Sharks' semi hopes fade

Simnikwe Xabanisa: It's not often that a season-ending injury to a "mere" forward spells the end of an improbable semifinal dream, but Ryan Kankowski's broken thumb might well mean that for the Sharks.

"The Hoff", as Kankowski is known, was the second Sharks player with the so-called X-factor to succumb to injury for the remainder of the Super 14 (the other is centre Adrian Jacobs).

In a team of mostly blunt objects, Kankowski was the other cutting edge in the side, complementing the often-maligned and underrated Jacobs.

With both out, the Sharks should be counting the cost during their bye as they start a run of games in which winning bonus points will be necessary if they are somehow to make the final four after an atrocious start.

The bigger loss is Jacobs, who appeared to be the one backline player capable of appropriately using the possession their superb forwards have been getting.

Many like to concentrate on Jacobs' defence - a weakness which is exaggerated - but forget that his hands, vision and distribution mean he has the happy knack of putting team-mates into space.

As an eighthman, Kankowski's stepping, hands and outrageous gas are an attacking bonus.

Sharks coach John Plumtree has a theory about attack under the new laws.

He reckons that, because teams fan out because they don't contest the rucks much, there's even less space on the field, which puts an emphasis on teams with players who can step or power their way through defences.

Jacobs and Kankowski were those players but their replacements will only be able to do an adequate job in their absence.

Stefan Terblanche has come in for Jacobs and, though he defends better, he doesn't attack as well.

When he was a winger, Terblanche often mistrusted his outside centre in defence and kept leaving space outside by coming in. Now that he's an outside centre, he appears to mistrust those outside of him by not passing to them.

Willem Alberts delivered his best game for the Sharks against the Reds but he's more a forward's No8 than a backline's eighthman (like Kankowski), to coin a phrase.

Peter de Villiers once said that Ruan Pienaar was the Tiger Woods of rugby, but his space is too confined at scrumhalf for him to have as far-reaching an influence as Jacobs.

The other obvious talent in the Sharks' backline is young Pat Lambie. The 19-year-old is so highly regarded that some are suggesting he be tried at flyhalf.

But, given that the former Michaelhouse pupil has just played three games for the Sharks, a change of position might unbalance even his apparently unflappable temperament.

The solution might be a little unorthodox, and it comes directly from their second-half response to being behind the Reds last Saturday.

It's the rolling maul.

Few teams can use it as an attacking weapon like the Sharks can. It might mean three Jacques Botes hat-tricks over the next few weeks, but what choice do they have?