Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Sharks sink their teeth into the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup

Monday, July 19, 2010

Sharks sink their teeth into the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup

The Sharks hit back powerfully following their loss to the Griquas last weekend as they beat the Bulls comprehensively in a great Currie Cup match in Durban on Saturday. The 34-28 bonus point win saw the home side score five tries, while the Bulls crossed for three of their own in what was a fast paced game throughout.

Sharks coach John Plumtree said afterwards that the game was 'A very good advertisement for Currie Cup rugby, an excellent game of rugby.'

While both sides had Test players missing, there was still an array of talent on show as youth and experience combined on both sides to produce an enjoyable game. Lwazi Mvovo and Keegan Daniel were stars for the Sharks, with eighthman Daniel scoring two tries, including a chip and chase effort down the wing. Springbok JP Pietersen also played well after coming back from a lengthy injury layoff.

Youngster Patrick Lambie, who was featured in the Five young stars to look out for in the future of world rugby video a few days ago, was moved to centre for the match and despite his inexperience, excelled, playing a part in a few of the tries.

"I admit I was a bit nervous – I did throw him in at the deep end - but he he did very well. He has all the qualities needed when playing in the thick of the action: vision and a long passing game. He has good balance and he showed that in shrugging off tackles and setting up a try for Keegan Daniel. His tackling is also accurate and his kicking adds another dimension. But I don’t want to blow smoke, these are early days and this is just the start for him," said Plumtree.

Sharks hooker Craig Burden also had a storming match, with numerous big carries and a great try, while Lock Ross Skeate, who wrote for RD last week, made his Sharks debut late in the game. He’ll hopefully see more game time soon, but said he was thrilled with the result.

Coach of the Blue Bulls, Frans Ludeke, said that despite the loss, it was a good contest. "It was a very good game of rugby with both teams playing positive rugby. They were dangerous in broken play even though we defended well. Their new combinations in the backline worked well and they certainly deserved to win."

More Currie Cup action will be featured soon.

Time: 04:12

First

By Anonymous, at July 19, 2010 10:35 pm
The offloads from the tackle in this game were great. Good to see running rugby done well.

By Anonymous, at July 19, 2010 10:41 pm
The two posted Currie Cup highlights are awesome... so many good tries in this competition

By NiceOne, at July 19, 2010 10:43 pm
Nice to see them sharing the love at the end of great match!

By Gus Bus, at July 19, 2010 10:58 pm
Great rugby, gotta love the Currie Cup, you can see where South africa gets their depth from.
You'd have to say the Currie Cup is one the top domestic competitions in the world.

By Jono, at July 20, 2010 3:00 am
Hmmm... my reaction is quite different to the first 5 posters...
2 tries where THREE defenders could not tackle 1 person, one try from a forward pass (dubious at best) and the last had a clear obstruction.
It is nice to see players committed to hard running, but I wouldn't be trumpeting about signs of good rugby from this match (based on the highlights).
Surely these players couldn't get away with this stuff in Super 14 level, let alone international.

By granite, at July 20, 2010 3:50 am
Jesus Granite, howe many times does it have to be pointed out that defence will appear bad if the running and passing is good.
Bo this is not international level, obviously, it's a very high club level, as higher, IMO higher than the English or french domestic comps.
You talk about this like people never miss tackles at international level, go look at the highlights of the Aus barbars vs England A (the first game). O'Conner beats several tackles, in one try he coasts thru England's defence completely untouched and scores a 40 metre try.
The following test match, England missed over 40 tackles.
It happens when the opposition is attacking well.

By Jono, at July 20, 2010 5:24 am
Granite you are a muppet. I don't know where you're from but here in NZ we have the NPC which is pretty much the same thing- It's not meant to be the highest level of skill in the world but they are our rugby nurseries and it is why we manage to keep talent coming through quick enough to match the rate the NH comps poach our players. Also very few players have managed to come from external competitions and shine in either the currie cup or the NPC (and believe me there have been a fair few that have tried). Thus ends my rant. Wanker.

By Max, at July 20, 2010 5:26 am
Good call Jono some people never learn.

By Max, at July 20, 2010 5:28 am
Bit harsh Jono and Max.
I can appreciate when good offense makes defenders look bad (stepping, dummying, fending, etc.) and I enjoy those highlights. I would not say the tries in this video are examples of this.

