Well the last couple of weeks have felt like a rollercoaster ride of note! Sealing the fate of the Lions and creating a great 12 years of bragging rights was a satisfying feeling even though our media tried to taint the achievement by focussing on the 3rd test. That said, we as a team just left the negativity for the media to focus on and we quickly refocused our approach to the pending TriNations and how it needed to be prepared for.

Here we sit in Cape Town waiting to play a formidable Ozzie side after beating our old foes twice. This is an important time for us as the...

Well after all the hype and the 12 years of waiting the 1st test has come and gone and what a thriller it was. Preparing for this test was different to any other we have had in some time due to the uncertainty of who we were facing and not knowing exactly what to expect from them on the day so I must say our nerves in general were right up there!

We had a great week of preparation though and my job was made a lot easier due to the importance of this series as the guys were in a wonderful frame of mind approaching this test match which I think was apparent in the manner we...

Round 8 was going to be a challenge, as we faced a Hurricanes side packed with All Blacks. They are the team that can play rugby from anywhere and will thrive on a loose game. We knew we had to keep the game tempo under our control and not to throw the ball around too much in the wing areas of the field. At times we seemed to play right into their hands with some poor decision making close to the line where we turned over some crucial and much needed posession. Although we were had very little posession and territory was non existent, we could always fall back on our relentless defence,...

On behalf of all our regular readers we at eLan would like to wish Johann Muller and the Sharks the very best of luck on their final match of their overseas tour. We know you can do it!!

Well it’s been a pretty solid start to the season after what was one the more gruelling pre seasons I have encountered for some time now! The first win in Cape Town was a great feeling in front of their 47000 fans!!! I think what made it so satisfying was we felt reward for the hard work we had put in over December and January. The next local derby against the Lions was played in what was the most sweltering heat I have ever experienced in my life! I have never been that stuffed after a game and I know I was not the only one as the boys lay strewn across the change-room after the game...

This Lions game for us was a big success, the only disappointment was leaving a bonus point out there.The first half was pretty tight with a four point difference between us and them. Deon Carstens scored a brilliant try created by Keegan's perfect pass taking us ahead.The second half was more intense with the Lions scoring first but we quickly fired back with Rory Kockott's boot. From then on there was no looking back as we scored a further two tries with a few more minutes to go. We left on Sunday for the Australia tour and right now we are in Auckland preparing for our big game against...

The week leading up to the Stormers game was most likely one of our better weeks of training. With things running smoothly and the intensity of training at its max, without a doubt the pressure was on for us to win our opening fixture down in the Cape. With Newlands sold out, many thought the task at hand was too large. However, the team knew that if we stuck to what we knew and how we wanted to play, things would come together for us. When the Stormers scored their first try, many probably thought this was it for the Sharks and going in at half time with a ten point deficit, things weren’t...

The mood in the Sharks Camp is good. Everyone is ready and can't wait to get going so it should be an exciting season. Pre-season preparation has been hard work but I have loved every second of it. We will only build momentum from here so we are looking forward to the first game.

Ryan Kankowski, Sharks eighth man.

We started off the new year with training on the 5th of January. We had a week’s training here in Durbs before heading off to Michaelhouse for a high intensity training camp to get the squad well conditioned for the upcoming season. Although we trained hard there was still time for us to have a little fun while in the Midlands. Some of the guys spent their time fishing,while others took the opportunity to sneak in a quick 9 holes of golf. I spent our time off driving through the Midlands and visiting the many small but interesting destinations that it has to offer. The training camp was a...

Well its been quite a year for all of us and to have a great December to enjoy in this wonderful province of Kwa Zulu Natal does make all the hard work up until now worth it!!! I for one, started my training with the Sharks today for next season and am very excited about the 2009 rugby that lies ahead: The Super 14 which the Sharks will be dead set on winning, the Lions series which is a privilege for any player to be involved in and then the tests that follow with a Currie Cup in between to defend! Very nice!!!

We did our best to make your festive season even more festive...

Its been another good week for the Boks here in Edinburgh, cold but good! We have had good preparations and know that a substantial lifting of the standards is due this weekend against the Scots to make sure we get the necessary momentum going into the England test.

My move to tighthead went ok and the transition will take some time with the game against Wales being my first step. There are some big boys up against me over the next 2 weeks and one can clearly see these boys didn't miss too many meals at a young age!!!

The spirit in the camp is great and I must...

Weather in Cardiff so far has been good which has allowed us some preparation for the test against Wales on Saturday. This is our first game on tour and more often than not that proves to be the most difficult one but our team is well prepared. I make a move from hooker to tighthead which is a significant one with many challenges but the prospect does excite me. My first game there will be against a formidable scrum but Im confident we can make it work, I say we because the guys around me are colossal: Bakkies Botha behind me Bismarck next to me and Juan Smith on my flank!!!

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After representing the Sharks since 1997 I have waited a long time to finally taste champagne from the coveted Currie Cup and man does it taste good, as my mate Stephan said, it was worth the wait!!! What a great day but whats even more amazing for me was the weekend I had which started on Friday morning when I lifted my new son Tyron John Smit up at 08:22, and then the Currie Cup on Saturday afternoon! I am truly blessed and very grateful for the weekends spoils.

Now after bringing my wife and son back home on Monday I leave them for five weeks on Tuesday to tour with the...

Please join the eLan Group in supporting John while he stands by his wife Roxy in yet another great victory, the birth of his second child!!

The Sharks have been hard at work preparing for the home final against the Bulls next weekend. The success of the team in this year’s ABSA Currie Cup can be credited to excellent coaching and the quality of the players in the squad. The team can’t wait for the big day and our preparation has been excellent. We all work so hard building a campaign and then it all comes down to the final 80 minutes. It’s these moments that make it all worthwhile. I have thoroughly enjoyed playing alongside such gifted players, this is a great group of guys.

John Smit

Well after playing 80 minutes on the weekend for the first time this year I realised my holiday was officially over!!! The boys did incredibly well not only against griquas but the whole season to end top of the log but that's all history now with the play offs ahead of us and everything to play for.

Now I will be on the bench this weekend for the semi ready and waiting for a chance to contribute to the team, I hope you all out there are as ready as I am to do the business and come out in numbers to the stadium to shout for the boys in black and white!!!

Enjoy...

11 weeks have gone by and finally I was back in the Sharks 22 to play in the Currie Cup clash against the Lions so you can imagine my excitement even if it was for only 6 minutes! Having recovered from my injury in the tri nations it was great to be back on the field especially considering I had not played Currie cup since 2005. This weekend I get an opportunity to start against the Griquas and stretch my lungs for some well needed match fitness and at the same time give Bismark some well earned rest before the play offs.

I must say I am truly excited about running out on my...