Official Super Rugby Thread 2012

[KOPITE]

:erm: The way we played against the Pomms was good. Tight up front sucking in defenders and then letting the ball go wide. If Steyn kicked for posts with more accuracy we would have thrashed the Pomms by 10+ every game.

The ABs play the same style of rugby. Forwards get you onto the front foot, carrying the ball up and then when it has been taken through the phases it is swung to down the line. The ABs ball handeling is superior and that is why they score more tries and look like they are doing something magical.

I am afraid we will be murdered at the breakdown if we don't get a proper fetcher like Brussow. front would be the Sharks, locks would be the Stormers, loose trio combination of Stormers/Sharks. scrumhalf would definately be Pienaar. he is miles ahead of everyone else and is very consistent. flyhalf would have to be Lambie, with backup Steyn/Grant. wings and centres pick themselves, although i would prefer the combination of jdv and de jong. the only concern would be at fullback. i would prefer steyn at fullback instead of lambie and joe pietersen or apon as backup for steyn.

 

[Devill]

I am afraid we will be murdered at the breakdown if we don't get a proper fetcher like Brussow. front would be the Sharks, locks would be the Stormers, loose trio combination of Stormers/Sharks. scrumhalf would definately be Pienaar. he is miles ahead of everyone else and is very consistent. flyhalf would have to be Lambie, with backup Steyn/Grant. wings and centres pick themselves, although i would prefer the combination of jdv and de jong. the only concern would be at fullback. i would prefer steyn at fullback instead of lambie and joe pietersen or apon as backup for steyn.

At the moment I tend to agree with HM. Dedicated fetchers are being penalized a lot and are a risk.

Front Row: Sharks
Locks: 5 - Kruger , 4 - Etzebeth
Flankers: Coetzee - 6, Alberts - 7
8Th man - Vermeulen
9 - Pienaar / Hougaard
10 - Lambie (with Goosen in the group)
11 - Bannana
12- Steyn
13 - JdV
14 - JP
15 - Sideshow Bob

 

[KOPITE]

At the moment I tend to agree with HM. Dedicated fetchers are being penalized a lot and are a risk.

Front Row: Sharks
Locks: 5 - Bekker , 4 - Etzebeth (we need combinations, kruger on the bench)
Flankers: Brussow - 6, Alberts - 7 (we need a fetcher, pocock and macaw will rape us at the breakdown)
8Th man - Vermeulen
9 - Pienaar / Hougaard
10 - Lambie (with Goosen in the group)
11 - Bannana
12- Steyn
13 - JdV
14 - JP
15 - Sideshow Bob

Pietersen then at 15

 

[Devill]

Pietersen then at 15

1) Bekker is lazy and stands at centre 99% of the time, add this to the fact that he can not play more than 3 games on the trot and that Kruger's lineout work is better.....

2) McCaw will be turning out at no. 7 flanker imo. Look at the stats, dedicated fetchers have cost their teams this season. Really go have a look.

3) Against the Sharks Pietersen was found wanting. Also the his physical length was shown as a weakness when competing against a taller person in the air. I still think the future is Lambie at Fullback and Goosen at Flyhalf.

 

[KOPITE]

1) Bekker is lazy and stands at centre 99% of the time, add this to the fact that he can not play more than 3 games on the trot and that Kruger's lineout work is better.....

Bekkers presence and experience cannot be overlooked. Kruger is still learning and can come on as a super sub to bolster the pack in the second half.

1)2) McCaw will be turning out at no. 7 flanker imo. Look at the stats, dedicated fetchers have cost their teams this season. Really go have a look.

Thats where the games are normally won or lost. The Poms were poor against us, but dominated us so easily in the loosies area which is a huge concern against teams like AB and AUS.

1)3) Against the Sharks Pietersen was found wanting. Also the his physical length was shown as a weakness when competing against a taller person in the air. I still think the future is Lambie at Fullback and Goosen at Flyhalf.

you obsessed with size as HM. you pick a player on performance not on size. please get that out of your head as i get upset everytime someone mentions the size issues. fact is Lambie is a better flyhalf then fullback. Steyn would solve the problem, but HM will always pick him at centre. that guy form the Lions is also good. we also have Aplon who can fill the position as well.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

At the moment I tend to agree with HM. Dedicated fetchers are being penalized a lot and are a risk.

Front Row: Sharks
Locks: 5 - Kruger , 4 - Etzebeth
Flankers: Coetzee - 6, Alberts - 7
8Th man - Vermeulen
9 - Pienaar / Hougaard
10 - Lambie (with Goosen in the group)
11 - Bannana
12- Steyn
13 - JdV
14 - JP
15 - Sideshow Bob

Will Goosen be fit again after his injury? It was quite a bad one. I don't think Meyer will put him in the side straight away.

 

[ponder]

I would like to see the team without Steyn on Saturday. Not very fond of his game lately.

 

[BobsLawnService]

"Lambie is a better flyhalf then fullback."

Nope. I wish people would stop trying to force him into a flyhalf role. Lambie is a natural fullback and has the potential to be the best fullback in the world. He has stated that fullback is his preferred position and he has always looked a bit out of place at flyhalf.

 

[MickeyD]

"Lambie is a better flyhalf then fullback."

