Sharks rugby....not Bools or Stormers...is the model

Which is not to say the mighty Stormers wont win on Saturday, I believe they will....starting from a much superior lineout. I'm talking here about what style of rugby the Boks should play.

We always say it will be hard to successfully play running rugby. But the Sharks did it yesterday. The interpassing that led to Jordaan's try was simply superb....done against a sophisticated team. We can play that kind of game....in a lot of different ways. For example last week Bekker showed with a bit of space, he can stretch defences and crucially offload over almost any tackler.

The Stormers play ball in hand in little bursts, but rely far too much on their defence and Grant's unerring boot that made those 6 point wins all good. The Bools run only when they are dominating and reflex back to the boot, even when turning over possession is hurting them.

The Sharks have found a trump card in Marcel Coetzee whose clever stepping and ball security pops the advantage line.....but Alberts, Kankan and Daniels are all primed to run. ....as is the Beast and Bismarck. They are a fast team, festooned with runners. We can do the same for the Boks.....add Etzebeth, WP Nel  and Bekker to that mix and every one of our forwards is a ball carrier.

I don't rate all of the Sharks backs....Mvovo is very vulnerable when the ball is behind him....McLeod is a lucky packet, as is Freddie. But the comitment to keeping the ball and running it is second nature. That's where the Boks need to go.

Some will say our backs aren't as dangerous as NZ. I would dispute that. But even if it's true.....wouldn't we rather be making their backs defend against us.....as opposed to kicking the ball away and defending for 80 minutes against their supposedly more potent backs?

What we saw again yesterday, with great big warning lights, is that the Bools game can be spiked and made impotent. NZ have taught us time and again, if they can match us up front we are toast. They did that famously in the 2003 RWCQF and they did that again yesterday. I'm tired of learning that lesson!

Yes the Boks game is based on a dominant pack to begin with. The Boks can field a dominant pack provided Meyer gets his selections right . Next a great defence and a good kcking flhalf. But we can also attack and the Cheetahs sharks and bulle  showed this.

The Stormers dispite their success are not making the best of their resources. One would be foolish to thinks  bit of attacking falir is not needed.

I am wondering if coenie and WP are not better options. Both are very active outside the scrum. Add in Bissie,Etzebeth Bekker, coetzee Vermuelen and alberts and you have your dominant pack. If you want to speed up add Kan Kan.

 I just posted this article on another thread- but it is equally relevant to this Style of play discussion- 

RE: Another 14 days and Meyer would have to select a Springbok Team

July 22, 2012, 16:07:45

 If Meyer chooses mostly Bulls- then he is still employed by the Blue Bulls Company to promote their players will selecting them as boks. 

Werner Kruger- Useless, rather bring back Rickie Januarie as prop

The Potgieters- dum and dumber- (We need brains in the backrow- like the Sharks loose foward combination- not these 2.

Spies- What can be said about his lack of contribution that has not allready be done so. His work rate is poor and does not compete for the ball on the floor. Alberts is our best carrier by a mile- we need the Sharks loosies to compliment him.

Hougard- Ruan Pienaar is a better scrumhalf with much better passing ability( the main purpose of a scrum half).  Hougard on the bench as impact player.

Morne Steyn- Way out of form- even when he is in form our backline is never going to be a major threat with ball in hand. Peter Grant or Lambie. 

Missie Kind- thank goodness he is going to Japan- This had better rule him out of the boks- Meyer had said that he wants 100% commitment. I would rather see Dejong on the bench to cover both centers.

Kirchner- Their is no way in hell that he is better than Aplon, let alone Lambie. 

 I am not going to mention the other Bulls as I am just going to assume(hope) their are not going to be selected.

The whole country does not want many of these bulls players to play for the boks- even the most loyal bulls supporters. Meyer allready annoyed allot of people with his bull shit selections for the England test, but we cant tolerate this for the 4 nations.

The only bulls that may make the bench- could be flip, chillyboy, Juandre kruger, Basson(once kidney is fine)

I do not thin any Bulls player should currently make it into the starting line up. I also do not see many or any Lions or Cheetas in the starting xv for the 4 nations. It should be mostly Sharks and then Stormers

The most disappointing aspect of yesterday was the Hougaard performance. He is easily rattled behind a struggling pack. A fabulous rugby player, who might even have been a terrific flyhalf.....he may fail at 9.

Mozart

Just one thing - did you notice how Coetzee always seems to make a successful pass whilst he is being tackled?   That is a sure sign of balls ense.   I think he is the ideal loosie - but Saffe wants to push him around to make way for brussow and Kolisi - that to my mind is a joke in bad tatse.

 Saffe also has this idea that Jantjies (Suicide center enforcer) shouls play at #10.

Shame.

If you watch NZ their youngsters aren't anointed.....they have to kill the king. I think that makes the incumbent better and forces the pretender to raise the level. So I don't propose any of these young guys until they have made a case. On Saturday Marcel made a case....and I agree Mike, he is a smart player with ball sense.

i agree mozart 120%...the fact of the matter is the way the sharks plays they will always be a factor in any game due to there superior game pattern. to win against the reds that is the champs and win it with only 31 % of the ball that is jus a massive massive achievement.

there mix of attack and defence looks at lot like the saders way of playing and the more the depth in players grows the more effective the will become. the sharks playing pattern is what gets the bums on the seats and that is what the rugby public wants to see. not the no cups coetzee style of boring and bullying the opposing team in the ground. the stormers are on top but i feel if they are beind on the scoreboard by more than 10 odd points then they tend to fall of the wagon. there game has not developed in the last 4 odd years. the bulls are not any better. seem that there is alot of tired and players playing for only the paycheck there.

the sharks skill levels is immense but just like most NZ and AUSSIE teams they are more focused on player development than playing a certain way. that is where the difference is.