Sharks v Rebels RD 6 2013

[KevinO]

He's an excellent goalkicker as well. The side looks so much better balanced with him in it. Mitchell, like Phipps, is a bit of an undroppable though. We're going to see those two in the XV, it's inevitable.

Phipps will start, Mitchell I rate a 50/50 call for Hill if all are available .

Can see it being something like

9: Phipps
10: Beale
11: Vuna
12: JOC (James O'Connor)
13: Inman
14: Woodward
15: Roberts

The only way Mitchell will start is if Hill sticks with him over Roberts or Woodward. Thought Roberts did enough to keep his spot and prefer Mitchell at Center than wing so would pick Woodward who was pretty good on the wing in the ITM Cup. At least it means Sidey should be gone from the 22, has not done a thing to retain his place.

 

[en_force_er]

Not exactly like there's a winning team for them to disrupt.

I more mean from a different perspective, they are 3 backs returning from injury and you should only have 3 backs (some would say 2) on your bench. This makes subs very inflexible.

 

[Dumbledore]

I more mean from a different perspective, they are 3 backs returning from injury and you should only have 3 backs (some would say 2) on your bench. This makes subs very inflexible.

Fair enough. I think the thing about the Rebels is that they actually have some incredibly versatile backs. Mitchell can play in the centres and wings, Kingi can play 9,10,11,14,15, JOC (James O'Connor) can play anywhere, Beale can play flyhalf or fullback, Woodward can play 10,11,14,15 etc. You'd have Kingi and Mitchell on the bench, it's rough on Stirzaker but it would be by far the best backline the Rebels have ever put out.

 

[KevinO]

1. Nic Henderson
2. Ged Robinson
3. Laurie Weeks*
4. Hugh Pyle
5. Luke Jones
6. Scott Higginbotham
7. Scott Fuglistaller
8. Gareth Delve (c)
9. Nick Phipps
10. James O'Connor
11. Cooper Vuna
12. Lachlan Mitchell
13. Mitch Inman
14. Jason Woodward^
15. Angus Roberts

16. Shota Horie
17. Paul Alo-Emile
18. Cadeyrn Neville
19. Jordy Reid
20. Nic Stirzaker

21. Rory Sidey
22. Richard Kingi

*50th Super Rugby Cap

^Super Rugby Debut
Not considered due to injury: Kurtley Beale, Kimami Sitauti.

 

[qwerty51]

So Reid is considered better than Saffy?

 

[KevinO]

So Reid is considered better than Saffy?

I have been impressed with Reid off the bench so far, he really seems ready for the step up.

Saffy has struggled this season and I'd say is hesitant about re injuring his neck. He is not throwing his body into the tackles the way he did in 2011. Hope he finds his form soon.

 

[Dumbledore]

So Reid is considered better than Saffy?

He's been better off the bench so far.

About as good a team as could be expected I think. Kingi has to sort his defence out.

 

[swingpass]

interesting about saffy. i thought he was very tentative in his first couple of games, also was coughing up the pill in the tackle. did so again against the reds initially but watching the replay i thought towards the end of the match he was playing much better. more aggressive tackles and better in contact, looked to be starting to hit his straps, thought that perhaps he just needed more game time. having said that i have been very impressed with jordy reid and dont think we lose anything by having him on the bench.

 

[Brisbok]

Sharks:
15 Louis Ludik, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Patrick Lambie, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Keegan Daniel (captain), 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Tendai Mtawarira

Substitutes: 16 Craig Burden 17 Jannie du Plessis 18 Jandre Marais 19 Ryan Kankowski 20 Charl McLeod 21 Frans Steyn 22 Riaan Viljoen
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Super15/Sharks-drop-Steyn-for-Rebels-20130320

 

[Brumby Runner]

Sharks:
4 Pieter-Steph du Toit,
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Super15/Sharks-drop-Steyn-for-Rebels-20130320

Very impressed with P-S du Toit against the Brumbies.

