NELSON-BOUND

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:14:56 +0200

Sitting in an airport has always been an interesting experience. All these people heading in different directions, focused on their journey walking past a group of rugby players - all sitting on their iPads, iPods, Kindles, MacBooks…and a few guys actually having a conversation.

What a crazy ride it’s been to get us to this point. Game after game, in a Super Rugby season that has literally felt like it’s gone on for AGES, too long in my opinion, but that’s another column. Interestingly we started our preparation for this tournament 29 weeks ago! “That’s almost a year” according to PluM - and yes he did get fined for that comment.

If you think watching at home has brought its share of stress and heartache, imagine what its felt like for us as we spill our blood week in and week out. Gladiator has taken on a new definition after all these intense physical encounters, I even think Willem Alberts is even starting to resemble Russel Crowe.

So we started with a bang, maintaining some of the form that we found in last year’s Currie Cup competition, knowing that the level between the two cannot even be compared. Then we found a bit of a hitch with some of our performances and the traveling schedule we encountered having played in Australasia, London and then Cape Town.

After stuttering through a few wins after that made run and not being happy with the way we’ve been performing as a group, we finally found some motion and flow in our attack last weekend against a resurgent Blue Bulls side. How sweet that was.

So here we sit, awaiting our flight from Joburg to Sydney, then connecting to Wellington where we’ll be based before we make the trip to Nelson on Friday, hoping that Sydney airport remains open despite reports of that darn Ash cloud…here we sit excited at the prospect ahead.

The support has been amazing and I’d like to thank everyone for that.

We’ll make you proud this weekend against The ‘Saders - after all we do owe them one!

Chat soon,
Skeato

Greetings!

Mon, 23 May 2011 16:08:24 +0200

Firstly, let me apologise. It's been forever since thrown some thoughts down, and I cant tell you how much I’ve missed you!

Things have been crazy busy, but no excuses. No doubt all you guys have been watching all the rugby that has been appearing all over the television waves lately between Super Rugby, English Premiership, French Top 14, Heineken Cup, it’s all happening.

As each week flips over into the next, each respective competition gets closer and closer to the business end of their runs.

In fact it’s only the Super Rugby competition that's not heading into finals time and with five rounds still to be played before playoffs, Super Rugby is turning Super long. What a H-Cup final by the way!

Last year the competition would be almost all said and done by now, and when we take that into consideration as well as the rest of the rugby schedule for this year - it is a World Cup year after all - it boggles the mind to think about just how much rugby we'll be exposed to.

Amazingly we still want more! Guess that's the best indication of how beautiful this game is...and just how much we'll always love it.

So for us The Sharks, after a season that already has been packed with loads of highs and lows, toughs times and good times, we come to a place where a few good wins in a row will see us hopefully grab a playoff spot – wishfully hoping for a home one.

I mean can you imagine needing to play a game in Australia as a quarter final, then a semi in South Africa and a final in New Zealand all in consecutive weeks?!

That is what every team is trying to avoid, it was tough enough having to travel from Australasia to London in a short period to play that Crusaders game after all.

Anyhoo...of course we the start again this week after our emphatic loss to the Bulls. Plenty about it’s already been said and written so I’m looking firmly towards the Waratahs – always a tough team to play against.

Either way it's going to be a lot of fun and a lot of fun to watch.

Se you all soon,
Skeato

Sharks v Cheetahs post-mortem and more frustration for me

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 02:00:00 +0200

It may not have been the prettiest win, but a start to this competition with 4 points is a great start no matter how ugly. I personally think it was as much the weather as our rustiness, but they met halfway and nearly did their best to upset our plans for the start of things.

Even though I was frustratingly delegated to the sidelines to watch my boys play, I was filled with excitement and pride to see them come through the game with the win. And its always a good thing whenever you win a game not playing your best, with so much to work on the only way is up! “
What that means is that I’ll be missing this weekend’s game against the Blues
”

So for me only a few short weeks until I’m back in action…amazing how one little broken finger can be so darn irritating and keep me out of action for this amount of time.

What that means is that I’ll be missing this weekend’s game against the Blues (which from the look of their derby against The Crusaders is going to be a cracker!) but hopefully push for the first week or two of tour.

But again only time shall tell.

All my best and here’s looking forward to a great year of Sharks rugby ahead!
Skeato

Ross Skeate's Currie Cup Final Preview: It’s Showtime

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 10:45:16 +0200

I can’t believe it has finally arrived, the big Final after a long and at times trying season.

Each step has been an effort in and of itself so for one last week now, it is only a question of grabbing the glory lying in arms reach. It wont be easy and the match up will be a massively intense clash. One last hurdle, so close now.

