Snuffing out bunnies

And then there is the fact that each team has its very own Currie Cup "bunny" - a team they have been unable to beat this season.

On 5pm on Saturday the Sharks face the Cheetahs in the semifinal at Bloemfontein. The Sharks’ bunny happens to be the Free State Cheetahs. But it’s a bigger bunny than most since it’s been growing in stature since 2003 and now stands at 7 consecutive losses.

What is one to make of the Free State bunny and how does one snuff it from existence?

Sharks coach Dick Muir’s well thought out plan according to Mike Greenaway of the Mercury is to “deny the Cheetahs possession”. Wow. What insight.

I guarantee though that Rassie Erasmus, the most astute of tactical coaches in the country, has figured out a Sharks weakness somewhere. I am not sure if I’ve watched all 7 of the above losses, maybe I have, but in each game that I have watched the Cheetahs have pulled a trick out of the hat (maybe it should be bunny out of the hat?). The hand of Rassie is patently evident in these tactics and quite quickly as a TV spectator I have been able to see through this tactic, whether it is targeting a particular player or exploiting an angle that exposes the Sharks.

The problem has been that the Sharks don’t seem to be able to identify and counteract whatever maverick tactic is thrust at them fast enough. They continue to bash away with their own premeditated game plan without figuring out that they have a gaping hole that they need to plug.

So if I were Dick Muir I would deliberately set out to identify what Rassie is up to as quickly as possible and get the waterboys on the field immediately with a message as to how plug the hole. If Muir can’t spot the plan quick enough he should phone me. That might snuff out the bunny.

Good luck gentlemen. I'd love a WP-Sharks final.