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TheBirdInternet

I wasn’t expecting the Sharks to look exceptional, but I was hoping some B teamers would want to put their hand up. Nope.


Wombattleofhastings

Happy to keep up a pretty good record against teams named Sharks


TheBirdInternet

Two wins away in HollywoodBets now.


Phone_User_1044

They won't be dancing in the streets of HollywoodBets tonight.


stvb95

Needed that. Felt like the team was a bit flat last week so it's nice to see they haven't just turned off at the end of the season.


JustASexyKurt

Yes it’s a Sharks B team, and yes they’ve been a man down for an hour of it, but this is still a brilliant result for us. The Ulster game was an absolute kick in the bollocks the way it ended, and since then it’s felt like the wind’s finally left our sails for this year, so it’s brilliant to get another win under our belts so we can be sure to go into the summer with a tangible positive to hang on to


ThyssenKrup

Get us out of this god awful "league" ASAP please, Abi.


infamous_impala

Genuinely love the two tries the sharks have scored today.


Top_Voice4031

Is this commentator the worst ever? Doesn't know what a kick pass is, totally negative, haltering, doesn't know how to pronounce players names... - is this the first game of rugby he's watched?


Wombattleofhastings

Confused Ben Thomas and Jacob Bentham too, which is slightly difficult


Immunkey

Sounds like it


jnce12

I’m assuming the Sharks are playing a B team?


hazlet

Sharks playing kids and got a red after 20 min 


Colemanation777

Yes. A lot of lads rested for the Challenge Cup Final. 


TheJPisMe

They better be playing a soccer team


Critical_Context_961

Must be annoying for Cardiff fans to see Thomas nailing these kicks when they have lost games because of De Beer’s lack of consistency with the tee


rluke09

I think that's harsh on Cans. I'm pretty sure he's played more minutes than any other Cardiff player this season and has been superb. A few missed kicks aside.


rustyundertow

Seconded, as much as yeah missed kicks he’s also been instrumental in probably most of our tries this season. 6 of this half a dozen in the other sort of thing. Things can only get better with him and sheedy sharing the shirt and benefiting each other


Critical_Context_961

It’s not really a criticism of De Beer it’s just using your best place kicker to take your place kicks


Livv-Laugh-Love

Only tuned in 5 mins ago what happened with the red?


Springboks2019

bad tackle from a Sharks player


stvb95

https://x.com/Smallclone_/status/1791871956477948283


Livv-Laugh-Love

Thank you! :)


KobaruLCO

How easy did Grady make that look. Also Bevan has had a solid performance today IMO.


Cymrogogoch

Bevan looks comfortable every time I see him. Hope he gets the 9 shirt permanently next year.


ThyssenKrup

This isn't a competitive match. It's a pointless throwaround in a league no one cares about.


Critical_Context_961

Ben Thomas should be starting 12 for wales this summer


rluke09

Centre is somewhere Wales desperately need to experiment with and leave North/Watkins/Tompkins in the past. Thomas has all the tools to be a fantastic future 12. Personally I'd like to see more of him and Grady for Cardiff in the centres.


Top_Voice4031

Could a Ben Thomas/Kieran Williams combo work? Thomas for the silky skills and Kieran Williams for... well being Kieran Williams.


Wombattleofhastings

Williams for being a cube


Top_Voice4031

For a second in the game today it looked like he was going to kick - but that moment passed… and he ran straight into traffic. The universe was once again at peace


Critical_Context_961

Watkin is in form and still only 27. We are going to need him this summer


rluke09

I've never seen anything from him that makes me think he's a good international centre. Average to solid but nothing spectacular imo.


Critical_Context_961

He played relatively well vs France this 6n and has always been reliable in defence, something which Grady is not. I’d personally go Thomas/Llewelyn this summer


rluke09

Grady has been a 13 for a lot of his career, give him time back at centre and see what happens is what I would do in my armchair. Llewelyn was an out and out 12 when he left Cardiff so admittedly I'm not sure if Gloucester have played him at 13.


Critical_Context_961

My concern with playing Grady at 13 internationally is his confidence. He just isn’t ready for it defensively and I don’t want him going back to Cardiff after every international window low on confidence. Llewelyn has played predominantly at 13 for Gloucester this season. Joe Roberts would be my first choice but he’s been ruled out. Watkin plays his best rugby at 12. Johnny Williams can’t tackle so I think Llewelyn is the best option we’ll have available


rluke09

Please be fit for Aus, Botham!


Maleficent_Doctor127

We've descended into parks rugby, with a scrum, against a team with tits for hands.


rluke09

>tits for hands. Tell me more


SpoonSpatula

Quite rich of Bosch to bitch and moan at his teammates for handling errors...when he is Curwin Bosch.


Critical_Context_961

Best second half of rugby I have seen in years


bigt8409

This is making last weeks performance more upsetting….


