WHY SHARKS WHY???

[I am Penguin]

Tackler can play the ball....ref was wrong ...and *my* team beat the Cheetahs today

Tackler can play the ball if he ramaine/was on his feet. Once you are down you have to roll away and come from behind. Maybe there is a different set of rules for certain teams. LOL

 

[Abe]

By the way if you get back to your feet dont you have to retreat and come from behind in the gate, Hmmm?

No. According to Law 15, the tackler can get to his feet and play the ball immediately. The only way for the tackler to lose the ball at that point is if he goes off his feet (which Stegman was not), or if he gets driven off the ball (which he was not).

 

[Zyzzyva]

When the sharks lost last week we all knew it was over for them. Losing against weak teams is simple not good enough, and we need to lament their poor showing in those games. But with all that removed, todays game was epic, a real stunner. From a South African rugby perspective our boys kicked some proverbial ass. If we can muscle up against the lions like that in a few weeks then i think we will be in for good times indeed.

Now just to stop a new zealand team from lifting the trophy.

p.s. i'm a sharks supporter

 

[Abe]

Tackler can play the ball if he ramaine/was on his feet.

At no point did Stegman go off his feet.

 

[kiepie]

At leats i dnt have to wake up early for the semis ,if sharks won wudve been an early 1 i think.

Doubt it, the evening games will be around 5am. And if you are a real Sharks supporter, 1am won't be a problem!

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

At no point did Stegman go off his feet.

watch that segment again .... Stegmann was on his feet for about 1second before his knees were touching the player on the ground and that instantly means you're off your feet

 

[Gothan]

Of course, the sharks never go down because they are the weaker team, nope, its always the ref being bribed, they play with the special sharks rule book, where hitting someone in the throat with your elbow is considered defending yourself and when someone pushes you away with an open hand, that is a kick able offense.

Even Petri was penalised for sticking out his hand at the turning of the scrum, not holding on to the sharks player, but basically putting his hand in front of him, oh yes the ref was on the bulls side.

And the poor angels in white called the sharks, how could you ever expect them to win against a mean and dirty bulls team. Guess what...its called rugby, if you want to play with the big dogs, you have to get of the porch.

The bulls won, the sharks lost, deal with it. There are still countless matches where they will face of in the future, and still countless times for you to blame the ref for the shark's sub par performance

 

[MielieSpoor]

I don't know why you guys wine about the referee!!

Whether on not the 2 yellow cards were the correct calls is irrelevant. The ref made the decision and the teams have to abide by that. The Assistant Ref was 100% correct with his call on Wannenburg and, Gothan, I think you are referring to the elbow Ndugane got on his adams apple...what was wrong with that?? Its rugby! "Guess what...its called rugby, if you want to play with the big dogs, you have to get of the porch."

Like I said earlier, the Sharks just wasn't good enough! The refs isn't to blame for anything! Yes, the ref may have made one or two mistakes, but what about all the missed tackles, the knock-ons the forward passess, the pleyers holding on the the ball, players off side? If the players didn't make one mistake, then I would say its fair to blame Craig Joubert for his mistakes, but they didn't so just congratulate him on a good performance and also congratulate the Bulls for advancing through to the semi finals, because they were the only team good enough to be able to make it through! The Sharks finished 6th in the end...

 

[Gothan]

well first off, I am a bulls supporter and was referring to the general feel on these threads that the sharks were given unfair decisions by the ref, so I used the Ndugane example, to show that they were playing just as dirty, its no use to play the "woe is me, evil bulls squashed us with dirty tactics foul foul foul" card.

They played and the lost, last year they won the currie cup, nowhere did I read from any of the shark supporters that they won because the ref helped them to win, no, they won because the were the best. That is my point, they lost, they should deal with it and move on, the currie cup is still around the corner

 

[MielieSpoor]

well first off, I am a bulls supporter and was referring to the general feel on these threads that the sharks were given unfair decisions by the ref, so I used the Ndugane example, to show that they were playing just as dirty, its no use to play the "woe is me, evil bulls squashed us with dirty tactics foul foul foul" card.

They played and the lost, last year they won the currie cup, nowhere did I read from any of the shark supporters that they won because the ref helped them to win, no, they won because the were the best. That is my point, they lost, they should deal with it and move on, the currie cup is still around the corner

Couldn't have said it better! I really can't understand why the referee is to blame when the Sharks loose bute when they win they are just the best!?! Can't it be that if the Sharks loose, that they just weren't good enough?

 

[Devill]

That if you were watching with your bulss eyes. Matfield were warned twice that the ref are going to take action of they carry on transgressing.

Lol, yeah they ref must also be have been the problem in the last 3 games?

Tackler can play the ball....ref was wrong ...and *my* team beat the Cheetahs today

Hope the weepee can play as good as their team suggests they are on paper The were the most dissapointing team IMO in the S14, so much potential yet they never really played up to their maximum.

No. According to Law 15, the tackler can get to his feet and play the ball immediately. The only way for the tackler to lose the ball at that point is if he goes off his feet (which Stegman was not), or if he gets driven off the ball (which he was not).

