The Sharks kick on
Sat, 24 Apr 2010 19:15
Happy to win five in a row: Sharks lock Johan Muller
At Absa Stadium on a balmy Durban evening, the Sharks came from behind to overtake the Blues and end up winning 23-10. Not that it was easy.
The Sharks had many, many more chances to score than the Blues did but the Blues took their first opportunity and led 10-3 after 26 minutes. For the next 54 minutes they did not score and in fact had only one remote chance - a long-range penalty which was well off target.
Both tries were scored in the first half.
The Blues were more inclined to run, the Sharks much more inclined to kick. Their kicking seldom looked like bearing fruit, but they carried on with it. Even John Smit and Bismarck du Plessis became chip merchants.
The win for the Sharks and the absence of a bonus point for the Blues puts the two of them level on log points at present.
The Blues were more inclined to run, the Sharks much more inclined to kick. Their kicking seldom looked like bearing fruit, but they carried on with it. Even John Smit and Bismarck du Plessis became chip merchants.
The win for the Sharks and the absence of a bonus point for the Blues puts the two of them level on log points at present.
Both teams lost players early. Luke McAlister went off to be replaced by Rene Ranger and for thee Sharks JP Pietersen limped off to be replaced by speedster Lwazi Mvovo.
The Sharks threatened from the kick-off. The Blues did not like the ball coming at them through the air and made a mess of Andy Goode's first kick-off. Bismarck du Plessis, who had a splendid game, got the ball and the Sharks had a great chance to score. They counterattacked and again had a chance to score. On one occasion the Sharks may well have scored but the referee was advised that the Sharks had knocked on when the hand knocking there ball into the in-goal looked distinctly blue. In fact the Sharks had three chances to score before the Blues took their first tentative steps out of their own territory.
The Blues' first advance was thanks to a counterattack by Joe Rokocoko but it was his only real activity in the match.
Still, on their first raid into the Sharks' 22, the Blues scored when Stephen Brett goaled a penalty. 3-0 after 16 minutes.
Five minutes later Ranger was penalised at a tackle and Pienaar levelled the scores.
From a turnover Stefan Terblanche went haring off down the right touch-line but the cover got him and dumped him in touch.
Back came the Blues and Brett scooted around Willem Alberts on his outside and gave to Peter Saili on his inside and the big man ambled over to score under the posts. 10-3 after 26 minutes. The Blues did not score again.
Gradually the Sharks got into a lead one felt they should have had from the start. Serge Lilo was offside and Pienaar made it 10-6.
The Sharks bashed at the line. Bismarck du Plessis was over but held up. They had two five-metre scrums. When Blues were penalised the Sharks opted for a five metre scrum on the right. They got a shove on and went right. Alberts gave to Pienaar who forced his way over.
That made the score 11-10 to the Sharks at half-time.
The second half belonged to the Sharks who dominated possession and territory and were simply too strong in the tackle. That their own attack lacked finesse or creativity was also obvious. They best attacking weapon was Patrick Lambie, their teenage fullback.
The Sharks thought they had scored when Terblanche placed the ball on the goal-line but had to settle for four kicks - the first a penalty by Goode while Pienaar was being attended to, the next two both penalties by Rory Kockott, but long kicks, and then finally a dropped goal from close by Pienaar.
Their were close calls - as when Terblanche grubbered and Mvovo chased, twice when they bashed with Deysel and Alberts prominent.
The Sharks certainly deserved their win.
Man of the Match: Bismarck du Plessis was great but for the variety, skill and effectiveness of his game at scrumhalf and then at flyhalf our Man of the Match is Ruan Pienaar.
Scorers:
For the Sharks:
Try: Pienaar
Pens: Pienaar 2, Goode, Kockott 2
Drop: Pienaar
For the Blues
Try: Saili
Con: Brett
Pen: Brett
Teams:
The Sharks: 15 Patrick Lambie, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Stefan Terblanche, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Andy Goode, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Johann Muller, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 John Smit (captain).
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Tendai Mtawarira, 18 Alistair Hargreaves, 19 Michael Rhodes, 20 Rory Kockott, 21 Riaan Swanepoel, 22 Lwazi Mvovo.
Blues: 15 Isaia Toeava,
14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Benson Stanley, 12 Luke McAlister, 11 Rudi Wulf, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Peter Saili, 7 Serge Lilo, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Filo Paulo, 4 Kurtis Haiu, 3 John Afoa, 2 Keven Mealamu (captain), 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Tom McCartney, 17 Tevita Mailau/Charlie Faumuina, 18 Andrew Van der Heijden, 19 Viliami Ma'afu, 20 Chris Smylie, 21 Rene Ranger, 22 Paul Williams.
Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Christie du Preez (South Africa)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
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