Publications
Partners
Christo Buchner
Johannesburg – If the Sharks beat the Rebels in Melbourne on Friday, they will have managed something they have never achieved before: to win all their tour matches in Australia.
Wallaby country has not proved a happy hunting ground for the Sharks over the years. Even in the years where they only played one of their four tour matches there, they were on the losing side.
That was mostly against the Reds in Brisbane, where they have only been able to win once. Victories in Sydney (over the Waratahs) and Canberra (Brumbies) have also been as rare as genuine Poms in the English cricket team.
If the Sharks beat the Rebels on Friday, they will carve out their own bit of history Down Under after their overseas tour started with a win over the Force in Perth.
Rebels coach Rod Macqueen, who was at the helm of the Wallabies when they won the World Cup in 1999, has said that they will have to keep the Sharks’ pack in check if they are going to stand a chance.
Macqueen said at a news conference in Melbourne that there is not a more aggressive and physical pack in Vodacom Super Rugby than the one of the Sharks.
“I have a lot of respect for the Sharks. They are probably one of the most feared teams in Super Rugby. We cannot get a better measure of our strength than this game. I trust that our pack will be up for the task. In the scrums it will be about technique more than weight and strength,” he said.
“The pack just has to see to it that they get more quality possession to the backline to be able to launch attacks.”
The Rebels have only been able to score two tries in their first three games. They will now also be up against a side that is yet to concede a try this year.
Johannesburg – If the Sharks beat the Rebels in Melbourne on Friday, they will have managed something they have never achieved before: to win all their tour matches in Australia.
Wallaby country has not proved a happy hunting ground for the Sharks over the years. Even in the years where they only played one of their four tour matches there, they were on the losing side.
That was mostly against the Reds in Brisbane, where they have only been able to win once. Victories in Sydney (over the Waratahs) and Canberra (Brumbies) have also been as rare as genuine Poms in the English cricket team.
If the Sharks beat the Rebels on Friday, they will carve out their own bit of history Down Under after their overseas tour started with a win over the Force in Perth.
Rebels coach Rod Macqueen, who was at the helm of the Wallabies when they won the World Cup in 1999, has said that they will have to keep the Sharks’ pack in check if they are going to stand a chance.
Macqueen said at a news conference in Melbourne that there is not a more aggressive and physical pack in Vodacom Super Rugby than the one of the Sharks.
“I have a lot of respect for the Sharks. They are probably one of the most feared teams in Super Rugby. We cannot get a better measure of our strength than this game. I trust that our pack will be up for the task. In the scrums it will be about technique more than weight and strength,” he said.
“The pack just has to see to it that they get more quality possession to the backline to be able to launch attacks.”
The Rebels have only been able to score two tries in their first three games. They will now also be up against a side that is yet to concede a try this year.
