Currie Cup: Natal Sharks - Western Province (01-10-2011)

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Kings Park, Durban (01-10-2011, 17:05)

Referee: Mark Lawrence
​

DHL Western Province travel to Durban with their backs to the wall to face The Sharks in a very important Absa Currie Cup game at Mr Price Kings Park on Saturday.

Having lost their last two games â€" in Pretoria against the Blue Bulls and at home against the Toyota Free State Cheetahs â€" the team from Cape Town will be desperate to get back on the winning track against the defending champions, with spots in the semi-finals still looming for both teams.

DHL WP assistant coach Matt Proudfoot is aware it won’t be easy against The Sharks: “They are the Absa Currie Cup champions, so we know it is going to be a tough game. The aim for us is that we make sure we start better. We can't afford to give so many turnovers in the first 20 minutes and we must assert ourselves more on the game from the get-go.â€

With the Golden Lions slipping last week, The Sharks have set their sights on the top spot on the log, but if they are to achieve that, victory against DHL WP is non-negotiable this weekend. Sharks coach John Plumtree realises his team will have to improve from their performance against GWK Griquas last weekend.

“The players have trained hard this week, we had a pretty tough day on Monday. The standards and expectations of playing for The Sharks are pretty high and we’re not at that required level,†said Plumtree.

“When you’re in a competition like the Absa Currie Cup and it’s coming to the business end, and you see how tough that competition is, you can’t put your head in the sand when it comes to performance because you know what’s required and at the moment, we’re not there yet. Whether we can get there is up to us to prove, that’s been the message.â€


[TABLE="class: grid"]
[TR][TD] Natal Sharks [/TD][TD] [/TD][TD] Western Province [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 15 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 14 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 13 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 12 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 11 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 10 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 9 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 8 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 7 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 6 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 5 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 4 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 3 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 2 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 1 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 16 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 17 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 18 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 19 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 20 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 21 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] 22 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[Draggs]

15. Stefan Terblanche
14. Sibusiso Sithole
13. Marius Joubert
12. Meyer Bosman
11. Lwazi Mvovo
10. Frederic Michalak
9. Charl McLeod
8. Keegan Daniel (Captain)
7. Jean Deysel
6. Jacques Botes
5. Ross Skeate
4. Anton Bresler
3. Eugene van Staden
2. Kyle Cooper
1. Dale Chadwick
Replacements
16. Monde Hadebe
17. Wiehahn Herbst
18. Jan Andre Marais
19. Marcell Coetzee
20. Conrad Hoffmann
21. Jacques-Louis Potgieter
22. Adrian Jacobs

http://www.sharksrugby.co.za/news/general/110929/McLeod_Skeate_Return

Don't look, Eze. McLeod and Skeate back.
Ludik out for the remainder with a broken foot (Stef to play 15 then...)

Hope we see more from Marais. He was looking good but his card v Cheetahs was pretty pointless. So much for Sykes and Mostert leaving, Bresler and Marais could really do a good job replacing them.

 

[Seaton]

Weather has been poor here this week, hopefully Mother Nature has the rain out of it's system, and we have a nice, clear day tomorrow.

Gutted for Ludik, second major injury in his two years here, will most likely not be in line for a new contract.

WP have had sssssoooooooooooooo many injuries this season it's not even funny, Newlands medical bay/ room must have had as many admissions this year as Entambeni Hospital! (okay, regional joke but you get the picture?) Despite our recent 'form', we should win this one, playing against a top rival with enough injuries to fill another team is too much of an opportunity to turn down, if we don't win, it'll be as good as over for us I'm afraid.

Of course, assuming SA reach the world cup final of course, or get knocked out in the quarters, then it's game on B)

 

[Draggs]

Ludik has had some awful luck.
Injury after injury, shifted through the side to accommodate Stef. He is one of our most underrated players.
Definitely a better fullback than Kirchner, but not in the eyes of the selectors.

 

[Seaton]

Ludik has had some awful luck.
Injury after injury, shifted through the side to accommodate Stef. He is one of our most underrated players.
Definitely a better fullback than Kirchner, but not in the eyes of the selectors.

I'm sorry, but people really cannot be objective when it comes to Pdivvy.

Please inform me when Kirchner was picked over an in form Ludik, 'cause to my memory:

2009- Great year for Kirchner on domestic level, year he was first capped for the Boks. Not the best year for Ludik, tore ligaments in B & I tour.
2010- Ludik has sporadic appearances for club side before finally making a string of appearances for the Sharks in Currie Cup, only recovers fully from injury well into Currie Cup campaign. Good S14 for the Bulls, not good for the Boks
2011- In training squads, rightfully ahead of an out of sorts Ludik. Niether selected for Boks in the end.

Seriously, its actually a problem in my eyes.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Well, did we have any proper full-back since Percy retired? Don't think so... Jantjes, Kirchner, Aplon, F. Steyn, Pienaar... None of them have been good enough for that position.

With my eye on the future, I am hoping Taute gets a chance after the RWC.

 

[Draggs]

Not having a go at PdV, and looking at the injury issues Ludik only came into potential selection this year.
I did feel that he was deserving of a look in at the wider training squad.

 

[Seaton]

Come on Sharks, don't push me over the edge.

Too much heartbreak already for an entire year in the last week.




Some late changes to the Sharks team.

Jean Deysel moves to lock (4), Marcell Coetzee comes in and replaces Bresler
Michalak to the bench, Bosman moves to 10 with Adi coming in at 13, Joubert to 12

Think that is all, we have 3 players that have played a lot of rugby at fly-half on the bench. :lol:

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

;P

I had given up on WP's chances for the CC this season but thanks to some sloppy defense from Terblanche and Joubert we are still in with a chance. Send Ludik over to us; he can join our casualty ward and would be a welcome addition when he returns to the field.

Agreed on hoping for a combination of Taute and Lambie to do duty for the Bokke at 15 after the RWC with Goosen and Lambie my picks for the 10 jersey. Competition is actually pretty solid for the no.10 jersey for once with Steyn the incumbent and Ebersohn, Catrakilis and Jantjies also capable if they keep improving.

 

[Draggs]

Keep you hands off our Louis!
We could have had that match if Terblanche was in the stands... Is he able to gain more than 30m from a kick to touch?
Glad to see our lineouts are still shocking.

Well done W.P. You had an inexperienced side but still played good rugby.

 

[Seaton]

Main culprits for us in this game:

Terblanche, Michalak and Joubert.

All of it involved kicks.

Good to see Plumtree is so fustrated he now stands on the side-lines waiting to throttle any player who cocks up.