Preview: S14 semifinal, W'tahs v Sharks
Thu, 22 May 2008 17:31
Master mentor: Sharks coach Dick Muir
The formalities are over as the Waratahs and the Sharks converge on the Sydney Football Stadium for a much-anticipated Super 14 semifinal clash on Saturday.
The Sharks will be on a revenge mission after their 10-25 defeat to the 'Tahs in the round-robin stages of the competition.
That day at the self-same Sydney Football Stadium, the Durbanites were completely outplayed up front, but were admittedly missing a few key players, most significantly their skipper Johan Muller.
Muller is back at the helm and the Sharks are hitting their straps.
The 'Tahs will draw plenty of confidence out of that performance in Week 11, but I have a feeling they won't have it that easy come Saturday.
Off-field dramas at Waratahs headquarters have done little to distract Ewen McKenzie and his team throughout the season. They have gone about their business in a professional manner and are odds-on favourites to book a place in the Super 14 Final next weekend.
But the visitors will be encouraged by their recent try-scoring form - 12 tries in their final two round-robin games would have instilled some real self-belief in the Sharks camp.
They say play-off rugby is a lottery - a once-off opportunity that defines a season.
The Sharks have nothing to lose. The odds are stacked against them and they go into the clash carrying the underdog tag. But we've seen the underdog prevail in do-or-die situations before, and this is certainly one of those scenarios.
The odds are stacked against Johan Muller's team - they had to endure the long flight to Sydney the morning after their 47-25 win over the Chiefs, they haven't won in Sydney since 2000, and the Waratahs are unbeaten on their home turf this season.
But they'll fancy their chances and so they should.
They are timing their return to form at the perfect stage of the season, a time when they need to produce their best rugby of their campaign.
"What's nice is the guys are starting to find form as a group and its come at the right time," Sharks coach Dick Muir told rugby365.com from his team's base in Sydney.
Muir conceded that you need a bit of luck in a play-off situation.
"You've got to have a bit of luck," admitted Muir.
"You have to absorb the pressure situations and take the opportunities that come your way.
"[You've] got to have the players that are looking to exploit those opportunities," added Muir.
The Sharks definitely have those players with the likes of Ryan Kankowski and Frans Steyn in their ranks.
But then so do the 'Tahs - Lote Tuqiri, Rob Horne and Wycliff Palu are all capable of turning a match on it's head.
The Waratahs are on the verge of one of the most astonishing comebacks in Super Rugby history. Just last year they finished 13th on the standings, winning just three games in their entire season.
But it's been different story in 2008. They will be desperately keen to progress to their second Super Rugby Final for the sake of their coach Ewen McKenzie.
McKenzie has endured a barrage of off-field dramas throughout the season, despite guiding his team to second place on the log. His contract has not been renewed next year, but there is a groundswell of support for the former Wallaby prop to stay on next year.
McKenzie has moulded his pack into a feared unit this year, and they will be up against another potent pack in the Sharks.
It's set to be a real humdinger of a battle up front.
Muir told this website that "it's going to be typical semifinal rugby." By that he means that there are no prizes for scoring four tries in play-off rugby - a win is all that counts. Therefore the forward battle is going to be paramount.
For that reason Muir has loaded his bench with five forwards, including powerhouses Jean Deysel and Epi Taione. The threat of 'Tahs No.8 Wycliff Palu would have prompted Muir to include five forwards on the bench.
This is Muir's final season at the helm of the Durban-based franchise before he joins the Springbok ranks as assistant coach.
A loss for his team would spell the end of his tenure at the Sharks, but he will be hoping that his team prolong his stay by one more week.
But there will be no time for emotions on Saturday. Cool heads will be needed in the pressure cooker environment of play-off rugby.
The senior players of both sides, of which there are many, will need to take charge of the situation.
Composure, more than anything, will be vital for both teams - the 2007 Final between the Sharks and the Bulls is a case in point. The Sharks lacked composure and it cost them the title.
They would have learnt from that experience and will be keen to rectify things on Saturday.
Players to watch:
For the Waratahs: Lote Tuqiri is hard to miss. His orange boots have caused a stir Down Under, but then so has his performances this season. The swagger is back so the Sharks better keep an eye on the Wallaby wing. Burly flank Rocky Elsom will be ever-present as usual and Dan Vickerman's line-out prowess will be a key factor in the game.
For the Sharks: The Zimbabwean-born Beast Mtarawira has been a revelation in the front row this season. He has established himself as a feared scrummager, but it's been is work in the in the loose that has caught the eye. His front row partner Bismarck du Plessis gives the impression that he can run through brick walls and will be the catalyst in the Sharks pack. Out wide watch out for the booming boot of Frans Steyn. A drop-goal or two could be the difference between the sides and Steyn's prodigious boot could prove vital.
Head to head: The tussle between the two No.8's should be a cracker. Wycliff Palu terrosised the Sharks in their round-robin encounter with his powerful runs, whilst Ryan Kankowski has been consistently brilliant all season. Palu relies on his brute strength to break tackles, whilst the Sharks No.8's pace is his most potent weapon - two contrasting styles - but two great players in their own right. Another interesting scrap will be at the breakdown between 'Tahs skipper Phil Waugh and the energetic Jacques Botes. Both have been stand-outs this season and will be pivotal on Saturday. The front row battle will be all important as the two packs slug it out for possession.
Prediction: History favours the Waratahs, as does home ground advantage and almost everything else. But play-off rugby has a funny knack of producing an upset and I suspect the Sharks might end the 'Tahs unbeaten run at home this season. Sharks by five in a cliffhanger!
Previous results:
2008: Waratahs won 25-10, Sydney
2007: Sharks won 22-9, Durban
2006: Waratahs won 31-16, Sydney
2005: Waratahs won 36-13, Durban
2004: Waratahs won 48-14, Sydney
2003: Waratahs won 49-36, Durban
2002: Waratahs won 42-8, Sydney
2001: Sharks won 42-17, Durban
2000: Sharks won 26-19, Sydney
1999: Draw, 13-all, Durban
The teams:
Waratahs: 15 Sam Norton-Knight, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Tom Carter, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Phil Waugh (captain), 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Dan Vickerman, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Adam Freier,
1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Al Manning, 17 Matt Dunning, 18 Will Caldwell, 19 David Lyons, 20 Brett Sheehan, 21
Matt Carraro, 22 Timana Tahu.
Sharks: 15 Stefan Terblanche, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Adrian Jacobs, 12 Francois Steyn, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Ruan Pienaar, 9 Rory Kockott, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 AJ Venter, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Johann Muller (captain), 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Deon Carstens, 18 Albert van den Berg, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Epi Taione, 21 Bradley Barritt, 22 Waylon Murray.
Date: Saturday, May 24
Venue: Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
Kick-off: 20.00 (10.00 GMT)
Conditions: Partly cloudy with no rain predicted. High 19°C, Low 11°C
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand), Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand)
Television match official: Glenn Newman (New
Zealand)
By Steve Farrell
