Currie Cup

How sad South African Rugby has become. Who would have thought that a Sharks side would EVER play to a half empty stadium? Last night's Currie Cup match against the Pumas highlighted a number of things. First, if you HAVE to be positive about it, the Sharks have some great depth. It's not easy, as a coach, to put on a second string side including five or so Currie Cup debutants, and still go on and beat the Pumas.

If you want to be negative, then you can say that the Currie Cup is just a farce. Why have eight teams playing at all? The bottom 3 sides haven't won a game yet, let alone a draw. Keep the top four and let each team play home and away, followed by a final. Forcing old fat men, as the Pumas were last night, to play against a B team and still lose by 20 points is just not fair on the the players and on the fans that play dearly to watch the match.

On the other side of the coin, it did give some young players the oppertunity to shine on television, but who was watching? Will these young players go any further? Once the big teams play against the Sharks, will we see these young players on the field or even on the bench? We will see them again in a match that doesn't matter like one against the Valke or the Lions.

Speaking of the Lions, they play the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein this afternoon. I will be there and report on the game. Reporters are building it up as some mighty tussle between to great sides. OK, whatever. Cheetahs by 20 points.