Why tthe Sharks do not score tries

I spent my afternoon watching the Sharks game again and found two instances of absolutely unthinking rugby.   Both instances were similar.   and that is a major problem.  In both cases there was a turnover of possession and the recipient had at lest 20 meters of clear and open field with only minimal Kings defenders in front of them.   Both instances happened halfway between the Sharks 22 meter line and the halfway line.  In front of them when they received the ball there was a wide open space in front of them and the whole Sharks backline next to them.  

Both recipients launched long downfield kicks - the one went over the goal line and was dotted down - the other one was gathered eventually by players in the Kings 22 and kicked tback by th recipient nearly on the halfway line.

You my as well ask who the two none-thinkers were.   The first one was Francois Steyn and the second one was Patrick Lambie.   I wonder whether they have forgotten the axiom about not handing balls over to the opposition - especially when there is wide open space in front of them and they have good backline players that can use the ball.  

It may have been a sensible way to deal with the playing situation if there was a possibility that one of your players could follow up the kicks and do damage - but both kicks were so far ahead of the players that follow up was impossible.  In fact it could have been even more detrimental th Steyn kicked stopped rolling about a meter away from the dead ball line.

I was very disappointed by what Lambie did - I expected more from him.

@mikey,

u gotta wonder if the shartks are trying to employ a very similar gameplan to the stormers last year, playing conservative controlling rugby, cos lambies attack in  particular really has dropped which is a shame.
styne is also relying on his size and big boot to make themeters, wether it be through kicking for territory or getting over the advantage line and helping his sharks build up the phases.

losses in both the spXV and CC final has prob forced plumtree to try a differnt approach and this conservastive game seems to be plumtrees flavour of the month.
 

Sasue

Did you see what I wrote about the teams of the week thread?  :O:

I don't think that is really the issue here.   I think Plumtree is sharp enough to realize that the kind of ruby is not working and that the present style of play of the key backline players are problematicI would not be surprised if he does not make changes in the backline - because it is obvious the present players are not producing the goods.  .  

I would like to see the Sharks team and I suspect there will be some surprises in selection.   One of the changes may be to play Pieter-Steph du Toit at no 7 for the game against the Brumbies.  Would like that very much.   I cannot ind a decent lock to select to temproarily partner Sam Whitelock.   I could go for one of the Cheetahs locks - I do not like the Buulls locks and if Du Toit play at flank - he will have much more space to operate in ad could be realy good point-wuise and would provide anouth money to go for some top very expensive players.  

Just one question - I am hessitating between Mogg and Williams to replace Brier in my Testrugby selection - add Podi to that one as well.   I may be wrong - but I do not like the defenses of the Hurricanes overmuch - it always was a problem of Conrad Smith and I think Podi is the one that could exploit it better.

I have not picked any center as yet - since I am thinking of Ngatai as one and Tapuai as the other one - but th buggers have not announced the teams as yet  Will probably go with Williams and Ngatai - bearing in mind the opposition. 

Retallick?  I am not desperate yet.  LOL

No Mike we need Steph du Toit to partner wth Etzebeth for the boks this year. We have enough depth at flank. Frans Steyn is the best 12 in the country and it is Lambie that is causing the backline to not score tries. Lambie is a fullback and not a flyhalf FACT. 

 Fattex - you definitely sound like the original

 Clevermike - the Sharks plight is not that desperate. They have played three SA teams - all with above average defenses. Last week they were unlucky not to score two or three times with a forward pass and the ball being held up a couple of times.

Unfortuanetly for them they face the Brumbies this week who are also good defensively and it will probably be another tight game.

@mikey,

i have read all the arguments on the matter, but heres nothing else that really explains such a change in tactics, other then it was premeditated that they not attack as much,
the stormers last year proved that all that matters is the win, as they managed to top the combioned conference while being the only team to not get a 4try bonus point.

as boring as theirt rugby is, i do have a lot of respect for that defence of theirs, which is a hybrid of that controlling game they love so much.

i wouldnt be surprised one bit if those tactics or something very similar is what plumtree is trying to emulate.

also who is podi??? is that dyslexia for ipod??? o_O LMFAO, :oD
im just teasing u mikey, i know u meant poki, :oP
but poki is a good choice, im staying away from him for now, i dont want to get caught in that trap of too many players from the same team in the same line/positions.

transfers pending, im thinkinf of going tapuaii or crotty, but if i need my transfers elsewhere, then i might just gamble on joprdaan who will be taking on the brumbies and i have made a lot of noise about how overrated white and those brumbies are, so time to back my words with some selection actions.

as for williams and mogg over bieber, u gotta say that williams is prob going to score some tries, while mogg will be in a real tight match against the sharks, so really tough, but im going to be rolling with savea. IMO savea is the best outside back of the entire comp, he looks angry and has the All Blacks discipline to channel that anger into his attack.

those cheetah locks are an excellent choice for selections, i will be picking either jager or uys in my teams pendiong transfer availabilities.

Saffex

Both Deysel and Botha are injured - that was the reason for my remark