Finale

 

So the other weekend was the final of the Currie Cup, a local rugby competition which involves a round of league games which the top 4 go through to the semi final knockouts then progress to the final. Now my local provincial team The Sharks have had a stella season with them only losing 4 games and finishing off at the top of the table making them able to host a home semi final and if they progressed, a home final. They managed to withstand a tough onslaught from the Bulls and win the semi final at home and securing the home final. 

Now I watch all if not most of the Sharks games, be it Super 14 or Currie Cup, but hardly go see them play live. It seems like the general Durban public do the same. We rather sit at home and watch it on TV then go down to the stadium to support them. We have a lovely stadium that is Kings Park, seats 52,000 paying spectators and while the stands may not be at the most gentle gradients, each and every seat provides a great view for the fan. So maybe we're just lazy? Most games get an average of 22 000 people which isnt bad but the big games draw the crowds. Semi finals got just under 40 000 people in and the final was a sell out. 

I just had to go for the final, after being sucked into the atmosphere of the semi finals and not being able to go I made sure I tried to get tickets to the final as early as possible to avoid the the disappointment of it being sold out, first batch were released on that Monday after the semi but were only for the upper east stand... not a chance, few days later I managed to get some behind the posts which were probably the best I was going to get so I bought them with out thinking twice. Luckily I did as the stadium was a sell out on match day.

The game itself was amazingly brilliant, it always is when your side is in control. Seeing Patrick Lambie prove the naysayers wrong and put in a man of the match performance was proof that he is worth all the praise. The vibe was incredible as Ive never experienced a capacity crowd at a rugby match before. The Province guys were in full voice before the game but that soon changed after the first try, then we, the Sharks fans decided to have a go at them. Changing their famed "PROVINCE" call to "PROBLEMS". Although I must admit that WP did have us on the edge of our seats for most part of the 2nd half, but we did manage to hold out till the final hooter, oh and Lambie went over for another try in the process to push the scores up to 30-10. 

As it was the first final I attended I had no reason to rush out the gates soon it was over. We stayed for the trophy presentation and watched as the players did a lap of honor with the big old cup. Then in true Durban fashion went to the outer fields to soak in the atmosphere with the rest of the fans, we did in the process get soaked as the heavens decided to bless us with a light showering, but after a game like that no one really cared. The Durban Diwali Festival which was being held just down the road from the stadium provided a fitting fireworks display to end off a brilliant evening.

Question: Whats big, shiny & not in the Western Cape?

Answer: The Currie Cup..... PROOOOOOOOBLEMS

SHARKS FOREVER