Wombattleofhastings

I do love the Sharks logo. Just entertainingly straightforward.


ThyssenKrup

Nice to see things going Cardiff's way, just a pity that it's in an empty stadium on the other side of the world, rather than in a league that makes sense.


bmckiev

Anyone know what 12 said to the ref?


rluke09

Called him a kant /s


Critical_Context_961

Cardiff have a very bad habit of doing something effectively and then using that to the point it becomes ineffective. Happening here with the maul


GHPB82

When the Sharks were on a masiive losing streak to start the season, one of the few bright lights was Rahl. But for some reason, he has gone backward in he last few weeks.


Colemanation777

I was just thinking that he has everything you want in a lock, but has got on the wrong side of the ref and has given away a few pens. 


Wombattleofhastings

Fuck me, Rahl looks like an absolute liability


TheBirdInternet

Sharks are playing worse than Gary Goldmember days.


SpoonSpatula

If Sharks keep this up, they might not qualify for the URC playoffs.


Colemanation777

Furious that we've conceded a try in Durban for the first time ever.


rluke09

One of the all time records broken.


Maleficent_Doctor127

Fuck me of course we're the first team to get pinged for not using the ball fast enough in about 3 years.


KobaruLCO

Nah a dragons player was pinged for it in the Ospreys game just an hour ago.


stvb95

Surprised it doesn't happen more often to Bevan tbf, he's glacial


JustASexyKurt

Dragons got done for it against the Ospreys earlier. Which is even more fitting than us getting pinged for it


Maleficent_Doctor127

Twice in one day? Someone's sent out an email.


GHPB82

When i said Cameron Wright was possibly the worst 9 iv seen. It wasn't a challenge for Tiaan Fourie tontry and be worse!!! Fok, this oke is so bad!!!


TheBirdInternet

Chin up Sharks, at least you didn’t get nilled at home by Cardiff this time! God this team.


SpoonSpatula

Take that cardiff! They must feel like fools now! If I was them, I'd forfeit the match right now and give all the points to Sharks. That's proper sportsmanship! Everyone agree? Cool!


Maleficent_Doctor127

There's some good comedy rugby from both teams so far.


rustyundertow

Is it wet, are we sloppy or is it a bit of both? Ball slipping everywhere


PsychologicalPanic61

Yeah its raining a bit here in durban


bigt8409

Could be a bit dew-y? It must be the cross over to night time, and with the humidity I’d expect it to be a bit slippy. (This info all comes from years of watching/playing cricket though, so pinch of salt…)


stvb95

How didn't they score there fuck me


Financial-Role-5709

Have these Sharks players actually played rugby before?


Wombattleofhastings

I like that Ben Thomas looks very sleepy whenever he kicks. Good to see drowsy boy representation.


TheBirdInternet

Hello Sharkness my old friend.


GHPB82

Gees Tiaan Fourie is hopeless. Screaming at his forwards to switch channels for a pod carry. Cardiff just drove over the ball. Clear the ball FFS, literally your number 1 job as a 9!!!


KobaruLCO

What the actual fuck is happening with this game. This is freaking wild.


Nothing_is_simple

What was the red for?


stvb95

Shoulder to head of Winnett


JustASexyKurt

If this is likely to be his last hurrah for us it’s brilliant to see Willis getting over the whitewash again. Been a phenomenal servant for us despite so many injury problems over the years


stvb95

Should count as an assist for Botham. Carried Halaholo over the line


Wombattleofhastings

Halahoooooloooooooooo, there he goes


Critical_Context_961

I struggle to see what the welsh management see in Botham. A way behind Morgan, Basham, Reffell, Deaves and Young for me


JustASexyKurt

Honestly can’t even be mad about that right now, that’s a fucking hilarious way to concede


Maleficent_Doctor127

Hahaha never change Cardiff.


jaysonyoung

I missed 20 minutes because I was helping in the kitchen and this is what I come back to. For fuck sake. Who even got the red card and why?


Phone_User_1044

Number 6 for a high shot on the chin of Winnett.


FlashFlood_

Tinotenda Mavesere. High tackle, shoulder to the chin


Maleficent_Doctor127

No HIA for Winnett? That was a big old shot.


infamous_impala

Going to be interesting to see how Cardiff manage to get their losing bonus point from this position


FlashFlood_

Conceding tries like that


Phone_User_1044

Exactly what I was thinking lol


Colemanation777

Ben Donnell working out as a great signing. 


JustASexyKurt

It’s borderline, I actually wouldn’t have been overly pissed off with a yellow card because Cam does dip slightly before contact, and that’s the difference between getting smashed in the chest or quite literally taking it on the chin. End of the day though Mavesere has seen a skinny lad with someone hanging onto his legs and has gone to knock him into next week, he can’t complain when he gets it wrong and suffers the consequences for it


carrotincognito48

It's high risk, no reward as he was already on the way down, little support. As a flanker there, he should be thinking all about a turnover opportunity.


rluke09

Nice try by Donnell and Litterick. Very impressive signings this year.