4 out of the 8 tries I thought we good to watch and should be complemented (which I admittedly failed to do), the other 4 I thought the coach must have been seriously annoyed with either his players, or the ref, that they ever happened.

By granite, at July 20, 2010 6:43 am
FFS Granite can't you see that killer instinct is the most important thing to foster in a domestic league and even IF the defense is lacking (which I don't think it is) it can be improved at any stage. Killer instinct is something in abundance in the Currie Cup and it explains why these players can tear up exponents of England's turgid competition. Score often enough and hey, you might actually get good at it. Funny that.

By Max, at July 20, 2010 7:19 am
granite, I'm not havign a go at you personally, just to clarify before I say anything.
The defence at Currie Cup level probably isn't as tough as say the S14 (the toughest comp in the world outside of internationals) or a test match at the highest level, but it's certainly as good if not better (I personally would say better) than anything on show in any other purley domestic comp (as good or better than the English, NZ or French league).
This is the comp that produces all the great South African players. Every one of the hundreds of South africans playing pro in Europe (and there is well over a hundred of them), the 150 or so who play S14 and all the ones who are good enough to play for the Springboks come from this comp.
The defence in this comp is as good as anything in domestic rugby, worldwide.
When a guy breaks three tackles to score, you assume bad defence. What about a great run?
When Russouw carried three Englishmen over the line for that try at Twickeham a couple years back was that him being a great player or England just can't defend and no credit should go to Russouw?
When O'Conner ran past and thru about five English tacklers in the Perth test (a couple times) was that him being a great runner and stepper, one the great young players in the world, or no credit goes to him, it's just bad defence.
Your logic is lacking.

By Jono, at July 20, 2010 8:25 am
Who cares its great rugby!!Come on SHARKS!!

By Anonymous, at July 20, 2010 11:08 am
Jeez Patrick Lambie is a real talent, lucky sharks. Good rugby. Remember its hard to defend against the best attacking players in the world

By Matty10, at July 20, 2010 12:01 pm
I'm from the NH (I'm french) and for a long time I thought the south teams scored more tries mainly due to worst defense and better climate than in the north.

But watching that marvellous rugby, or the one in the super 14 or Tri Nations, I have started to change my mind entirely. The flair shown by the ABs or in the Currie Cup is at least 5 years in advance to what we can see in Europe.

Forwards scoring like wingers, unbelievable offloads... I wish we could play like that here. And as someone said before, that kind of attacking rugby will always need one or two feeble tackles to succeed, but these missed tackles are provoked by an aggressive attack that has to pay off eventually. When you only watch the tries, you might think people from the SH don't know how to defend.

But then you play against them in international games and you realize that, sadly, they do.

By Oli, at July 20, 2010 1:23 pm
how big is that bulls prop, who scored the try..!! what a mountain of a man

By cheis, at July 20, 2010 1:47 pm
Love the JP Slip during the second Keegan Daniel try, what an ass! ha.
Great game and some great foward tries (that was tought coming from a back!)

By Bradders, at July 20, 2010 1:52 pm
What's your problem Max? Show some respect instead of calling him "wanker" and "muppet". How is he a wanker? RD needs to clamp down on comments like yours

By Mr P, at July 20, 2010 7:55 pm
I'd say this is how the club competitions pan out in terms of toughness:

1. Super 14
2. Heineken Cup
3. Top 14/Currie Cup (they're equal imo)
4. Premiership
5. NPC
6. Magner's League

By Anonymous, at July 20, 2010 10:31 pm
if the southern hems defenders are so bad how is it then you northern
Hems almost never score tries against us? case in point autumn inter Boks lost to irl but boks 1 try irl 0 ABs no tries against.

By Anonymous, at July 20, 2010 11:25 pm
@Max

The NPC is NOT New Zealand's rugby nursery - it's more like the surrounding islands (like Samoa, fiji, etc) where they recruit other players. South African players all come from their natural country, unlike New Zealand where they bring over talented youngsters and hand them citizenship after a few years. Sure, there's a few natural New Zealanders on the All Black team, but not all. Heck, New Zealand as well as Australian representatives go to South Africa's craven week to recruit players!

