Super Rugby Unblocked ! 23/24.10.2020

[Sards]

Sharks outmuscled in every dept. Dwayne and Van Staden terrorised them at rucks, Jenkins stole all their lineout treats.

Jake White and the obsession with size

[Sandstorm]

Sharks outmuscled in every dept. Dwayne and Van Staden terrorised them at rucks, Jenkins stole all their lineout treats.

Jake White and the obsession with size

Your lot have the bigger backs

[Fangle]

Sharks outmuscled in every dept. Dwayne and Van Staden terrorised them at rucks, Jenkins stole all their lineout treats.

Jake White and the obsession with size

Your lot have the bigger backs

Isn’t Sards the guy who loves men with muscles?

[Chilli]

Jake White and the obsession with size

Your lot have the bigger backs

Isn’t Sards the guy who loves men with muscles?

Shoosh.

[OomStruisbaai]

Marco van Staden has been pure Bok last night.

Sharks downfall was their line outs and second phase.

One of those nights.

Bulls look very strong and dominate everything.

You don't win the Currie Cup in October.

[Chilli]

Marco van Staden has been pure Bok last night.

Sharks downfall was their line outs and second phase.

One of those nights.

Bulls look very strong and dominate everything.

You don't win the Currie Cup in October.

Looking forward to the Stormers / Sharks and Bulls / Stormers matches.

[handyman]

The saarkies got a major lesson from the Bulls yesterday. You don't pick a pack of fairies. Yes, there is always place for a smaller, faster player, like a Kwagga, but that should be the exception, rather than the rule.

Imo, the following saarkies forwards are more skillful players, rather than bruising forwards : Richardson, Andrews, Venter, Notshe. Far too many flair players and not enough men to do the hard graft, cleaning and dominant tackling.

I think the Bulls exposed the saarkies yesterday and teams now know how to beat them.

[assfly]

Well that was a royal spanking. As predicted, that Bulls backrow took us apart. It should be illegal to have Vermulen and van Staden in the same team!

Bulls really did their homework on us too. Attacked the space and had good support runners. Am did a poor job of organising our backline defence. Easily won battle of the coaches.

We never stood a chance with so little possession and territory. Scrum worked well initially, but once they worked out our lineout calls it was always going to be tough with Steyn's boot.

Dylan Richardson showed his impressive turnover skills, but lineouts were shit. Ox looks like he's going to be a real force to be reckoned with. I like Kok's work ethic but gives away too many penalties. Bosch was awful; either tried a poor crossfield kick or simply passed to 12, didn't see him attack the line once, his form compared to earlier this year has really dipped. Our backline is looking very average without Fassi, Mapimpi and AE.

I still like the look of the team, lots of youngsters with great potential. But I think we've got a few more losses in front of us this year.

[OomStruisbaai]

Marco van Staden has been pure Bok last night.

Sharks downfall was their line outs and second phase.

One of those nights.

Bulls look very strong and dominate everything.

You don't win the Currie Cup in October.

Looking forward to the Stormers / Sharks and Bulls / Stormers matches.

Bulls and Cheetahs are the form teams at the moment.

Stormers had two lucky escapes helping by the ref and TMOs.

[Chilli]

Honest question for the Stormers/WP supporters. Oompi, Handy, Sandy, Sardy.........how is it that a team so full of talent is battling? Granted they are winning, but playing very poor Rugby again. Is it the coach again? Same story as when Fleck was coaching.
They were much more successful under AC

[handyman]

Honest question for the Stormers/WP supporters. Oompi, Handy, Sandy, Sardy.........how is it that a team so full of talent is battling? Granted they are winning, but playing very poor Rugby again. Is it the coach again? Same story as when Fleck was coaching.
They were much more successful under AC

We have some good players, but we also have a few average ones. Only 2 games in, so not that concerned, but we need a big game soon to show we belong.

Could be worse, we could have been bend over by the Bulls...

[OomStruisbaai]

Honest question for the Stormers/WP supporters. Oompi, Handy, Sandy, Sardy.........how is it that a team so full of talent is battling? Granted they are winning, but playing very poor Rugby again. Is it the coach again? Same story as when Fleck was coaching.
They were much more successful under AC

The Cheetahs will be nowhere without experience players like Pienaar & Steyn, Bulls without Vermeulen and Morne.

Stormers miss experience players.