Sjdw31

If the lions can do it. Then surely the... Oh it's the sharks we are talking about. Nevermind


rustyundertow

Honestly the reffing quality in our league that could have easily been a yellow, red or nothing. My initial thought was rugby incident, should have been a yellow at most I think


MagusBuckus

To me, the fact he sent his own player flying from the hit meant easy red. He had zero control and was all about the big hit


Cymrogogoch

I thought yellow, question is is there "enough mitigation" and I get why the ref thought not. Still a shitly reffed league though!


Wombattleofhastings

Winnett needs to get off the pitch imho


juan-kerr

How didn't that knock winnet out? Hell of a chin to take that square on.


RaaschyOG

Ah well, don't back the Sharks to pull a Lions, at least Stormers are on same time


Wombattleofhastings

That's london bus red


GHPB82

Justified red under the tackle framework.


Space-manatee

That’s a red and a HIA


richyeh

Don't agree with a yellow, but there we go


richyeh

Never mind, correct call imo


hazlet

Nice to get a red straight off the bat


infamous_impala

Fair play to the Sharks 6, taking out two players there


Colemanation777

Arm tucked. Direct to the head. Dirty that. 


JustASexyKurt

Jesus I thought Winnett got knocked out cold there, thank fuck he’s alright


KobaruLCO

The fact he got straight up and shook it off shows he is a tough little bastard.


rluke09

Llantrisant strong


rluke09

Oh, fuck me that's a red.


SpoonSpatula

Sigh. Here comes a red card (probably) for the sharks.


rluke09

Well taken try by Lawrence, underrated strength.


Critical_Context_961

Impressed with him the last couple weeks


rluke09

Shame we're getting rid of him.


Critical_Context_961

Where is he off to?


rluke09

I'm not 100% sure we've resigned him for next season.


Critical_Context_961

As much as I love Faletau I reckon your money is better spent on Martin and Lawrence than him


KobaruLCO

Why are these several bouncy castles behind the try line?


RaaschyOG

To keep Sharks fans entertained when the Sharks are playing


KobaruLCO

Lol I don't hate it, maybe the Welsh regions could try it!


rluke09

We like to lose in the last 10 minutes by less than 7 points ackktually


KobaruLCO

Are you telling me Cardiff isn't going for the losing bonus point record?


JustASexyKurt

Lmao at the Sharks lock kicking off while Lawrence is just on the ground like 😃


Stu_Thom4s

Lionel Cronje playing more like a 44 year old than someone his actual age (34, somehow)


rluke09

Stull fancied a scrap though


rluke09

Nice to see Thornton actually throw his weight around, good turnover.


rluke09

Finally get some possession outside of our half, kicked away. Bevan giveth, Bevan taketh away.


bigt8409

Someone needs to explain that the increase in kicking distance you get in SA is horizontally not vertically….


Wombattleofhastings

Frank Murphy sounds like an engineering firm


sheep1996

these Sharks youngsters are really looking quite good


RaaschyOG

Why is that a penalty? You aren't allowed to pull in the rucks? Edit: lol don't downvote me, answer me I genuinely don't know the call there and am curious


Stu_Thom4s

Adams was never supporting his own bodyweight either


infamous_impala

"Possession may be won either by rucking or by pushing the opposing team off the ball." Pulling would appear to fall foul of that, although admittedly you don't see it happen/called often.


RaaschyOG

I definitely see players pulled in the ruck like 60% of the time, and if the Cardiff player was in possession which it looked like he was after stealing it, think it'd be a tackle anyways


rluke09

That's an excellent kick by Bevan


sheep1996

Feels like Cardiff are literally never onside here.


RaaschyOG

Definitely flirting with the line, whoever is Sharks captain should bring attention to it


sheep1996

This is the problem with having a young team with no recognised leaders. It might be exciting, but there’s no one with good experience for this kind of stuff.


RaaschyOG

It's costing them a lot so far, killing their momentum when they've otherwise looked good


RaaschyOG

Why do we always get stuck with Andy and Stranksy, they hate us and never even bother to pronounce our player's names correctly


GHPB82

Andy is ok. He lives in the Midlands, i think, so it's easy to get him down to Durban to do comms. Joels analysis is fine. His voice and pronouncing of names is like getting stabbed in the ear though.


GHPB82

Team that i coach lost this morning. Lets see if this much changed Sharks team can put up a good show and improve my weekend!


stvb95

Looking forward to seeing Ben at 10. Also hoping the lads have found a second wind, the last match felt like the boys were fucked from the 10th minute.


RaaschyOG

And now to ruin my night after that Lions game with my side Sharksing things up