Official United Rugby Championship thread

[Sards]

Sharks need to reign in discipline, Grant reverted to being too slow on distributions. Think Ulster are there for the taking, they are panicking with ball in hand in own half.

And then that sweet try

[OomStruisbaai]

All this started with a kak box kick again.

[Sards]

Discipline......costs tries

[TheNatalShark]

Always find it intriguing that teams don't revert to simply not engaging with dominant mauls. Sharks need to wise up

[_Os_]

Ulster make two maul tries look easy. Not good. Will be hard to win with a weakness like that.

[OomStruisbaai]

How many vokken kak boxes want they kick in ons day?

Where is the coach?

[TheNatalShark]

All this started with a kak box kick again.

Williams having a shocked now. Two direct into touch, one charged, one really poor one and not making it to rucks to clear out ball.

In between Bosch, Williams and Chamberlain we really shouldn't be struggling with this.

[_Os_]

How many vokken kak boxes want they kick in ons day?

Where is the coach?

Lion of Westville will be better when he comes on. But all the other Sharks fans on here have boxed themselves into a corner and now must praise Grant. Only I remain as the non-biased Sharks supporter.

[TheNatalShark]

Good Comms from the ref this half, and seems to be making right decisions.

Sharks need a change at 9. Chamberlain to 9 please.

[OomStruisbaai]

How many vokken kak boxes want they kick in ons day?

Where is the coach?

Lion of Westville will be better when he comes on. But all the other Sharks fans on here have boxed themselves into a corner and now must praise Grant. Only I remain as the non-biased Sharks supporter.

Agree with you. Let's get the Lions from Westville and bliksem Ulster!

[OomStruisbaai]

Good Comms from the ref this half, and seems to be making right decisions.

Sharks need a change at 9. Chamberlain to 9 please.

Bosch is doing well in 10. Now that he spin it , Williams decides to fuck it up with box kicks. The Sharks must run it. How many times did Tarzan and Abrahams got the ball?

[_Os_]

bliksem Ulster!

[OomStruisbaai]

bliksem Ulster!

bring him on! Go Sharks!

[_Os_]

The Sharks need to do more in the forwards/tight otherwise they will not win, we're hanging on through some skill in the backs. Ulster forwards tiring is our best chance.

[OomStruisbaai]

Goodness crazy

[TheNatalShark]

Goodness crazy

It's clear as daylight he just needs to be quicker, any fucking mug can see. So so awful.

[TheNatalShark]

Actually just put Richardson at 9, appears to have the mouth and has distributed ball quickest of anyone all day

[OomStruisbaai]

That's better.

[_Os_]

Actually just put Richardson at 9, appears to have the mouth and has distributed ball quickest of anyone all day

Hello, Nick Mallett.

[TheNatalShark]

Can't understate how awful the halfback backups of Williams, Wright and Cronje are at the moment. Need to draft in players from anywhere, Harlequins, Toti, fucking Kloof High School if necessary

[_Os_]

Best play from the Sharks was with Wright. Get him into the Bok squad.

Ulster pack and skills in the contacts were the difference.

[Sards]

Oh my word.

[Sards]

Thank goodness I don't rely on the Sharks for weekend pleasure

[handyman]

Honest assessment from saaks fans just after the game, where is it all going wrong?

[handyman]

Honest assessment from saaks fans just after the game, where is it all going wrong?

From the real fans please, not the plastic ones.

[_Os_]

Can't understate how awful the halfback backups of Williams, Wright and Cronje are at the moment. Need to draft in players from anywhere, Harlequins, Toti, fucking Kloof High School if necessary

?

Affluent places that have bred softies. Westville, the Berea, the Bluff. That is where you will find Wright's understudy.

[_Os_]

Lions looking like they're going to lose.

[_Os_]

Two Lions tries against the run of play, Lions winning now.

[_Os_]

Strange win by the Lions, poor discipline, down to 13 men at one point, always looked like they were hanging on, but won well in the end.

