahs 32-12 in Newcastle, Australia.

Hat trick for Mark Telea.

 

[petite]

I didn't expect it either, but I must admit that I like it.

I did but just after the blues ruined everybody's prediction!

 

[unrated]

Juandre Kruger is losing the plot, it's only 15 mins in so far and he has pulled a guy's legs out under him while the other guy was not looking, then tried to push seegeal Pietersens head into the floor while both were lying on the ground, and then looking for a senseless fight with PSdT. All this Whilebscreaming at everyone and looking like the world owes him something. Not at all in the spirit of the game.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

The Sharks always tour well, last year the Crusaders also narrowly hang on to draw with the Sharks in Christchurch.

This, in spades.

Did you guys see the reds scrum vs the lions? Beautiful stuff.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

What a stupid way to lose.

And the TMO on the last play, dear god. That was embarrassing. He doesn't even understand the rules ffs. This is why we should always, without exception have neutral refs, assistant refs and TMOs in every game.