 

[Brisbok]

Very impressed with P-S du Toit against the Brumbies.

Yes he definitely shows some promise. One of a group of young locks that have graduated from the Springbok U21 team and are slowly finding their way into Super Rugby.

I'm sure we will see many intriguing battles between him and the likes of Pyle & Jones both at Super Rugby and International level in the years to come!

 

[Blue]

I could live with Ysterbeth and PS du Toit in Green and Gold in a couple of years time.

PS has all the physical attributes. We need to see if he can run the lineout.

 

[Brisbok]

I could live with Ysterbeth and PS du Toit in Green and Gold in a couple of years time.

PS has all the physical attributes. We need to see if he can run the lineout.

Agreed. Unfortunately it may have to happen sooner rather than later with both Bekker and Kruger signing overseas as of the end of this year.

 

[Lee Grant]

Those two young fellows have immense promise.

As for the Rebels: it is all very talking about the promise of their players but I can't see the team getting up for this one because they will have to do something they haven't done this year: play well in both halves.

They will also have to do something they have never done: win overseas.

Good luck to the Rebels though. the Sharks were truly poor last week even taking out the Brumbies factor - so you never know.

A preview of the game is included in my blog here:

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/aussie-super-teams-at-crossroads/
.

 

[Athilnaur]

That's very true Lee, but my riposte is the Rebels game against the Stormers last year. No Cipriani, no o'Connor, no Beale, played excellent rugby for 80 mins, came within a bees dick of winning, and had scored three tries to top of the table Stormers' two.

I said it to PB before that game, and to you this, I think they can get up for it. Not necessarily to win, but at the very least to give the Sharks a fright. Delve is back and the Rebels have something to prove.

 

[Dumbledore]

What's the scenario in which the Rebels win though? Do we boss the Sharks at the breakdown? Dominate territory? Bit of Bieber magic? Build up a big enough first half lead to compensate for the second half fadeout?

 

[Brisbok]

The Sharks will be stinging after their loss last week. That may just be the wake-up call they needed. They scraped through their first three games grinding out a few close wins without playing well. They will know after last week, that simply turning up at home is not enough to win games and they will have to lift their performance.

At the same time, the Sharks at their best, rely on gainline dominance and their big ball runners giving them momentum. In this respect, they are desperately missing Alberts and Bismarck. Last week they were also missing Deysel who has been fulfilling this role to some degree. He is still out this week, but I don't think the Rebels have the personnel in the forwards to do what the Brums did last week.

Kankowski has struggled to make a significant impact so far and it appears that he is still adjusting to the lift in intensity in Super Rugby after his 6 month stint in Japan. He starts off the bench this week.

Sharks by 8 - 10pts.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Unfortunately, can't see the Rebels finishing on top in this game. Sharks with home ground advantage and supporting crowd by 10.

 

[Athilnaur]

DD, If the Rebels are to win, it will be by playing their usual fast game, spinning it wide wherever opportunities present. Look to our forwards to be dynamic, freeing up the halves. If the Sharks bog them down it's over. Nothing unusual there really, most teams in the comp try to win that way, but in the Rebels case we have to focus on achieving those things while still playing tight defence, and by our forwards playing fast and hard.

I'm not so sure the Rebels will fade, I think the fitness is good, it's more about more dynamic and varied work by our forwards, with more players running lines to give options to O'Connor. And O'Connor being more selective about the times he opts to run. But most importantly they need to do these things while not dropping their defensive pattern, its that part of their game that really worries me given past years. Definitely improved this year in this aspect, and I think if they can maintain it they will get more scalps this year.

I will be looking to Mitchell and Inman in particular to create options for O'Connor, and for O'Connor to give them opportunity.

 

[Rassie]

Rule 88 of 1902 Section 18 sub paragraph 3 states every side are allowed to have a off day whether its at home or away beginning or end of season. Sharks played awful and Brumbies capitalize on it and played brilliantly