Keo Uncut - Sharks become SA’s own overpriced Galácticos

For purposes of accuracy, all reference to the Sharks as being South African rugby’s equivalent of Real Madrid’s Galácticos is no compliment. 

Galácticos is Spanish for Superstars and Real Madrid were dubbed the Galácticos because in the early 2000s — during Florentino Perez’s presidency — it became policy that the club buy at least one very expensive superstar every season.

Perez wanted to show supporters that the club was willing to invest in the biggest and most expensive names to win titles.

Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth is the 2022/23 Galáctico, and expectation is huge that he will transform the Sharks from pretenders to contenders, but for now, those big, established and expensive names that were bought from the Stormers haven’t exactly thrilled with consistency, and in Belfast the Sharks produced another of those awful opening periods, in which they trailed 17-0 to eventual winners Ulster.

The defeat ensured the Sharks travel for the tournament play-offs and that Ulster will host a quarterfinal. 

Home ground advantage is everything in most tournaments, but especially in an international product, where teams travel abroad for matches. The Sharks, with victory in Belfast, would have put themselves in a position to play a quarterfinal in Durban and they would also have made a play to be crowned SA’s conference champions, which is significant because it means participation in the 2022/23 Champions Cup in Europe.

Expectation is huge Etzebeth will transform Sharks from pretenders to contenders

The Champions Cup is the marquee club event in Europe and the commercial considerations are plenty, when compared to the likes of the Currie Cup. The Sharks 2022 Galácticos failed to deliver to their investors automatic qualification for the biggest prize in European club rugby.

The trip to Belfast was a failure and replacement scrumhalf Grant Williams’ fabulous 79th minute try, created by the player with a chip kick 20m from his own tryline, and finished by the same player showing great pace, only masked the impotent preceding challenge of the Sharks.

The South Africans, for all the hype and home match winning habit, mentally just didn’t pitch up in Belfast, and that is the biggest disappointment of the performance. This is a Sharks side blessed with the presence of two of SA’s most influential Springboks in Siya Kolisi and Lukhanyo Am and further boosted by several other current Springboks — but all their reputations were secondary to the reality of the night.

I had Ulster to win in my pre-match prediction, given their historical record in Belfast, but I expected so much more from Ulster and the Sharks. Ulster were okay, at best, and the Sharks just weren’t at the races.

There never is any crime in getting beaten because one’s opponent is vastly superior, but this should never have been the case for the Sharks in Belfast. 

Mentally, the Sharks were mush until Williams’ solo effort sprinkled gold dust on the previous 78 minutes. 

There is work to be done for the Sharks in the next fortnight before their away play-off match and, hopefully, the current Galácticos can find a mental strength and performance to match their purchase price.

The Bulls, who were always in charge against the Ospreys, continue to razzle, dazzle and depress all in one. Whether they are playing in the URC or the Currie Cup — and this is a group of players that has consistently been a part of both campaigns — there is a troubling theme of the Bulls charging into a lead and then becoming a defensive charity in the final stretch of so many matches.

Invariably, they’ve managed to still win most matches, but in the play-offs the best teams in the tournament, the likes of Irish giants Leinster, playing at home, would embarrass such a dismissive defensive attitude that isn’t doing justice to the supposed desire of an 80 minutes performance.

• Mark Keohane is the founder of keo.co.za, a multiple award-winning sports writer and the digital content director at Highbury Media., Twitter @mark_keohane.