Thats how I also understood, the rule, maybe some of the sharks fans got a different translation....

When the sharks lost last week we all knew it was over for them. Losing against weak teams is simple not good enough, and we need to lament their poor showing in those games. But with all that removed, todays game was epic, a real stunner. From a South African rugby perspective our boys kicked some proverbial ass. If we can muscle up against the lions like that in a few weeks then i think we will be in for good times indeed.

Now just to stop a new zealand team from lifting the trophy.

p.s. i'm a sharks supporter

Don't let Mem. Helix or Penguin hear you say the sharks lost because they were not the best team on the day, they will accuse you of not being a real Shark supporter if you don't blame the ref...

The Assistant Ref was 100% correct with his call on Wannenburg and, Gothan, I think you are referring to the elbow Ndugane got on his adams apple...what was wrong with that?? Its rugby! "Guess what...its called rugby, if you want to play with the big dogs, you have to get of the porch."

I agree the call on Wannenburg was fair, but the elbow to the throught of Akona was suppose to have been a penalty. The rule was quoted in the other thread. But I agree the ref did a fair job and if the sharks want to blame him for the loss then go ahead, it still won't put you in the semis.

 

[MielieSpoor]

But I agree the ref did a fair job and if the sharks want to blame him for the loss then go ahead, it still won't put you in the semis.

Craig Joubert had a very good game, but it seems to me its more of a case where the Sharks just doesn't have the ability to win crucial games! Didn't they lost a crucial game in 2007 against the Bulls and then also blamed the referee and not their own ability to not win a crucial game.

 

[Zyzzyva]

Its simple. The refs have cost the sharks games which they should have won, but they have also won us games we should have lost.

Think back to the chiefs game.

The game is simply to complicated from an officiating perspective to expect everything to go our way, so we will just have to take the good with the bad. The sharks lost their way this season all on their own and they will have to fix it if they want to prevent it from happening in the future.

When a ref makes a mistake and it helps an SA team, its best to enjoy the benefit with a cheeky grin and move on when the opposite happens.

The refs are doing the best they can under the current rule conditions. If the rules are improved they will do better. But untill then just enjoy the ride if you can.

 

[GreGorGy]

I am the stereotype Luke Watson "friend". I go to Loftus, I drink Brandy and Coke, my blood is blue, I am Dutch Man! Let's be clear on that, right now.

I do not think I need to reiterate exactly how great the Bulls really are - that has been established. The Sharks have over the last few years become our nemesis. We all know and accept that. Sharks and Bulls fans in the same pub without a fight? It'll seldom happen.

Seldom - as in when the players from those two teams happen to be wearing the green and gold. What I saw on Saturday warmed my heart from two perspectives. The first is obvious - our victory. But it is the second where we can all take heart: there was not a single moment in that game when both teams were not delivering their very best. Pure power, no filters.

And given this, I still cannot believe that gambling sites are still touting the top chop chokers New Zealand as their RWC favourites. These fools have only managed one win - way back when, before we were contenders. Now, not only are we contenders but in each key position (aka all 23 - and not 22, that's old rules by RWC time), we are spoilt for choice. I have witnessed and participated in arguments as to who the better full back is (for example) and each side has a valid presentation.

And there will never be just 2 sides in that argument. We have fantastic talent that will donner any opposition and this was the real exhibit on Saturday. True skill, real guts, fantastic up-and-coming youthful players being nurtured by experience, grit and never-say-do old boys.

Why even bother having a World Cup - just leave the trophy here, seeing as it is quite comfortable at home.

 

[HypoThesis]

Firstly, congrats to the Bulls. As one of the commentators said, THIS is what the IRB is trying to do with all their tweaking of laws and such but unfortunately you can't exactly ban place kicks and change too many laws without making Rugby Union a bastard version of Rugby League. The Aussie gripe about kicks at goal being too easily rewarded may seem valid afterall. (did i just say that?). Seeing two teams go full steam with one knowing a win was enough and the other knowing a simple win wasn't enough produced pure magic. The Heineken Cup has nothing on the Super 14.

Secondly, come on, they're both Springboks and have been for a while now, at least spell their surname right Ndungane. Eish!

 

[Devill]

Now, not only are we contenders but in each key position (aka all 23 - and not 22, that's old rules by RWC time), we are spoilt for choice. I have witnessed and participated in arguments as to who the better full back is (for example) and each side has a valid presentation.

Why even bother having a World Cup - just leave the trophy here, seeing as it is quite comfortable at home.

Well in every position barring Fly-half

But I like your view on leaving the Cup here

 

[Aluroth]

Just my 2cents
Both teams played a great game, but i think the sharks was better imho. The bulls were the smarter team tho, cause they new what the sharks will be playing for -the 4 tries- and thus the sharks was predictable in the game, but the bulls just needed the win so they were the unpredictable side. E.g the last penalty of the bulls, they would usually go for the 3 points, but they knew the sharks wants the 4th try and 3 points wont be enough. But the sharks only have themselves and the stormers to blame for not making the semis. But it was a nice game to watch and smart of the bulls to use the shark's disadvantage to their advantage