[Sandstorm]

Honest question for the Stormers/WP supporters. Oompi, Handy, Sandy, Sardy.........how is it that a team so full of talent is battling? Granted they are winning, but playing very poor Rugby again. Is it the coach again? Same story as when Fleck was coaching.
They were much more successful under AC

It’s obvious. The Stomps play bosh rugby. Have since about 2012. Occasionally some good, passing skills break out; but then everyone remembers they didn’t practice that on Thursday and go back to type.

The team never get the chance to actually play some skilful rugby and have fun doing it. Bobby, Schalk and Puke used to play like that and we were successful. Those maverick leaders are long gone.

[Chilli]

Honest question for the Stormers/WP supporters. Oompi, Handy, Sandy, Sardy.........how is it that a team so full of talent is battling? Granted they are winning, but playing very poor Rugby again. Is it the coach again? Same story as when Fleck was coaching.
They were much more successful under AC

The Cheetahs will be nowhere without experience players like Pienaar & Steyn, Bulls without Vermeulen and Morne.

Stormers miss experience players.

Oom, I think that the Stormers had 5 2020 WC winners in the match 15 against the Pumas. I am not sure of how many u20 stars etc.
Yes, there were 1 or 2 newbies in that squad.
You cannot compare that to the Cheetahs.

[Blake]

Honest question for the Stormers/WP supporters. Oompi, Handy, Sandy, Sardy.........how is it that a team so full of talent is battling? Granted they are winning, but playing very poor Rugby again. Is it the coach again? Same story as when Fleck was coaching.
They were much more successful under AC

I think coaching has a lot to do with it. Don’t get me wrong, I like Dobson a lot and he’s been a great servant to South African rugby, but he might just have hit his level.

Just like some players are Varsity Cup, Currie Cup, Super Rugby or Bok caliber... the same is true for coaches. Some surprise you at higher levels and some dominate at a lower level and just hit a ceiling when they compete in a higher league.

The Stormers just don’t look like a well coached team. Lots of talented players can make an average coach look good, but a great coach can motivate some average players to do extraordinary things. I think Dobson has a gift for motivating young up-and-coming players in the VC and CC, but when he has to coach a team of world class players in the higher leagues he might not be in the same class as the other coaches he is taking on.

We really have neglected coaching structures and advancement in SA rugby. We should be following coaches’ careers just like we follow players. And championship coaches should be advancing up the rungs to see if they can hack it at the next level. But unlike players, coaches can stay in the system for decades so the churn is a lot a slower.

[OomStruisbaai]

Agree on the coaches. Respect for Hawies and specially Stonehouse.

Let's not get carried away. The season have just started.

[Chilli]

Honest question for the Stormers/WP supporters. Oompi, Handy, Sandy, Sardy.........how is it that a team so full of talent is battling? Granted they are winning, but playing very poor Rugby again. Is it the coach again? Same story as when Fleck was coaching.
They were much more successful under AC

I think coaching has a lot to do with it. Don’t get me wrong, I like Dobson a lot and he’s been a great servant to South African rugby, but he might just have hit his level.

Just like some players are Varsity Cup, Currie Cup, Super Rugby or Bok caliber... the same is true for coaches. Some surprise you at higher levels and some dominate at a lower level and just hit a ceiling when they compete in a higher league.

The Stormers just don’t look like a well coached team. Lots of talented players can make an average coach look good, but a great coach can motivate some average players to do extraordinary things. I think Dobson has a gift for motivating young up-and-coming players in the VC and CC, but when he has to coach a team of world class players in the higher leagues he might not be in the same class as the other coaches he is taking on.

We really have neglected coaching structures and advancement in SA rugby. We should be following coaches’ careers just like we follow players. And championship coaches should be advancing up the rungs to see if they can hack it at the next level. But unlike players, coaches can stay in the system for decades so the churn is a lot a slower.

100%
We must be honest and say that our coaches are pretty average.
Fleck
Pote
Dobson
Dad
Cash
Everitt
AC
None of them should really be feeding their children by being professional Rugby coaches.

Would Jimmy Stonehouse be able to make it at a big union?
Franco was a one hit wonder at the Cheetahs, then a Bok assistant and now Italy. If he was that good surely the WP or Sharks or Lions would take him.

Would Eddie Jones have transformed the Stormers and groomed Fleck into the job? Or Mitchell at the Bulls?

Where is Dawie Theron now?

[assfly]

That Pumas Stormers game was ridiculous to watch. Pumas really did their homework and just kept moving the ball away from the big Stormers pack. I suspected the Pumas would probably run out of gas in the last 20 minutes which they really did, also helped by some average reffing .

