The Sharks beat the Blue Bulls 18-5 in Durban on Saturday to strengthen their position at the top of the Currie Cup log, reports JON CARDINELLI.
The driving rain made handling difficult for both sets of players. What set the Sharks apart in this clash, however, was their determination to play the majority of the contest deep in Bulls territory.
The forwards did well to win the set pieces and collisions. From there, flyhalf Curwin Bosch translated that dominance into territory via his accurate kicking boot.
Bosch made an impact with his very first touch of the match. With the Sharks on the attack deep in Bulls territory, the 20-year-old sought to find S’bu Nkosi on the left wing with a kick-pass.
Bosch’s kick hit the turf and then bounced into the hands of Nkosi. Keegan Daniel scored the hosts’ second try in the 20th minute. At 12-0, the Sharks looked to be on their way to a comfortable bonus-point win.
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The Sharks took some poor options in the lead-up to half-time, though. The Bulls lifted their game in the period before and after the break to keep the hosts honest.
The visitors scored the first points of the second stanza when Aston Fortuin slid over the line in the 52nd minute. Handré Pollard was introduced in the 50th minute, but failed to make much of an impact. The Springbok flyhalf missed a conversion that would have brought the Bulls within five points of the Sharks.
Two minutes later, Bosch nailed a penalty goal at the other end of the park to give the Sharks some breathing room at 15-5. The Sharks regained their control of the game from there. In the 72nd minute, Bosch secured the result with a well-taken drop goal.
The Sharks have now secured their place in the Currie Cup semi-finals.
Sharks – Tries: S’bu Nkosi, Keegan Daniel. Conversion: Curwin Bosch. Penalty: Bosch. Drop goal: Bosch.
Blue Bulls – Try: Aston Fortuin.
Sharks – 15 Garth April, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Marius Louw, 11 S’bu Nkosi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Michael Claassens, 8 Dan du Preez, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Keegan Daniel, 5 Ruan Botha (c), 4 Tyler Paul, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Thomas du Toit.
Subs: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Jean Droste, 19 Tera Mtembu, 20 Cameron Wright, 21 Tristan Blewett, 22 Rhyno Smith.
Blue Bulls –15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Duncan Matthews, 13 Burger Odendaal (c), 12 JT Jackson, 11 Johnny Kotze, 10 Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Jano Venter, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Nic de Jager, 5 Aston Fortuin, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Edgar Marutlulle, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Subs: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Matthys Basson, 18 Tim Agaba, 19 Marco van Staden, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Handré Pollard, 22 Ulrich Beyers.
Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images