By Unknown, at July 21, 2010 2:58 am
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

By Jamie, at July 21, 2010 6:12 am
@ Peter.... Would you like a tissue sweetheart? Or are you just talking smack because, once again, the bok are getting mauled in the tri-nations?

South Africa have a history if using players from Zimbabwe, hows that any different to NZ having a Fijian winger?

Also, name a South African in the AB's squad... Please??

By Anonymous, at July 21, 2010 6:26 am
1st How big is that Prop for the bulls?????

2nd you will see more Oz league recruiters at craven week than rugby ones!

3rd the S14 and Heiny cup can't be compared with the other comps as they are international premier competitions. We should only be comparing the highest professional level in each country for this argument. The NPC is the premiere tournament due to the high level of players and play produced. Currie Cup is next as the man mountains playing in this comp have great talent. Top 14 3rd as they have a few more dud games then Currie Cup & NPC but the crowds and atmosphere is awesome. Premiership is a distant fourth as until final weeks no one plays to win it is more like football were they play not to lose. Magners League has had too many rubbish games.

But at least you guys all have pro leagues in Australia we have a very semi pro comp in Sydney which S14 players play in outside wallaby and S14 commitments, and 1 in Brissy that isn't as good.

By Ned2or3, at July 21, 2010 6:29 am
Peter, you've obviosuly never been to New Zealand.
It's bloody well full of Samoans, TOnagans and Fijians.
They don't all move there for the rugby you nonce.
Jesus, some people believe what they want to believe no matter how lacking in sense or logic it is.

By Bill, at July 21, 2010 7:12 am
Im so sick or retards saying nz poaches islanders. first off, how is that even relevant to this thread? 2nd off new zealand has more PIs than any country in the world period. Auckland is the biggest poly city in the world. Auckland has the highest rugby player numbers in nz. So is it so shocking tht so many of our players are poly boys. Sick of these sensitive saffas trying to prove how un-racist they are by bagging on nz havin poly players or daring to have a maori rep team (apparently its 'racist' selection).

By Semi, at July 21, 2010 10:25 am
^^^ You sure hes a Saffa??Where you get this 'unracist' thing what you on about? Look everyteam is guilty of 'poaching' or recruiting or even players choosing to live in then play for a different country, it happens get over it! Now lets enjoy the rugby..

By Anonymous, at July 22, 2010 10:29 am
Great try Mvovo - like to see more of this guy - he looked a little like Lomu like for a second when he bumped off the last defender. Flashback 95 world cup Lomu vs Catt. Not quite the same league admittedly but there's promise there.

By codescalpel, at July 22, 2010 11:22 am
Excuse my ignorance as an England fan but how does the Currie cup work? What teams are eligible to play and so forth and why did someone describe it as Nursery earlier on (i.e. what great players have come through it)

I am only just starting to see the games because recently got Sky. On a seperate note can we stop...

1) saying NZ team is poaching talented islanders...
2) Calling people wanker when we don't agree with them
3) Stop always saying NH rugby is slow, pedestrian, crap etc...We may not be winners of world cup since 2003 but there is some good talent here and it just gets boring to rant otherwise

Obviously you do what you want but I prefer to get along with people...

Anyhow reckon All Blacks are deffo going to win the Tri-nations and possibly with no losses.

Later

By NiWiTa, at July 22, 2010 2:39 pm
P.S I'm gay so please no homophobia please!

By NiWiTa, at July 22, 2010 4:55 pm
Every single proffesional South african rugby player comes thru the Currie Cup, every one.
All the players you know, all the ones in Europe, all the ones who play in S14, all the Springboks.
Every single one was developed and started their career in the Currie Cup.

By Bill, at July 23, 2010 1:06 am
Cheers Bill - he he nice one my alterego - how did you know. I also happen to be related to Bakkies Botha whose marriage is just a sham if you take my meaning!
:P

By NiWiTa, at July 23, 2010 3:04 pm
wow the levelk of skill is very good from the forwards : never will you see a NH backrow chip 'n chase and gather to score a try in thye corner !!!

By Luxi, at July 25, 2010 4:34 pm
http://www.youtube.com/user/greenandgoldrugby#p/u/21/8mfrKHWoHQ4
At 4:59 James O'Conner has three English internationals tackling him.
He still breaks the tackle.

By Anonymous, at July 27, 2010 8:37 am