[DavenportSharky]

Betting odds to win.

Sale Sharks 1/12
T’other Sharks 11/1
Draw 50/1

Sky bet has us at 1/25 to win!!!

Both teams you can get 100/1 to win the competition.

[DavenportSharky]

https://iol.co.za/sport/rugby/urc/2026- ... pions-cup/

[DavenportSharky]

https://www.salesharks.com/2026/01/05/i ... ts-sharks/

[DavenportSharky]

[Olyy]

29deg in Durban today
Think you could add the highest temp for every day of the week here and it wouldn't get to half of that

Could be a leveller!

[DavenportSharky]

Yes apparently they are arriving in Manchester today!!

[DavenportSharky]

https://rugby365.com/tournaments/europe ... anchester/

Apparently they are calling us Sale Tuna !!

I only just realised that Bongi Mbonambi is a Sharks hooker. No doubt Tom Curry will be welcoming him with open arms and buying him a few pints.

[dinogyro]

They'll have to put Tom at 8, to keep him away from him.

[DavenportSharky]

Sale Sharks v Hollywoodbets Sharks
Referee: Ben Breakspear (Wal)
ARs: Adam Jones (Wal) & Ben Connor (Wal)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)

So not just Tuna and Sharks, we have Wales as well!!

[DavenportSharky]

Obi Ene has been added to the Sale Sharks registered players for the Champions Cup and Ralph McEachran has been de registered.

Hollywoodbets Sharks
Additional player: Ox Nche
Deregistered: Cebo Dlamini

Additional player: Cornelus Coenraad Rahl
Deregistered: JJ Scheepers

Additional player: Manu Tshituka
Deregistered: Batho Hlekani

Additional player: Siyabonga Praisegod Masuku
Deregistered: Frederick Potgieter

[RinTin]

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Obi Ene, 13. Rob du Preez, 12. Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Nathan Jibulu, 3. James Harper, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Ernst van Rhyn ©, 6. Jacques Vermeulen, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Tom Curry.

Replacements:

16. Ethan Caine, 17. Si McIntyre, 18. WillGriff John, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Hyron Andrews, 21. Dom Hanson, 22. Marius Louw, 23. Gurswin Wehr.

[RinTin]

Natal Sharks team is second/ third string. Can't copy it off the gram right now.

Should be a bonus point win right here.

[Alex]

[Olyy]

Other than LCD I think that's as strong a side as we can put out atm, little surprised!

Looking forward to see Ene get a game

[RinTin]

Thank you!

Masuku signed for the Sharks a few seasons ago with huge potential but hasn't kicked on.

Julius at 12 is an absolute animal. Huge physicality, strength and pace. A terrifying prospect.

Sharks not selecting - Nche, Mbonambi, Koch, Orie, Jenkins, Kolisi, Buthelezi, Williams, Hendriske x2, Eusterhuizen, Hooker, Mapimpi, Edwill Van De Merve, Fassi. We need to take advantage.

[SSR]

Jurenzo Julius highlights ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43SOF4PWO6g
Covers 12, 13 and 14 by the looks of it. Some athlete, can we lock him in the changing rooms
and keep him?

[DavenportSharky]

So no Curry v Bongi round 2
Shame not to see some of the Boks on show.
Didn’t realise it was mixed rugby with Jean at 22.
So 4 ex “Sharks” for us.

[poyntonshark]

Thank you!

Masuku signed for the Sharks a few seasons ago with huge potential but hasn't kicked on.

Julius at 12 is an absolute animal. Huge physicality, strength and pace. A terrifying prospect.

Sharks not selecting - Nche, Mbonambi, Koch, Orie, Jenkins, Kolisi, Buthelezi, Williams, Hendriske x2, Eusterhuizen, Hooker, Mapimpi, Edwill Van De Merve, Fassi. We need to take advantage.

They have selected Koch, just saying. Or is there another one?

[SSR]

Must ...suppress .....schoolboy..... humour....

[Olyy]

Koch looking ominous in the scrum

[Beardedshark]

Just seem too frantic

[Beardedshark]

Duplicate

[RugbyMarvel]

Harper having a shocker

[Olyy]

Terrible stat that commentary just mentioned:
We've got the second worse 22 defence in the prem, with every other 22 entry from the opposition ending in a try

[45jumper]

Terrible stat that commentary just mentioned:
We've got the second worse 22 defence in the prem, with every other 22 entry from the opposition ending in a try

That's shocking - does feel that our defence isn't what it was.
Not able to watch this but doesn't sound great so far?

[Olyy]

Awful game so far,

Don't think either side has strung more than 3 or so phases together,
Constant dropped balls or passes to no one, and then both teams kicking is completely aimless

[RugbyMarvel]

We do not have a sufficiently explosive players who can carry into contact or make a break one on one. It’s painful watching our attack, which is so blunt.

Harper and Andrews just look awful. Harper has dropped one, thrown a pass to ground, carried at 1mph and barely effective.

Dugdale already looks shattered.

Backfield is a mess.

Painful to watch.

[Surbiton_Shark]

Dire first half - feel a bit sorry for a half decent looking crowd - assume the cold is the main contributor to all the numerous handling errors - both sides....

