After watching the Bulls game against Saracens and the Sharks game against Toulon

There are two positions where we have really no problems in provided the selection of players are done on merit and not on cromyism.   These two positions are -

*   Locks; and 

*   Loosies

Jacques du Plessis was phenominal last week and Pieter-Steph du Toit this week.  Ad to those two Etzebeth and  De Jager, it is clear that we do not need the weak Matfield in the set-up.

Coetzee was excellent tonight as was Labuschagne and Liebenberg against Harlequins. Aside from that there is Arno Botha - who are being handled very carefully by the Bulls. I still like Louw and Vermeulen is the obvious no 8 - but there is plenty to be happy about already.   Burger will have to perform excellently to be considered ahead of the above players.   Alberts is a no-no - their are players that even at this early stage of the SH season already showed that they are ten times more industrious than he is.      

There was no place for attacking rugby in the pouring rain at night with muddy underfoot conditions.

Toulon's tries had nothing to do with great attacking play......it had everything to do with a great cross kick and a great long pass to expose some Sharks forwards out wide.

There was no attacking rugby all game......it was all attrition in the mud and rain  

Bullshit Mike, Jordaan has done nothing of note and is in fact a liability at 13. He is tooooooo small for 13 has been exposed there a number of times.

Jordaan needs to play on the wing.

There is only one guy for 13 and that is Tyler Fisher, he is back from injury so hopefully we will see him sooner than later.

Esterhuizen and Frans are the options at 12  

Geez Dave a "great cross kick" and a "great long pass" are no longer attacking rugby? But if not, what are they....chopped liver?

The fact is with Reinach at scrummie, the Sharks are likely to remain great counter attackers but poor innovators. Add the small, slow, hesitant Lambie at flyhalf and you are almost guaranteed to have constipation on attack.

Outside them you have a poor set of options, Fransie aside....and defensively you have the S15 losing defence of Jordaan to hide. The fact is this team has to play Jake ball....they can't play anything else.

Moz did you watch the game......no you did not......conditions made it virtually impossible to play an attacking game......it was pissing with rain, below 10 degrees at 8pm in the evening.

No the cross kick was not attacking play......it was an after thought by the 10 after he was indecisive......it ended up being a great kick off the side of his boot.

The long pass was again in broken play, with much stuttering in the mud.....it was a long awkward pass that had a wing being opposed by a lock.....no contest, wing snuck in the corner.

Your point was that the Sharks advocated attacking play after the exit of boring Jake.......conditions were anything but suitable for attacking play......had you watched the game, you would have seen this for yourself.

There was little wrong with Reinach and Lambie on the night.

Mike what part of you does not comprehend the fact that Jordaan is not a 13......he is crap there. A physical liability much like Matfield is at lock.

Fisher is not a 15, it was stupid Jake who played him there for all of one game against Sarries when he got injured.

One certainty is that he is not a 15....he does not have a boot on him. He is an out and out 13. 

Best Sharks backline would be:

15. Frans 14. JP 13. Fisher 12. Esterhuizen 11. Jordaan 10. Lambie 9. Reinach

with Wright, Swiel and SP on the bench