[Chilli]

That Pumas Stormers game was ridiculous to watch. Pumas really did their homework and just kept moving the ball away from the big Stormers pack. I suspected the Pumas would probably run out of gas in the last 20 minutes which they really did, also helped by some average reffing .

Careful, Oom will be along accusing you of being a troll.

[Sards]

That Pumas Stormers game was ridiculous to watch. Pumas really did their homework and just kept moving the ball away from the big Stormers pack. I suspected the Pumas would probably run out of gas in the last 20 minutes which they really did, also helped by some average reffing .

Careful, Oom will be along accusing you of being a troll.

It was disgusting. But thats the way of it.

Bulls look amazing. Full credit to Duane. He went to an ailing union with faith and he has been a huge turnaround in the Bulls. That was exciting rugby and the Sharks were clueless.

[Chilli]

That Pumas Stormers game was ridiculous to watch. Pumas really did their homework and just kept moving the ball away from the big Stormers pack. I suspected the Pumas would probably run out of gas in the last 20 minutes which they really did, also helped by some average reffing .

Careful, Oom will be along accusing you of being a troll.

It was disgusting. But thats the way of it.

Bulls look amazing. Full credit to Duane. He went to an ailing union with faith and he has been a huge turnaround in the Bulls. That was exciting rugby and the Sharks were clueless.

Oom's trolling was disgusting?

[Sards]

Careful, Oom will be along accusing you of being a troll.

It was disgusting. But thats the way of it.

Bulls look amazing. Full credit to Duane. He went to an ailing union with faith and he has been a huge turnaround in the Bulls. That was exciting rugby and the Sharks were clueless.

Oom's trolling was disgusting?

The ref

[Blake]

100%
We must be honest and say that our coaches are pretty average.
Fleck
Pote
Dobson
Dad
Cash
Everitt
AC
None of them should really be feeding their children by being professional Rugby coaches.

Would Jimmy Stonehouse be able to make it at a big union?
Franco was a one hit wonder at the Cheetahs, then a Bok assistant and now Italy. If he was that good surely the WP or Sharks or Lions would take him.

Would Eddie Jones have transformed the Stormers and groomed Fleck into the job? Or Mitchell at the Bulls?

Where is Dawie Theron now?

I don't think it's fair to call them "average coaches"...many are just not Super Rugby or International rugby caliber.
Just like some players struggle to live up to expectations when they play at a higher level, the same is true for coaches.
I think the frustration is just that, unlike a players that are evaluated game-by-game, coaches tend to be rated on a season-by-season basis, which is frustrating for fans but also part of the process.
You need to invest at least 2-3 seasons in a coach to refine what they are trying to do, and that means that 3 dud coach appointments can set you back a decade.

[Blake]

That Pumas Stormers game was ridiculous to watch. Pumas really did their homework and just kept moving the ball away from the big Stormers pack. I suspected the Pumas would probably run out of gas in the last 20 minutes which they really did, also helped by some average reffing .

It's guerilla warfare isn't it?

That's why I have so much respect for coaches from the Pumas and Griquas. They know they will be outgunned going into every match, so the management and the team puts in the work to find a weakness and give themselves a fighting chance.

You sometimes have to wonder if the coaches and players of the bigger unions work that hard before traveling to Nelspruit or Kimberley. This is how Japan beat the Boks.
You have to respect that each opponent is going to try and target your weaknesses, be prepared for it, and also target theirs.
Some coaches are playing chess, when others are playing checkers.

[assfly]

Ja that's exactly it. I suspect both the Pumas and Griquas are going to pick up a couple of wins at home this year.

I really admired the way the Pumas played on Friday, they really deserved the win. I have a horrible feeling that could come this weekend against a poor Sharks side.

[Sards]

Ja that's exactly it. I suspect both the Pumas and Griquas are going to pick up a couple of wins at home this year.

I really admired the way the Pumas played on Friday, they really deserved the win. I have a horrible feeling that could come this weekend against a poor Sharks side.

That was a shocking performance...they just gave up the Sharks.
I honestly don't know how they can turn it around....

maybe less kick and chase...Werner didn't get a single ball back...hes too short for it.
However...Our backline seems strangely disjointed....AE , Fassi and Mapimpi are very much so missed.

[Chilli]

100%
We must be honest and say that our coaches are pretty average.
Fleck
Pote
Dobson
Dad
Cash
Everitt
AC
None of them should really be feeding their children by being professional Rugby coaches.

Would Jimmy Stonehouse be able to make it at a big union?
Franco was a one hit wonder at the Cheetahs, then a Bok assistant and now Italy. If he was that good surely the WP or Sharks or Lions would take him.

