Graham
10-03-2009, 20:51
:shark2::SharksLogo0760:
Marc Hinton, www.rugbyheaven.co.nz | March 10, 2009 - 1:04PM
Everyone's talking up the Sharks after their impressive victory over the Blues at Eden Park on Saturday night. Including, it turns out, the Sharks themselves.
It's one of the refreshing aspects of John Plumtree's Durban-based side - they're not looking to hide from any realities. And the fact is that right now they're a team in form, securing significant victories on the other side of the world and working their way into the sort of position that has their title odds shortening by the day.
After they got up to secure a meritorious bonus-point win over the Blues on Saturday night - their second straight victory on Kiwi soil and fourth in succession of the new season - it was clear the South Africans now have the confidence and cohesion to push on to something special in 2009.
In fact, it's no stretch to say they're backing themselves to go all the way and secure a first ever Super rugby crown. If they were able to do so they would become the first South African side to complete the Currie Cup-Super 14 double.
The Sharks are certainly well down the track of putting themselves in an almost rock-solid position. They still have two more weeks on tour - both winnable games at the Reds and Force respectively - then play six of their last seven matches at their Durban stronghold.
"Our team is rapt," said delighted Kiwi coach Plumtree. "We set ourselves the goal of going unbeaten in New Zealand and to be able to achieve that is outstanding. It's one thing to talk about it, another altogether achieving it. But we've got the firepower to be able to achieve these sort of things now."
Quite. This is a Sharks outfit that has most of the bases covered. They're not scintillating attackers who play a lot with ball in hand; that's just not their style. But they're very solid up front, have a fantastic kicking game, are well organised on defence and love to attack off errors. They've also got plenty of pace out wide that they incorporate selectively, but with telling effect.
There was a lot of talk after the Blues game that the South Africans were lucky with the referee howler that missed the offside on what should have been a Joe Rokocoko try.
The Blues wailed that the "ten-pointer" cost them the game, as not only did South African ref Marius Jonker ignore the advice of his touch-judge, but the Sharks were able to boot loose ball upfield and score from the resultant field position they established.
But that's being a little simplistic, and a little loose with the facts. The Blues should have scored, granted, and the outcome may have been different if they had. But it may not either, as Rokocoko's lunge for the line would only have put them within four points approaching the last 10 minutes.
The truth is the Sharks were the better side for much of the Eden Park contest, dominated the breakdown area, made a lot less errors and struck with efficiency to secure four tries and gain a deserved bonus point.
It should be remembered that the Blues only picked up their own bonus point with a late try when the Sharks had been reduced to 14 men with the match safely in hand.
"We're not perfect," said Plumtree, attempting to calm a little of the enthusiasm that was bubbling around his side. "We're still not playing as well as we want. There was 10 to 15-minute period in the second half when we were inaccurate in our half and couldn't clear. We've got to be better than that.
"The Blues recycled possession and probably used possession a bit better than us, but we capitalised on the opportunities which was great.
"The one thing this team does know is how do is win," added Plumtree. "We won 12 games in a row to win the Currie Cup, and now we've won four games in the Super 14 in a row. This team is finding ways to win, and that's huge."
Plumtree conceded he didn't want to talk his own team up too much, but then couldn't help himself.
"Our lineout and scrum are operating well, we've got some exciting backs, we've got a kicking game... we have the credentials to do well in this competition.
"But it doesn't give you the right to win it. The opposition are still finding ways to break us defensively which is a little bit concern I guess.
"It's only round four, but if we can get another win in Australia we've achieved our goal. If we can get two that'd be great. Then we go home with a run of home games, and Durban is not an easy place to get a win any more. We'll go into those games with a lot of confidence."
It's not all sweetness and light though, and Plumtree concedes injuries have the potential to undermine his side.
They've already lost top flanker Jean Deysel, and though they've been able to replace him adequately with Keegan Daniel, he admits the depth is not quite so solid in the backs where there's a lot of youth and inexperience in the backup troops.
Plumtree shrugged off suggestions of a mental edge to South Africans over their Kiwi rivals, and said the Blues remain a dangerous outfit.
"This Blues side tests us in a different way than we're used to," he said. "In South African rugby it's more direct, this group they step and they spin and really test you."
It was a test the Sharks passed. They now move on to Brisbane where the heat of the late Queensland summer won't worry them as much as it does some. The show rolls on.
