The Sharks produced a composed second-half performance to claim a 28-20 bonus-point win over the Blue Bulls at Loftus on Wednesday evening. CRAIG LEWIS reports.
In a contest filled with plenty of running, but also a lack of accuracy from both sides, it was the Sharks who finished as the stronger side to claim a third win of the season that sees them draw level with the Free State Cheetahs on 15 log points at the summit of the standings.
For the Bulls, it’s a first loss of the season, and one that they will put down to an often error-riddled and ill-disciplined display.
The Sharks made a storming start to proceedings when S’bu Nkosi burst through to score early on, but the visitors were then forced into a backline reshuffle when centre Jeremy Ward left the field with an injury.
He was replaced by winger Odwa Ndungane, who was guilty of slipping off a tackle on Burger Odendaal, with the Bulls centre showing great strength to power his way over the tryline in the 14th minute.
Nevertheless, the Sharks hit back almost straight away as Franco Marais scored from the back of a driving maul, while the Durban-based side received a further advantage when Bulls lock Ruben van Heerden was sent to the sin bin for a cynical trip on Tera Mtembu.
Yet, in his absence, the Sharks only managed to add three points via the boot of Garth April, with the coastal side lacking a clinical edge with ball-in-hand, while Tony Jantjies cancelled out the penalty with a successful goal kick of his own just as Van Heerden returned.
Although the Sharks enjoyed the half-time lead, they would have been disappointed by the fact that they missed as many as 21 tackles in the opening stanza, while they squandered a sure-fire try soon after the restart as a result of a forward pass.
The Sharks did put that behind them as Lukhanyo Am ran a delightful line to score a superb solo try in the 52nd minute, while the two goal-kickers then traded penalties as the visitors hung onto a 10-point lead heading into the final quarter.
The clash still looked to be set for a thrilling finish when the Bulls hit back to score through Van Heerden, but the Sharks responded immediately with a well-worked try to April, which opened up a 28-20 lead.
From there, the Sharks did enough to close out an impressive win.
Blue Bulls – Tries: Burger Odendaal, Ruben van Heerden. Conversions: Tony Jantjies (2). Penalties: Jantjies (2).
Sharks – Tries: S’bu Nkosi, Franco Marais, Lukhanyo Am, Garth April. Conversion: April. Penalties: April (2).
Blue Bulls – 15 Manie Libbok, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Franco Naude, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Tony Jantjies, 9 André Warner, 8 Nic de Jager, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Johannes Prinsloo (c), 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Irne Herbst, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 2 Jan-Henning Campher, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Subs: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Matthys Basson, 18 Abongile Nonkontwana, 19 Shaun Adendorf, 20 Ivan van Zyl, 21 Dries Swanepoel, 22 JT Jackson.
Sharks – 15 Garth April, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Lukhanyo Am, 11 S’bu Nkosi, 10 Inny-Christian Radebe, 9 Michael Claassens, 8 Tera Mtembu, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Keegan Daniel, 5 Ruan Botha (c), 4 Tyler Paul, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Franco Marais, 1 Thomas du Toit.
Subs: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 John-Hubert Meyer, 19 Jean Droste, 20 Cameron Wright, 21 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 22 Odwa Ndungane.
Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