Would Eddie Jones have transformed the Stormers and groomed Fleck into the job? Or Mitchell at the Bulls?

Where is Dawie Theron now?

I don't think it's fair to call them "average coaches"...many are just not Super Rugby or International rugby caliber.
Just like some players struggle to live up to expectations when they play at a higher level, the same is true for coaches.
I think the frustration is just that, unlike a players that are evaluated game-by-game, coaches tend to be rated on a season-by-season basis, which is frustrating for fans but also part of the process.
You need to invest at least 2-3 seasons in a coach to refine what they are trying to do, and that means that 3 dud coach appointments can set you back a decade.

I sort of disagree.
If they had talent they would be coaching and succeeding.
Are Fleck, Dad and Pote employed at a higher level of coaching now than what they were?

[assfly]

That was a shocking performance...they just gave up the Sharks.
I honestly don't know how they can turn it around....

maybe less kick and chase...Werner didn't get a single ball back...hes too short for it.
However...Our backline seems strangely disjointed....AE , Fassi and Mapimpi are very much so missed.

Ja our backline was totally disjointed. But a lot must be said of our pack that looked a bit work-shy from the first minute, and our inability to adapt to the Bulls ground game as the game went on. Sending one-off runners into tackles where we get dominated and turned over before a second Sharks player arrived was suicide.

After our cross-field kicks to Nkosi didn't work out, we seemed out of answers. Bosch just shipped the ball to Louw and hoped for the best. Very little sign of him and Libbok interplaying like they did against the Lions. Am did a poor job of organising our defence, but it was so porous around our rucks too. I like Kok's work ethic but it has to be more structured.

[Blake]

I sort of disagree.
If they had talent they would be coaching and succeeding.
Are Fleck, Dad and Pote employed at a higher level of coaching now than what they were?

They call came through the ranks. Fleck won Varsity Cups with Ikeys, so he got promoted a level. He did okay agains other Currie Cup coaches, but couldn't really achieve results against other Super Rugby coaches.
Maybe his Currie Cup results looked better than they really were because of the talent he had at his disposal?

I think it's also important to recognise that while players tend decline as they get older, coaches might not. Some will evolve as the game changes and adapt and become better, while others might be too stuck in their ways, convinced that they've "cracked the code" but be unable to implement their vision, either due to time, or the talent pool they have available, or just not getting player buy-in.

[handyman]

Honest question for the Stormers/WP supporters. Oompi, Handy, Sandy, Sardy.........how is it that a team so full of talent is battling? Granted they are winning, but playing very poor Rugby again. Is it the coach again? Same story as when Fleck was coaching.
They were much more successful under AC

I think coaching has a lot to do with it. Don’t get me wrong, I like Dobson a lot and he’s been a great servant to South African rugby, but he might just have hit his level.

Just like some players are Varsity Cup, Currie Cup, Super Rugby or Bok caliber... the same is true for coaches. Some surprise you at higher levels and some dominate at a lower level and just hit a ceiling when they compete in a higher league.

The Stormers just don’t look like a well coached team. Lots of talented players can make an average coach look good, but a great coach can motivate some average players to do extraordinary things. I think Dobson has a gift for motivating young up-and-coming players in the VC and CC, but when he has to coach a team of world class players in the higher leagues he might not be in the same class as the other coaches he is taking on.

We really have neglected coaching structures and advancement in SA rugby. We should be following coaches’ careers just like we follow players. And championship coaches should be advancing up the rungs to see if they can hack it at the next level. But unlike players, coaches can stay in the system for decades so the churn is a lot a slower.

100%
We must be honest and say that our coaches are pretty average.
Fleck
Pote
Dobson
Dad
Cash
Everitt
AC
None of them should really be feeding their children by being professional Rugby coaches.

Would Jimmy Stonehouse be able to make it at a big union?
Franco was a one hit wonder at the Cheetahs, then a Bok assistant and now Italy. If he was that good surely the WP or Sharks or Lions would take him.

Would Eddie Jones have transformed the Stormers and groomed Fleck into the job? Or Mitchell at the Bulls?

Where is Dawie Theron now?

Everitt and Janse van Rensburg are very good coaches, I just fear they don't have quality players to work with. You can't be a great cook with average ingredients.