Oppo have got some big boys in their team - it's clearly route one for them

The half is utterly standout as it shows how much we miss Quirke running in open play - it's so open its made for him

Sanderson looks totally unimpressed at half time....perhaps telling our backs not to kick it everytime they attack could help......

[Halifaxshark]

Harper just isn’t good enough for this level. We need to sign a replacement tighthead immediately. He has had 5 poor games out of 6 now.

[Surbiton_Shark]

Amatuer hour again at the stadium not having a working count down clock for kicks....ref is telling the players when they have 10 seconds left.

[Olyy]

RdP and Ford both passing terribly

Surely can't be the cold? They've been training in worse all week

[Surbiton_Shark]

RdP and Ford both passing terribly

Surely can't be the cold? They've been training in worse all week

It's zero degrees....my lad is there and has confirmed it's utterly freezing

[Glossopshark]

Both sides are really poor, which is more understandable for the South African's given their selection, but really shows that the format of the competition is truly flawed

[RugbyMarvel]

RdP and Ford both passing terribly

Surely can't be the cold? They've been training in worse all week

It's zero degrees....my lad is there and has confirmed it's utterly freezing

We have played in similar conditions many times. Doesn’t mean we should be this shit.

[Olyy]

Four locks on the field now, with Curry going off

[Olyy]

Starting to click a bit more now!

Really nice work from Ene on the 1-2 with Ford and long pass to TOF

[Surbiton_Shark]

Scored a wonderful try then conceded through utterly utterly dire rugby

[Surbiton_Shark]

Super finish by Flats for our BP

Just need to be switched on now to give them nothing

We really are disjointed - hard watch

[Olyy]

Replacement props going well, unlucky not to get a penalty there


Edit: Not so much on that one!


Should we be playing Regan Grace instead of Wehr? It's just not working with him
If Grace is injured then I'm happy with Ene overtaking both of them based on today's showing

[Flumpty]

Amatuer hour again at the stadium not having a working count down clock for kicks....ref is telling the players when they have 10 seconds left.

Previously, the european/Heiniken Cup used to have a watch manufacturer as "official" timekeeper and had hossing great big timers at the end of the (horrendous) lcd hoardings

[DavenportSharky]

I’m a bit surprised at the criticism of our performance which in the second half was very good. Tom O’Flaherty received a semi standing ovation when he left the field. I thought Obi Ene looked very promising. After the first couple of scrum penalties the scrum seemed to cope reasonably well. Hanson did well when he came on. Presume Vermeulen failed a HIA?? There were some multiphase attacks from the HBS superbly defended in the first half. The lineout went well and the maul was dominant. Carpenter looked a constant threat. We have a bonus point win and are in the last 16 even if away. What a shame we lost to Glasgow. The crowd was reasonable if not quite the Boxing Day number. We also got a 50:22 which is notable.

[JohnJ of HM]

I think some of the criticism on here is a bit harsh. Defence was excelllent apart from the one time when they scored. Harper improved after a very dodgy start. Totally agreed, handling was often poor but it was bitterly cold. Probably the best I've seen Flats play although one glaring occasion when he took the tackle rather than passing. Ene looked promising.
Never thought I'd see a side kick more than we did.

[Yareet]

So Sarries win tomorrow without a BP and I think Toulouse are cooked.

Sarries then go away to Glasgow who’ll want to keep their top spot.

2nd place for us?

[ejndavid95]

I'm not sure the criticism is too wide of the mark. That was a pretty average game of rugby all round, against a Natal B/C side.

[Olyy]

Second half was much improved, but the first half was dire and I stand by that tbh

Vermeulen was a failed HIA - accidental headclash with Dugdale in a double tackle

I'd like to see Ene in the prem squad if Reed and Roebuck are still out,
Bell also was solid when he came on - much improved from what I saw of him for Ireland u20, between him and Raymont the future looks promising at tighthead

[JohnJ of HM]

I'm not sure the criticism is too wide of the mark. That was a pretty average game of rugby all round, against a Natal B/C side.

I didn't say it was a great game just thought some of the criticism was a bit harsh, particularly on the defence. Also my view was probably influenced by the fairly turgid level 8 game I watched before zipping along the M62 to the Sale game.

[ledzepsfr]

OMG - Welsh officials....I feared the worst.
Was OK as it turned out.
Question: Who are Hollybets Sharks?......Dallaglio
Question: Who is Sale Sharks defence coach Byron Heywood?

Overall, we did what we needed to do. For me, it was a boring game to watch. Weather probably not conducive to great rugby. I thought Ene played well. I wanted to see more from TC, RDP & GF

Prem season is over, so now we need to attack this comp with best squad/tactics available.

[ledzepsfr]

Both sides are really poor, which is more understandable for the South African's given their selection, but really shows that the format of the competition is truly flawed

Why?

[ledzepsfr]

Post Match

[poyntonshark]

OMG - Welsh officials....I feared the worst.
Was OK as it turned out.
Question: Who are Hollybets Sharks?......Dallaglio
Question: Who is Sale Sharks defence coach Byron Heywood?

Overall, we did what we needed to do. For me, it was a boring game to watch. Weather probably not conducive to great rugby. I thought Ene played well. I wanted to see more from TC, RDP & GF

Prem season is over, so now we need to attack this comp with best squad/tactics available.

At one point our defence coach was named as Barry McGuigan. Now he'd be handy, but totally different type of defence.