The last two weeks saw the team being afforded with the opportunity to get some much needed mental and physical rest leading up to the final. The guys, I can honestly say, have had a magnificently relaxed appearance with a sharp ambitious determined glint in their eyes. I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am for this weekend, or how very frustrated I am at not being able to join the guys on that field and contribute in our final tilt at the title.

These kind of opportunities don’t come around too often (because each final truly is a once off no matter how many one ends up playing over the course of their careers), and they’re the kind of opportunities that will either haunt or bring happiness to you for the rest of your life.

And, it’s going to be double heartbreak for me as well. Last season while at Toulon we played in the most extraordinary game in the semi-finals of the Top 14, eventually losing in extra-time to eventual champions Clermont Auvergne. Have a look at this clip from the final few minutes...click here. I wince just thinking about it. “
And, it’s going to be double heartbreak for me as well. Last season while at Toulon we played in the most extraordinary game in the semi-finals of the Top 14, eventually losing in extra-time to eventual champions Clermont Auvergne.
”

So, can you imagine how I feel not being able to enjoy this one first hand as well? Ah, well. Just being there is an occasion and memory in itself. The emotion that the guys felt after the Bulls victory was tangible as I visited them in the changing room afterwards. I know that they’re going to go so well this weekend, each and every one of the boys.

How do I see it shaping up? Well, it really does seem hard to call and all the proverbials go out of the window.. Attacks will be limited and defences the key as usual in big finals. Kicking both for poles and territory could well determine the outcome and the lineout battle will be intriguing (sigh). I’m really looking forward to the loose-trio arm-wrestle though. Two high-intensity and mobile trio’s not afraid of the dirty work. Craig Joubert’s certainly going to have his work cut out for him.

See you all at the game on Saturday and make sure that you say hello.

Go SHARKIES!

PS To get behind my campaign for CANSA - any donation - no matter how big or small will be greatly appreciated. You can donate here: skeato.givengain.org

Ross Skeate's Currie Cup semi-final preview: Sharks v Bulls

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 11:54:31 +0200

The business end of the Currie Cup is officially upon us, and that of course means semi-final time.

You know that song about the sun coming up tomorrow or something along those lines? Well if we lose this game, the sun doesn't come up the next day for us.

There's not a pool game the next week to redeem ourselves and rather than going back to the drawing board, we'll be forced to pack our bags weeks prematurely and take our leave, sitting and watching the Currie Cup final from the detached and frustrating position of our couches.

After all the hours and days and weeks and blood and sweat we've poured into this season this is what it all comes down to. The final minutes where champions are moulded and men are made. That calm before the storm. I feel like breaking into song myself!

Along those lines then, our storm is a rather large intimidating one. Some might even say a little weathered perhaps, but there is no doubting that the Blue Bulls are a huge obstacle with a lot of experience of getting things perfectly right when it comes to this phase of competition. Not to mention that they have half the Springbok side in their ranks.

It's the contest in the engine room of the team that will really excite me. I think often people underestimate the value a good second rower plays in a team, afterall they are basically involved in all aspects of the game and with particular significance when it comes to possession.

Think about how important the ball is to a team and then consider how heavily involved locks are in all first-phase movements as well as making an impact in all other aspects of the field. In my opinion that is exactly why a lock needs to possess all the attributes a rugby player needs. Skill, athleticism, intelligence, leadership etc. “
After all the hours and days and weeks and blood and sweat we've poured into this season this is what it all comes down to.
”

So, it will be very interesting when the younger and less favoured combination of The Sharks goes up against their Pretoria counterparts. In my opinion this Sharks outfit will make Durban proud over the weekend.

And although it will require some careful planning as far as the lineout goes (and homework) it’ll need some dexterity as well, something I think will result in a very interesting tussle indeed.

Talking about possession and the role the Locks play in winning that possession for their teams; when it comes to the lineout, especially at this phase of the competition, simple is better and even if we win the ball in the front the entire game - the point is winning it.

Of course there are so many technical aspects and details I could bore you with but let's just say any ball, no matter how messy, is better than no ball at all. But that being said, the pack that sets the best platform for their backs will be drinking the champagne at the end of the game.

Obviously the threat of lineout poaching Springbok Matfield as well as Bakkies' presence in the front of the lineout will translate into the Bulls having a slightly more settled and favoured compete, but with how well things have gone in the lineout for us so far, I don't think they should give us on our ball too much trouble.

Provided of course things go to plan and that plan is the right one.

Only time will tell now as all the preparations are complete. But Durbanites need not to worry, The Sharkies will continue to get their extremely effective lineout (certainly one of the best in the competition) going and with that can hopefully make it into the Final.

All my best and see you all there for the big one.

Skeato

PS To get behind my campaign for CANSA - any donation - no matter how big or small will be greatly appreciated. You can donate here: skeato.givengain.org