I got off my backside and travelled the round trip of more than 320 kms to go and watch the game. Now as everyone - bar Saffex - know I a brutal in criticism of perfomrnaces and am honest in my assessment of gaames and performances by individual players. I left the game about 8 minutes before the end - because I want to escape the traffic problems and get home as early as possible - especially since the weather was not particularly good and the return leg of the journey of circa 160 kms. I may have missed something during the last 8 minutes - but th only really important issue is that at this stage I still do not know what th final score is - I do not think there was real performances changes that would drastically impact on my assessment as given hereunder.
OVERALL GAME ASSESSMENT
The Sharks beat the Leopards with the greatest of ease playing a very exciting 15 man attacking game. There were numerous attacking plays involving fast and effective backline play or a combination of backs and forwards combining to score very good tries. On the negative side there was a few handling errors - but that could be expected since there was a light drizzle throughout the game and it is early season and this was the first opportunity the players had to perform in a real playing environment.
The question can affectively be asked -
* was the Leopards so weak that the Sharks could beat them so comprehensively and with such ease; or
* was the Sharks so good that a runaway victory was inevitable.
I tend to believe rgar ir was more a case of the seond statement - rather than the first one. In looking at the braider issue to support my contention in the relevant regard - itmust be borne in mind that the Leopards was only narrowly beaten by the Kings in the CC Group 1 final and they therefore are still a better than average CC Goup 1 team - nothing to shout home about - but yet not a bad team at all. THE SHARKS REALLY IS A TOP OUTFIT AND WILL BE HARD TO BEAT THIS YEAR.
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER ASSESSMENTS
I am not going to discuss all the individual players and will concentrate on a few players only - aspecially since those players had to mak some improvementts to their games - and some really nice performances by youngsters.
Francois Steyn
The team is let onto the fields by the capain and my intital shock is so bad - I asked a guy next to me - whos is that no 12? The answer was obvious - it was Francois Steyn. What made him more difficult to recognize was the think black hairstyle - him always being on the blond side. the new wifey must have decided she does not want to be married to a fat. ovrweight balding slob and that could account for the fact that he seemed to be slimmer than he was a mere 6 months ago and a hair implant seems to have changed his looks completely.
As much as there was a change in his appperace - there was an even greater change in his performances. Unlike he did in the two Super 15 games and the tests he played in last year - he did everything (except perhaps just one issue - namely off-loading of balls in tackle situations) exceptionally well and I can only mentionthat he did excellently by -
* attacking the opposition backline with speed;
* nort running straight at the opposing defenders;
* making line breaks of major importance through strong running;
* by effectively passing the ball to other players in better attacking positions than he was.
In doing the above so well - I had to say I was mpressed by him and if he continues to play as well s he did against stronger opposition - the answer as to the no 12 Springbok selection will be relatively easy. The issue here is sustained development aand prformances..
Lambie
A brilliant game at flyhalf - he was the really good player that sent the backline off with real aplomb. Kicked all the conversions - also from the sidieline in conditions that was not really easy. This one remains a top class flyhalf.
Jordaan
Was his normal good self, Did not get any space - but he himself made some for the wings and made at least one try. Speedy and tricky as always.
Reinach
Still living up to the potential showed by him in the CC and his all-round performances were very good.
Mthembu
I did not take note of this guy - and may even have his name wrong. He played at 8 in the starting line up and showed some real class. Was a key player in linking forward and backline play in the first half, Very food player..
Pieter-Steph Du Toit
Stole th first line out throw by the Leopards and that set the form for the Sharks team. My eyes could have gone wrong - but I believe he really was the tallest of the Sharks players - must have still grown a centimeter of two in the last year. Very good in tight situations. One to watch.
NOW SAFFEX THAT IS A REALLY UNBIASED ASSESSMENT - NOT LIKE YOUR BLINKERED AND GARBAGE ONES WHERE POOR PERFORMANCES ARE MADE OUT TO BE MATCHWINNERS
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