Sharpe eyes "special" farewell

[travelling_gerry]

Retiring Wallabies skipper Nathan Sharpe eyes "special" farewell win in South Africa

• By Melissa Woods
• AAP
• September 29, 20121:23PM

For retiring Wallaby Nathan Sharpe, it's never been about the milestones or the "c" for captain next to his name. It's about the team and representing his country.





Sharpe will play his last ever Test in South Africa when he leads the Wallabies out on to Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, where Australia have never won.
He will also equal former flanker George Smith as the most capped forward with 110 Tests, only behind former skipper George Gregan (139) in the overall tally.
The 34-year-old, playing his second Test as captain in the Rugby Championship after replacing injured Will Genia, said he hadn't considered it was his last hurrah on the high veldt.
"I haven't really thought about it," Sharpe said.

"I've had some tremendous battles over here so it would be fantastic to finish with a win and be the first Australian team to get a win in Pretoria."



Asked if it was extra special being the captain with such an opportunity, Sharpe was quick to reply: "No".
"It's special to play for your country and if we can do the job that will make it an even more special night."

Wallabies Squad v Springboks



15. Berrick Barnes
14. Dominic Shipperley
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
12. Pat McCabe
11. Digby Ioane
10. Kurtley Beale
9. Nick Phipps
8. Radike Samo
7. Michael Hooper
6. Dave Dennis
5. Nathan Sharpe
4. Kane Douglas
3. Ben Alexander
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau
1. Benn Robinson

Reserves:

16. Saia Fainga’a
17. James Slipper
18. Rob Simmons
19. Scott Higginbotham
20. Liam Gill
21. Brett Sheehan
22. Anthony Fainga’a





The former Queensland and Western Force lock is obviously a popular skipper, even in enemy territory in South Africa.
Centre Pat McCabe said Sharpe wouldn't want to make the match about him.
"It's a side story that comes with a lot of different Tests," McCabe said.
"Sharpie's obviously someone who the team loves to play under and play for but I don't think it's something that it will be spoken about as a collective."
The two-metre tall captain didn't want to comment about ongoing criticism from injured five-eighth Quade Cooper, who said playing for the Wallabies was "destroying him" and even if picked he would decline.
"I can tell you every other guy in the team is very excited about pulling on the gold jersey," Sharpe said.
"It's Benn Robinson's 50th this match and he revealed a secret that he sniffs his new jumper every time he pulls it on before he plays."
"Every guy's got their own way of showing it but it's certainly very special."



Read more: http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/th...#ixzz27qLzkw7O

[sittingbison]

"It's special to play for your country and if we can do the job that will make it an even more special night."

Take that you sniveling little git.

Sharpie, what a great ambassador for Australian sport, Rugby and the Force.
Posted via Mobile Device

[GIGS20]

Another moment to bemoan the lack of a multipraise button.

Can some more people praise bisons post for me please?

[Rex Messup]

Just for you old boy

my first praise

[GIGS20]

Back at ya rexie

[shasta]

my first praise

I get that. The "praise" thingy is pretty damn gay. A "thums-up" or "agree" gizmo would be much better. My biggest regret with this site, however, is caused by the absolute BASTARD who stole the "smote" button. Give it back ya mongrel!
Posted via Mobile Device

[Rex Messup]

Absolutely

Give back the smote button Coach ya belter

I miss all the red cards I had. I wore it as a badge of honour

Bring back the smote

[WARHORSE]

bring back the smote

[GIGS20]

Hey Rex, you wanna use some of those personalities to effect my requested multipraise?

[GIGS20]

And bring back the smote

[GIGS20]

Well that was poor!

I have never seen the replacements adjudicated that way in all my time watching rugby. It appears to be technically correct and therefore the coach should have known the risk, but wow, not allowing an injured front rower to be replaced by a fresh one....never seen it.

[Fullback]

That was a shocker.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Tonkar]

Well that was poor!

I have never seen the replacements adjudicated that way in all my time watching rugby. It appears to be technically correct and therefore the coach should have known the risk, but wow, not allowing an injured front rower to be replaced by a fresh one....never seen it.

As explained by Elaine Roland you can only have 7 subs and Fianga was number 8 Was the correct call

Management should be sacked

[sittingbison]

The problem stems fgom the farcical situation with Robinson coming off at 30min the last few games.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Rex Messup]

This tactic is a good one except when the team racks up a genuine injury crisis as seen last night. It backfired but the result was beyond doubt at that stage. It went to non contested scrums so it made no difference. It was a farcical end to one of the worst performances I can remember. It was painful viewing

The fat boys up front have to endure energy sapping scrummaging. It is no place for the faint hearted. A loop hole in the laws sees the farcical subsitution in the first half and then one of the front rowers feigns injury in the final 20 minutes so the other front rower can come back on.

I think most teams are doing it. Fresh legs in the scrum battle and around the park makes sense

It works unless you get a glut of injuries as was the case last night

The bok belted the wallabies and it was like watching lambs to the slaughter.

Hooper was magnificent. It's hard to find a highlight outside of that

Luckily the boks left another 30 points on the field from line ball tries that were disallowed but on another night may have been given + a missed goal-a-thon

It could have been 50-60 points against