Marc Hinton, www.rugbyheaven.co.nz | March 10, 2009 - 1:04PM
Everyone's talking up the Sharks after their impressive victory over the Blues at Eden Park on Saturday night. Including, it turns out, the Sharks themselves.
It's one of the refreshing aspects of John Plumtree's Durban-based side - they're not looking to hide from any realities. And the fact is that right now they're a team in form, securing significant victories on the other side of the world and working their way into the sort of position that has their title odds shortening by the day.
After they got up to secure a meritorious bonus-point win over the Blues on Saturday night - their second straight victory on Kiwi soil and fourth in succession of the new season - it was clear the South Africans now have the confidence and cohesion to push on to something special in 2009.
In fact, it's no stretch to say they're backing themselves to go all the way and secure a first ever Super rugby crown. If they were able to do so they would become the first South African side to complete the Currie Cup-Super 14 double.
The Sharks are certainly well down the track of putting themselves in an almost rock-solid position. They still have two more weeks on tour - both winnable games at the Reds and Force respectively - then play six of their last seven matches at their Durban stronghold.
"Our team is rapt," said delighted Kiwi coach Plumtree. "We set ourselves the goal of going unbeaten in New Zealand and to be able to achieve that is outstanding. It's one thing to talk about it, another altogether achieving it. But we've got the firepower to be able to achieve these sort of things now."
Quite. This is a Sharks outfit that has most of the bases covered. They're not scintillating attackers who play a lot with ball in hand; that's just not their style. But they're very solid up front, have a fantastic kicking game, are well organised on defence and love to attack off errors. They've also got plenty of pace out wide that they incorporate selectively, but with telling effect.
There was a lot of talk after the Blues game that the South Africans were lucky with the referee howler that missed the offside on what should have been a Joe Rokocoko try.
The Blues wailed that the "ten-pointer" cost them the game, as not only did South African ref Marius Jonker ignore the advice of his touch-judge, but the Sharks were able to boot loose ball upfield and score from the resultant field position they established.
But that's being a little simplistic, and a little loose with the facts. The Blues should have scored, granted, and the outcome may have been different if they had. But it may not either, as Rokocoko's lunge for the line would only have put them within four points approaching the last 10 minutes.
The truth is the Sharks were the better side for much of the Eden Park contest, dominated the breakdown area, made a lot less errors and struck with efficiency to secure four tries and gain a deserved bonus point.
It should be remembered that the Blues only picked up their own bonus point with a late try when the Sharks had been reduced to 14 men with the match safely in hand.
"We're not perfect," said Plumtree, attempting to calm a little of the enthusiasm that was bubbling around his side. "We're still not playing as well as we want. There was 10 to 15-minute period in the second half when we were inaccurate in our half and couldn't clear. We've got to be better than that.
"The Blues recycled possession and probably used possession a bit better than us, but we capitalised on the opportunities which was great.
"The one thing this team does know is how do is win," added Plumtree. "We won 12 games in a row to win the Currie Cup, and now we've won four games in the Super 14 in a row. This team is finding ways to win, and that's huge."
Plumtree conceded he didn't want to talk his own team up too much, but then couldn't help himself.
"Our lineout and scrum are operating well, we've got some exciting backs, we've got a kicking game... we have the credentials to do well in this competition.
"But it doesn't give you the right to win it. The opposition are still finding ways to break us defensively which is a little bit concern I guess.
"It's only round four, but if we can get another win in Australia we've achieved our goal. If we can get two that'd be great. Then we go home with a run of home games, and Durban is not an easy place to get a win any more. We'll go into those games with a lot of confidence."
It's not all sweetness and light though, and Plumtree concedes injuries have the potential to undermine his side.
They've already lost top flanker Jean Deysel, and though they've been able to replace him adequately with Keegan Daniel, he admits the depth is not quite so solid in the backs where there's a lot of youth and inexperience in the backup troops.
Plumtree shrugged off suggestions of a mental edge to South Africans over their Kiwi rivals, and said the Blues remain a dangerous outfit.
"This Blues side tests us in a different way than we're used to," he said. "In South African rugby it's more direct, this group they step and they spin and really test you."
It was a test the Sharks passed. They now move on to Brisbane where the heat of the late Queensland summer won't worry them as much as it does some. The show rolls on.