Challenge Cup

[dolf_lundgren]

15. Wes Goosen (26)

14. Jake Henry (3)
13. Mark Bennett (102)
12. Matt Currie (33)
11. Duhan van der Merwe (86)

10. Ben Healy (17)
9. Ben Vellacott CO-CAPTAIN (55)

1. Pierre Schoeman (109)
2. Ewan Ashman (13)
3. WP Nel (202)
4. Sam Skinner (20)
5. Grant Gilchrist CO-CAPTAIN (199)
6. Jamie Ritchie (108)
7. Hamish Watson (154)
8. Viliame Mata (132)

Replacements

16. Dave Cherry (87)
17. Boan Venter (60)
18. D’Arcy Rae (4)
19. Jamie Hodgson (59)
20. Luke Crosbie (94)
21. Ali Price (11)
22. James Lang (51)
23. Chris Dean (147)


Not many changes, so not expecting a different result. I do wonder if we shoudl have taken a leaf ou of the Bulls book and sent a shadow squad. Time will tell if its the right decision, but we really do need to regain some league form or the season will just peter out like last year.

[The Chiel]

It's being shown on Discovery+, which I know is not a lot of use to many people. By sheer luck I was thrown D+ as a freebie when I was renegotiating my Sky contract so I can watch ( but not record ) it. I think it will be the first thing I've ever watched on D+. D+ is claiming to be free to BT / EE users, if that helps, or maybe there's a free trial ?

There are also rumours that it's on "TNT 5 via the red button", which I think is only accessed via their app or website. Clearly TNT could not care less.

[liveinhope]

Do you have a channel number for Discovery+ ?

[liveinhope]

Found you can also access via the Red Button on tv.Just go into any TNT (the old BT Sport) and hit the red button.TNT 5 shows up as an option. (obviously you need to have TNT of course).

[The Chiel]

Found you can also access via the Red Button on tv.Just go into any TNT (the old BT Sport) and hit the red button.TNT 5 shows up as an option. (obviously you need to have TNT of course).

Thanks for that - I'd looked at the individual TNT channels in the planner to see if it said anything about a red button option but it didn't. Hadn't actually opened the channel and hit the red button. I live and learn. Moving the couch forward now to make room behind it . . . . .

[Frank]

Watched it. Lost it badly in the third ¼, but a strong finish shows we have potential to go further. There is still a danger that our season could be yet another damp squib.

[The Chiel]

Watched it. Lost it badly in the third ¼, but a strong finish shows we have potential to go further. There is still a danger that our season could be yet another damp squib.

I'm afraid my view was the strong finish was way after the Sharks took their foot off the gas. No shame in losing to a very good Sharks side, who had a Springbok tight five to match anyones. Our pack worked hard to remain competitive, and their grunt and Healy's boot gave the half time lead. And it meant the Sharks were sensibly kicking pens to manage the game.
Unfortunately it's pretty obvious why Healy ( who had a good varied game I thought ) often kicks, chips or runs himself - every time he passes there's absolutely no plan, no coordination and indeed no basic zip outside him, and the ball is passed back and back until someone panics. Skinner being passed the ball to kick out of defence in the 22 summed it up for me.
Goosen played well, particularly under the high ball, and Henry gets pass marks because of his inexperience, but the centres and DVDM just didn't have a scooby in attack ( defended well ). There's some good, and indeed top players there who just don't look properly coached in a structure. I'd accept that to a point Carley and his officials ignored Sharks being offside all the time. But the difference in movement and passing between the two back lines was frankly huge.

[Castlecannon]

Penalty count put us on the back foot but all said what a fantastic performance from our forwards . In particular the lineout . Really encouraging. The backs defended heroically without getting the quick ball or evasion into their play to create cutting lines for back 3 . This has to be a real work on for players and coaches if we are to make the cut for the play offs . Everett’s pragmatic South African template has to evolve and allow players to be more creative .