[charltom]

Too warm for Glasgow.

[Sandstorm]

bliksem Ulster!

He’s a horrible player to watch. Great pass, intelligent kick and he does both well for a few phases. Then pulls out something you’d expect from a 4th division pub side #9. Waaay too erratic to play at the next level.

[OomStruisbaai]

Thanks Lions. Surprisingly.

Westville boys like all in KZN going for the Kloof girls.

[Chilli]

Strange win by the Lions, poor discipline, down to 13 men at one point, always looked like they were hanging on, but won well in the end.

Bit like the Sharks against the Crusaders a few years ago.

[Chilli]

So the $harks return to form.
Perhaps the coach wasn't really the problem?

[OomStruisbaai]

So the $harks return to form.
Perhaps the coach wasn't really the problem?

The Springboks in the Sharks camp want them to play Rassie's box kick boring game.. Wales also play this way. It only work with good rush defense and a dominating pack.

[Chilli]

So $harks fans, Bosch and Powell still the Boks saviors?

[OomStruisbaai]

Ulster coach on Duanne Vermeulen

Can he still go to the World Cup? Of course he can!” the coach said. “We saw today how good he is. This is a guy who not long ago made three massive plays against the All Blacks. That is what Duane does — he is the best mauler in the world and when the team needs an important play to be made, he is the one who will make it happen.

“He might not be the all singing, all dancing, carry the ball 16 times a game player (of his youth) but, man, the influence he has on games is phenomenal,” McFarland explained.

McFarland said making Vermeulen captain for the visit to the Shark Tank had been a tactic that paid off handsomely as the big No 8 steered the Ulster maul over the tryline three times.

“We were coming to a part of the world where Duane is very well known and he probably puts the fear of God into a lot of South Africans, so giving him the opportunity to captain the side made sense.

“There is also the fact that he is familiar with the Durban conditions and he kept the guys going when it got tough.

[assfly]

Ulster the better side, no complaints from me. I thought we played well in parts, but ultimately their forwards bullied us again. We really are a poor side without our Boks.

Yet again Wright comes on and he's a disaster. It was actually quite comical watching him. I don't know what has happened to him as a player. We should have hung on to Nohamba and shipped him off to the Lions.

We wont win next week and we're going to struggle to finish in the top 8. Let's hope we can do better in the Heineken Cup with our Boks back.

[OomStruisbaai]

WEEKEND VODACOM UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES

Munster v Scarlets (Friday, 9.35pm)

Glasgow Warriors v Zebre (Friday, 9.35pm)

DHL Stormers v Cell C Sharks (Saturday, 2.30pm)

Vodacom Bulls v Emirates Lions (Saturday, 4.45pm)

Edinburgh v Leinster (Saturday, 7.05pm)

Ospreys v Benetton (Saturday, 7.15pm)

Dragons v Connacht (Saturday, 9.35pm)

Cardiff Rugby v Ulster (Saturday, 9.35pm)

TOP EIGHT POINTS AND REMAINING FIXTURES (ALL COMPLETED 14 GAMES)

Leinster 66 - Edinburgh (A), Stormers (H), Lions (A), Bulls (A).

Stormers 54 - Sharks (H), Leinster (A), Munster (H), Benetton (H).

Ulster 49 - Cardiff Rugby (A), Bulls (H), Dragons (H), Edinburgh (H).

Glasgow Warriors 44 - Zebre (H), Munster (A), Scarlets (H), Connacht (H).

Munster 42 - Scarlets (H), Glasgow Warriors (H), Stormers (A), Sharks (A).

Bulls 41 - Lions (H), Ulster (A), Zebre (H), Leinster (H).

Sharks 40 - Stormers (A), Scarlets (A), Benetton (H), Munster (H).

Connacht 35 - Dragons (A), Edinburgh (H), Cardiff (H), Glasgow (A).

[Chilli]

Stormers by 15.