The Sharks
1. Tendai Mtawarira , 2. Bismarck du Plessis , 3. Jannie du Plessis , 4. Willem Alberts , 5. Anton Bresler , 6. Keegan Daniel ( C ) , 7. Marcell Coetzee , 8. Ryan Kankowski , 9. Charl McLeod , 10. Frederic Michalak , 11. Lwazi Mvovo , 12. Paul Jordaan , 13. JP Pietersen , 14. Louis Ludik , 15. Patrick Lambie
Replacements : 16. Craig Burden , 17. Wiehahn Herbst , 18. Steven Sykes , 19. Jacques Botes , 20. Jean Deysel , 21. Meyer Bosman , 22. Riaan Viljoen
Why are they playing Jordaan at 12? I know they have a center problem with Whitehead out - but Jordaan never played at 12 before and he comes in against Williams. Will be very difficult for the youngster and may detrtimentally affect the one main bow in his favour - his speed. However, he is a playmaker and may be able to play a role in the backline. He will also not be the traditional inside center crashballer - so common in SA.
jp is IMO the future Bok 13 and with whitehead injured and SBW on the other side, that really is what plumtree considers the best answer, even if he did have to move jordaan out of position.
plumtree has opted to weaken the lineout and give sharks more grunt with thier ball carriers, by naming alberts at lock. this worked against the reds and the stormers and while i think it wont work against the chiefs, it tells me that they are looking to run the ball which could be bad, given the fatigue factor.
a small bonus for the sharks is that lambie and jordaan didnt play last week and lambie the week beofre, so they wont be as tired as the rest of their shark bros.
i get a feeling that jordaan is going to need all the energy he can muster with cruden and SBW to target the rookie and pile the pressure on him.
lmabie really needs to step up and have as close to an error free game as possible, cos the chiefs know their ground and their team.
this is a pretty good team and all the pressure really is on the chiefs considering the massive advantage they, so the sharks can afford to play with a nothing to lose attitude, but still, chiefs are overwhelming favourites.
Sasue
If the Chiefs are not the bookmakers favourites - they must have their heads read - go and see a shrink. I do believe the Chiefs would win - but I will be surprised if anything else happen. However, if we can get gold in rowing at the Olympics anything is possible.
Back to rugby though - I will indeed be surprised if the backline is going to play accordimng to the announced team - the Sharks have changed the backline repeatedly when running on and that could be the case again.
I do not really think the Chiefs have that strong a forward back - so thy will have to capitalize on backline play. That is how they beat the Crusaderas in the semis - that is perhaps why the team was selected with Alberts as a lock. The Chiefs better improve on their line out play - they were poor against both the Hurricanes and the Crrusaders.
By the way with Walsh as referee Williams may get away with a head high tackle - wish it was a different referee. He got away with one against the Crusaders - but that was an oversight by the referee.
@sas sorry to say but the sharks are going to play there pattern. the chiefs set pieces is not the best so the sharks wont lose any set piece dominance with alberts at lock. the sharks are playing with 4 lose forwards so rightly so we are running at them. the best way possible. the jet lag factor will not be a issue if you play smartly but they trying the play another style because one thinks you will get tired from it is a very daft way of thinking. if you go down you go down swinging.
the open side flank and 8th will cover the SBW channel so i think jordaan has great defence but jp might just shift to the inside channel for defence if needed but who ever defends on his outside channel just needs to get in between him and his off the ball runners to neutralise his offloading skills.
Carpetmuncher
You are probably correct here. I think when the Chiefs have a throw in in scrums and Line-outs - Pietersen may move to 12 - otherwise Jordaan may be in that position.
from the set pieces just let the open side flank or 8th man run directly onto him and let the line just shift up to cover his offloading skills. the master defence analyst brendon venter spoke on length last year about how to defend in a system to stop him. the cheetahs showed how it can be done with ashley running towards him directly and the line shifting on from him. the chiefs relies a lot on him for go forward ball.
i dont buy the excuse that he was injured last year in there loss to the cheetahs because the whole saders team was under the whip last year from the cheetahs defence.
the subs in this game will be crucial here but they need to strike hard and fast in the first 30 odd min and then try to run out a lead. the chiefs are not the limp stormers so trying the get that decent lead will go along way to get the legs going and help motivate them pushing there bodies more.
Sharkies coming out all guns blazing.
Be afraid, ... be very afraid
