Super Rugby 2012 SF Stormers v Sharks

Stats schmats. It's what you do with the thing when you have it.

Also look at the Sharks defensive structure and you will see why they miss so many tackles. It's either rush defense or up and in. They will always miss more tackles than a drift defense but the upside is more dominant tackles behind the advantage line which is what they aim for. What they have done well over the last few weeks is scramble when they miss the tackles.

Its always the first weekend in August. Ja Boet we had our first taste last night with our Action sports. Action hockey, netball, soccer (could not believe Paarl Gym won this) and cricket. The place was chock and block.

The Sharks defense use to bite them in the past but they clearly patch it up in the last rounds of SupeRugby. They will be the favourates for this match.

The Chiefs have great history with SR finals in SA..LOL

You cant compare the current Chiefs team to the past ones. They have a totally different team and a new coach. Pretty sure the Chiefs will beat the Crusaders on the weekend.

Agree that you can't compare the two teams (including coaches) but I don't let my in-law Chiefs-fans know that!! I just remind them of that score line every time they bag my beloved Blues...lol

Everything will be fine if you support them against the Saders this weekend.

Stormers – 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Deon Fourie, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Subs: 16 Deon Carstens, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Don Armand, 20 Louis Schrueder, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Gerhard van den Heever.

Sharks:

1. Tendai Mtawarira , 2. Bismarck du Plessis , 3. Jannie du Plessis , 4. Willem Alberts , 5. Anton Bresler , 6. Keegan Daniel (Captain) , 7. Marcell Coetzee , 8. Ryan Kankowski , 9. Charl McLeod , 10. Frederic Michalak , 11. Lwazi Mvovo , 12. Meyer Bosman , 13. Tim Whitehead , 14. JP Pietersen , 15. Louis Ludik

Replacements , 16. Craig Burden , 17. Wiehahn Herbst , 18. Steven Sykes , 19. Jean Deysel , 20. Jacques Botes , 21. Odwa Ndungane , 22. Riaan Viljoen

Good to see both coaches not rushing Vermeulen, Schalk or Lambie back into action. Its important that they recover for the 4 Nations.

Boskak in 12 and Luddick in 15 give me a bit of hope. The Stormers will have to be physical in the forward exchanges. If they level it on 1st and 2nd phase, they will beat the Sharks.

Yea match them up-front and we will get this, not and we are gone burgers.

Watching this now. I'd be happy for either team to win TBH but maybe the travel (I know no one likes to use it as an excuse) would knock the Sharks around a bit much coming back to NZ to play the Chiefs. For that I'd say the Stormers are the best chance out of the SA teams.

That being said the Sharks have already proved me wrong by beating the Reds with some great Rugby, they could do it again.

Sharks playing a great territory game in the second half.

Looks like it may go down to the wire. Amazed the Sharks have not fatigued more.

Edit: Freddy with the droppie! Wow, that must be the game for the Sharks! Crowd gone silent again.

I want to see extra time!

FT OMG! That was awesome. Sharks have got to be rooted after that. Advantage Chiefs!

Sharks by far the better team. Stormers were really average until JP Pietersen scored. Right team won & I love it. If Chiefs lose it now, I can at least be assured that a team won it, that deserved it as well.

Here's hoping it is a cracker Tordah & doesn't go out a fizzer. I keep discounting the Sharks & they keep proving me wrong! If the attacking of both the Sharks & the Chiefs is brought to the finals it will be an amazing match.

Sharks beating the top of the log team. That is a statement in itself.

Sharks deserved the win. Stormers defence wasn't up to the standards they've set all season. Especially for the Ludik try. They seemed to run out of ideas when they were chasing the game late on and Sharks looked comfortable in defence in the last few minutes. Thought JP Pietersen had an excellent game and took his try really well.

If Sharks win the final they will really have done it the hard way. Another long journey for the final, but for them it was always going to be that way or season over and I can guess which they would pick given the choice.

Thank god the Stormers didn't win, coming last in tries and attack, this might persuade them to change their game plan next year.

You gotta feel for the Sharks don't ya.. having to travel all the way back to Hamilton 31.5 hours after the Chiefs match. It's not fair, give them a week off to make it an even contest.

They should have won more games in the regular season if they wanted a rest. Stiff cheese.