[Sards]

Team of the round

15 Devon Williams (Pumas)
14 Neil Maritz (Pumas)
13 Stedman Gans (Bulls)
12 Wayne van der Bank (Pumas)
11 Edwill van der Merwe (Stormers)
10 Morne Steyn (Bulls)
9 Ivan van Zyl (Bulls)
8 Jeandre Rudolph (Pumas)
7 Elrigh Louw (Bulls)
6 Marco van Staden (Bulls)
5 Pieter Janse van Vuren (Pumas)
4 Salmaan Moerat (Stormers)
3 Trevor Nyakane (Bulls)
2 Bongi Mbonambi (Stormers)
1 Leon Lyons (Stormers)

Bold strange call considering the dominance of the Bulls at Lineout.....

[Sards]

Everitt and Janse van Rensburg are very good coaches, I just fear they don't have quality players to work with. You can't be a great cook with average ingredients.

Same with Dobson....they have to buy refs to win......

[handyman]

Everitt and Janse van Rensburg are very good coaches, I just fear they don't have quality players to work with. You can't be a great cook with average ingredients.

Same with Dobson....they have to buy refs to win......

Well boet, we're coming from a win away from home and you are coming from an absolute hammering from a stuttering Bulls team. I actually was amazed how 7s players decimated your team.

[Sards]

Everitt and Janse van Rensburg are very good coaches, I just fear they don't have quality players to work with. You can't be a great cook with average ingredients.

Same with Dobson....they have to buy refs to win......

wibble wibble wibble.

[handyman]

Same with Dobson....they have to buy refs to win......

wibble wibble wibble.

In your head boet, so in your head.

[Sards]

wibble wibble wibble.

wibble.........so much wibble

[handyman]

wibble.........so much wibble

Great replies boet.

You have been weighed; you have been measured; and you have been found wanting.

[Sards]

wibble.........so much wibble

Great replies boet.

You have been weighed; you have been measured; and you have been found wanting.

That makes me so vokken happy....been working so hard on my dietary plan....

[Chilli]

I think coaching has a lot to do with it. Don’t get me wrong, I like Dobson a lot and he’s been a great servant to South African rugby, but he might just have hit his level.

Just like some players are Varsity Cup, Currie Cup, Super Rugby or Bok caliber... the same is true for coaches. Some surprise you at higher levels and some dominate at a lower level and just hit a ceiling when they compete in a higher league.

The Stormers just don’t look like a well coached team. Lots of talented players can make an average coach look good, but a great coach can motivate some average players to do extraordinary things. I think Dobson has a gift for motivating young up-and-coming players in the VC and CC, but when he has to coach a team of world class players in the higher leagues he might not be in the same class as the other coaches he is taking on.

We really have neglected coaching structures and advancement in SA rugby. We should be following coaches’ careers just like we follow players. And championship coaches should be advancing up the rungs to see if they can hack it at the next level. But unlike players, coaches can stay in the system for decades so the churn is a lot a slower.

100%
We must be honest and say that our coaches are pretty average.
Fleck
Pote
Dobson
Dad
Cash
Everitt
AC
None of them should really be feeding their children by being professional Rugby coaches.

Would Jimmy Stonehouse be able to make it at a big union?
Franco was a one hit wonder at the Cheetahs, then a Bok assistant and now Italy. If he was that good surely the WP or Sharks or Lions would take him.

Would Eddie Jones have transformed the Stormers and groomed Fleck into the job? Or Mitchell at the Bulls?

Where is Dawie Theron now?

Everitt and Janse van Rensburg are very good coaches, I just fear they don't have quality players to work with. You can't be a great cook with average ingredients.

I suppose it is true. The Sharks were doing well before the Sardy Flu outbreak, now the good players are gone and they just don't have the cattle to work with.

[handyman]

100%
We must be honest and say that our coaches are pretty average.
Fleck
Pote
Dobson
Dad
Cash
Everitt
AC
None of them should really be feeding their children by being professional Rugby coaches.

Would Jimmy Stonehouse be able to make it at a big union?
Franco was a one hit wonder at the Cheetahs, then a Bok assistant and now Italy. If he was that good surely the WP or Sharks or Lions would take him.

Would Eddie Jones have transformed the Stormers and groomed Fleck into the job? Or Mitchell at the Bulls?

Where is Dawie Theron now?

Everitt and Janse van Rensburg are very good coaches, I just fear they don't have quality players to work with. You can't be a great cook with average ingredients.

I suppose it is true. The Sharks were doing well before the Sardy Flu outbreak, now the good players are gone and they just don't have the cattle to work with.

Exactly. That powderpuff pack just ain't going to cut it. They need some dog in them.

Unfortunately, once you get exposed, there is no hiding the fact that you're soft.