Half-Blood Prince Countdown





Friday, 29 August 2008

Sharks vs Boland


There are just two Absa Currie Cup matches scheduled for this weekend, both of them taking place on Friday to avoid clashing with the final Springbok Vodacom Tri Nations match on Saturday in Johannesburg. 

The Sharks are back from a three week lay-off and following their fine form before the break, will look to continue that way against the Boland Kavaliers on Friday at 4pm, the match taking place in Wellington. 


They have had to contend with the usual disruptions that seem to follow them each week and there have been a number of changes to the side that last played, with a positive thrown in of a few players returning from injury. 

Although the field is expected to be quite wet and an expansive game might not be suited to the conditions, the team named does show the ability to mix it in the tight as well as open phases and if they play like they have been in recent games, could prove dangerous.

With a three week break, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating – just what effect a break of that length will have on the Sharks’ effort on Friday. “How that break was for us can only be judged on our performance this weekend. The players must be disciplined in what we are trying to do on the field.” 

The second match of the day sees the high-riding Blue Bulls and under pressure Western Province hammering away at each other in Pretoria at 7pm.

That this has been, and promises to continue to be a thrilling tournament, cannot be questioned. However, should both the Bulls and Sharks win their matches, it would take them - along with the Cheetahs - into a small lead over the Lions, with Western Province trailing behind further in fifth place and in danger of missing out on the play-offs altogether. 

Another fascinating weekend’s action awaits and with six matches to go before the semi-finals, the run towards the play-offs just gets more and more interesting as the teams jockey for a favoured position in the knock-out round.


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