@Duluth said in Sharks vs Blues:

Yeah, as mentioned elsewhere I don't think we have an option to replace Collins. He'll probably be the fullback for the 3 rounds at least

I've managed to watch teh first half, and the direct running of the back three is noticeable - particularly Collins. He wasn't awful in teh first half - the bad kick pass drop aside.

So far (again, first half only), our defence is OK aside from the mauls. Again. And hopefully next year some new people will shore that up ... it astonishes me that we can be so weak in an area for so long.

@nzzp said in Sharks vs Blues:

He wasn't awful in teh first half - the bad kick pass drop aside.

The running sideways to destroy a 2 on 1 for Nonu and Rieko was unforgivable. Even worse than the dropped catch and consistent with his efforts at this level.

It's not that he doesn't do anything good.. the problem is he keeps making basic costly errors game after game.

@Duluth said in Sharks vs Blues:

It was much better when they were Natal

4-0 before the name change

Wasn't there a draw in 96?

@Cyclops said in Sharks vs Blues:

@Duluth said in Sharks vs Blues:

It was much better when they were Natal

4-0 before the name change

Wasn't there a draw in 96?

30-23 & 45-21 in 1996

The only draw against a Saffa side seems to be 40-40 in 1997 against Northern Transvaal

@Duluth said in Sharks vs Blues:

@Cyclops said in Sharks vs Blues:

@Duluth said in Sharks vs Blues:

It was much better when they were Natal

4-0 before the name change

Wasn't there a draw in 96?

30-23 & 45-21 in 1996

The only draw against a Saffa side seems to be 40-40 in 1997 against Northern Transvaal

Wrong on year and opponent, I was way off!

@Duluth that draw v Northern Transvaal was the only game they didnt win too IIRC.

15 Melani Nanai, 14 Caleb Clarke, 13 TJ Faiane, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Otere Black, 9 Jonathan Ruru; 8 Akira Ioane, 7 Dalton Papalii, 6 Tom Robinson, 5 Josh Goodhue, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 3 Ofa Tuungafasi, 2 James Parsons, 1 Karl Tu’inukuafe.

Reserves: 16 Matt Moulds, 17 Alex Hodgman, 18 Sione Mafileo, 19 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 20 Matt Matich, 21 Augustine Pulu, 22 Harry Plummer, 23 Tanielu Tele’a

Wasn't expecting that many changes

Collins dropped from the 23. Black covering 15?

Not sure about TJ at 13 on defence. Hopefully he proves me wrong.

@Duluth said in Sharks vs Blues:

Wasn't expecting that many changes

Collins dropped from the 23. Black covering 15?

Not sure about TJ at 13 on defence. Hopefully he proves me wrong.

Man, we are so used to no accountabilty for poor form in the Tana years we were all expecting Collins to stay.

I'm not convinced by Nanai at 15 in a humid and possibly showery Durban but that backline has a lot more speed now and Collins is not the answer so happy to see them trying someone else. Faiane at 13 - one thing he has over Nonu in defence is speed.

@Duluth should be alright alongside SBW?

@taniwharugby said in Sharks vs Blues:

should be alright alongside SBW?

It's a small sample size, but I don't think he has ever had a strong game on defence at this level.

Asking him to defend in a new position is a concern

@Duluth said in Sharks vs Blues:

@nzzp said in Sharks vs Blues:

Last years, though, was bloody woeful

Possibly the worst ever Blues game? It's a toss up between that and the Sunwolves one for me.

I lean towards the Sharks because it was at Eden Park

Massive recency bias. Got toweled by the Rebels in 2015 away which is up there with the Sunwolves performance in terms of losing a game comprehensively they had no business losing at all.

Blues have been beaten 40+ vs not many, against teams that have made the finals plenty of times the past decade. Not even sure that performance was more embarrassing that the final round "effort" against the Crusaders.

@rotated said in Sharks vs Blues:

Massive recency bias. Got toweled by the Rebels in 2015 away which is up there with the Sunwolves performance in terms of losing a game comprehensively they had no business losing at all.

No. I just don't think that was the worst.

@rotated said in Sharks vs Blues:

@Duluth said in Sharks vs Blues:

@nzzp said in Sharks vs Blues:

Last years, though, was bloody woeful

Possibly the worst ever Blues game? It's a toss up between that and the Sunwolves one for me.

I lean towards the Sharks because it was at Eden Park

Massive recency bias. Got toweled by the Rebels in 2015 away which is up there with the Sunwolves performance in terms of losing a game comprehensively they had no business losing at all.

Blues have been beaten 40+ vs not many, against teams that have made the finals plenty of times the past decade. Not even sure that performance was more embarrassing that the final round "effort" against the Crusaders.

This is misleading. Sharks only just squeaked into the finals last year and actually had a losing record in the regular season last year (7 wins 1 draw 8 losses). Meanwhile the Crusaders last year were by far the best team in the comp and destroyed everybody in the playoffs. Sharks game was at home. Crusaders game was away.

Anyway back on the Sharks I liked this part on the Blues website.

Coach Leon Macdonald said he is looking for improvements against the Sharks, a dangerous and open-running team. While he was not involved last year, he said many of the team remembers the loss to the South African side at Eden Park last year.

@rotated The Rebels to be fair beat the Crusaders in Chch and the Chiefs that year as well and were far better than us that year.

@Duluth 2004 at home against the Stormers for me losing 51-23. That was horrible and a good Blues side on paper.

@African-Monkey That was the game Carlos broke his jaw?

@KiwiMurph No don't think so, he was out there pretty sure he played the whole game and had a shocker.

Sharks have been named

15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Louis Schreuder (captain), 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Tyler Paul, 6 Jacques Vermeulen, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Hyron Andrews, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Tendai Mtawarira

Reserves: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Gideon Koegelenberg, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Jeremy Ward, 23 Curwin Bosch