Nope. I wish people would stop trying to force him into a flyhalf role. Lambie is a natural fullback and has the potential to be the best fullback in the world. He has stated that fullback is his preferred position and he has always looked a bit out of place at flyhalf.

Agreed! Why do we always want to "abuse" our top players by playing them out of position?

 

[BobsLawnService]

Agreed! Why do we always want to "abuse" our top players by playing them out of position?

At least they don't talk about "utility backs" as much as they used to. That was a phrase that meant "We're going to ruin your career".

Let a great player play in their favourite position and you'll get the best out of them. Shuffle them around and put a worse player in that position and you are just going to ruin them.

 

[Devill]

Will Goosen be fit again after his injury? It was quite a bad one. I don't think Meyer will put him in the side straight away.

He will be back for the 3rd (IIRC) game in the Currie Cup, so no he wont do the 4-nations thing. He might however go with to the end of year tour if he regains enough form in the CC.

Also I was thinking him at flyhalf and lambie at full back for NEXT year's rugby champ. I just do not want lambie to play flyhalf for 12 months and then he has to move to fullback.

I would like to see the team without Steyn on Saturday. Not very fond of his game lately.

What Steyn? And which team?

I presume M. steyn and the Bulls vs Lions game Friday?

At least they don't talk about "utility backs" as much as they used to. That was a phrase that meant "We're going to ruin your career".

Let a great player play in their favourite position and you'll get the best out of them. Shuffle them around and put a worse player in that position and you are just going to ruin them.

I agree for the most but letting a player play where he wants to is a no no. I am sure Os wanted to be an inside centre

Take Frans Steyn, he wants to be a flyhalf more than he wants to grow a Moses do, BUT by far he is a better inside centre and fullback for that matter than a flyhalf.

 

[APoc184]

And it goes from bad to worse for the Lions.

They have now fired backline and fitness coaches Carlos Spencer and Wayne Taylor as well.

Xenophobic much?

 

[Devill]

And it goes from bad to worse for the Lions.

They have now fired backline and fitness coaches Carlos Spencer and Wayne Taylor as well.

Xenophobic much?

Wtf?! Spencer was secured for a lot of money and was great for them......

 

[Devill]

Teams:

Chiefs: 15 Robbie Robinson, 14 Tim Nanai-Williams, 13 Andrew Horrell, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Kane Thompson, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Craig Clarke (captain), 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Mahonri Schwalger, 1 Sona Taumalolo

Substitutes: 16 Hika Elliot, 17 Ben Afeaki, 18 Michael Fitzgerald, 19 Sam Cane, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Jackson Willison, 22 Lelia Masaga

Sharks: 15 Patrick Lambie, 14 Louis Ludik, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Paul Jordaan, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Frederic Michalak,9 Charl McLeod, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Keegan Daniel (captain), 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Willem Alberts, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis,1 Tendai Mtawarira

Substitutes: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Steven Sykes, 19 Jacques Botes, 20 Jean Deysel, 21 Meyer Bosman
22 Riaan Viljoen

Lambie and Jordaan the only changes.

Good luck Sharks.

Make SA proud.

 

[KOPITE]

Teams:

Chiefs: 15 Robbie Robinson, 14 Tim Nanai-Williams, 13 Andrew Horrell, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Kane Thompson, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Craig Clarke (captain), 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Mahonri Schwalger, 1 Sona Taumalolo

Substitutes: 16 Hika Elliot, 17 Ben Afeaki, 18 Michael Fitzgerald, 19 Sam Cane, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Jackson Willison, 22 Lelia Masaga

Sharks: 15 Patrick Lambie, 14 Louis Ludik, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Paul Jordaan, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Frederic Michalak,9 Charl McLeod, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Keegan Daniel (captain), 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Willem Alberts, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis,1 Tendai Mtawarira

Substitutes: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Steven Sykes, 19 Jacques Botes, 20 Jean Deysel, 21 Meyer Bosman
22 Riaan Viljoen

Lambie and Jordaan the only changes.

Good luck Sharks.

Make SA proud.

sorry sardines, but the end is nigh

 

[FoXtroT]

sorry sardines, but the end is nigh

Well those sorry sardines managed to destroy your precious Stormers at home in a semi-final.

 

[DJ...]

sorry sardines, but the end is nigh

How have your previous predictions worked out?

 

[undesign]

Well those sorry sardines managed to destroy your precious Stormers at home in a semi-final.

Yip, and if they weren't jet-lagged they would have trashed us with 20 the way we played...

Sharks thoroughly deserve to be in the final.

 

[KOPITE]

Yip, and if they weren't jet-lagged they would have trashed us with 20 the way we played...

Sharks thoroughly deserve to be in the final.

i agree they deserve to be in the final the way the y played, but the chiefs are a different cattle of fish.

 

[DJ...]

i agree they deserve to be in the final the way the y played, but the chiefs are a different cattle of fish.

1 - kettle of fish. Not even the cowfish travels in a herd.
2 - are you saying that The Chiefs are a much better team than The Stormers?
3 - are you saying that even though The Sharks are in the form of their lives and playing exceptional rugby, they can't beat The Chiefs?
4 - why are you so negative about any team except The Stormers? It comes across as if you revel in The Sharks losing and are looking forward to it...