DURBAN – The Sharks engineered a magical transformation in Durban last night when they pulled themselves up by their bootstraps from their embarrassing home defeat last week to Griquas to toppling the mighty Bulls 35-28, propelling themselves to the top of the Currie Cup standings in the process.
What made the Sharks’ reformation all the more jaw-dropping was that it only happened for them in the second half of the match after they had been abjectly poor in the first 40, and were lucky to be just seven points behind the Bulls at half-time (20-13).
Coach Sean Everitt’s blood pressure must have been through the roof in that first half as his players gave away a torrent of penalties, but his health was restored when his charges scored a flurry of points when the Bulls were down to 14 men early in the second half. The Sharks were able to do exactly what they could not do against Griquas and cashed in handsomely when they had the extra man.
The Sharks had a very poor start to the game. Everything they had spoken about NOT doing during the week, they did — they knocked-on in receiving the kick-off; gave away a scrum penalty; and the Bulls kicked to the corner and mauled over the line for a seven-pointer after just two minute’s play.
The Sharks responded ten minutes later with a lovely try that was sparked by lively scrumhalf Grant Williams and finished by bulldozer lock Leroux Roets.
But again the Sharks were their own worst enemy. From the kick-off there was a mistake, again the Sharks conceded a scrum penalty and Johan Goosen booted the Bulls into the lead once more.
The Sharks equalised via the boot of Lionel Cronje, who had an excellent game in replacing the out-of-form Curwin Bosch, only to yet again concede territory from the kick-off. And true to the pattern of the game, the Sharks gave away a penalty and this time the Bulls kicked to the corner and the try was inevitably scored, prop Lizo Gqoboka burrowing over.
The Sharks had conceded eight penalties in 30 minutes and then it became nine plus a harsh yellow card to Dylan Richardson for an unclear infringement, and Goosen pushed the score out to 20-10.
Cronje pulled three points back and yet again the Sharks gave away a penalty but this time they managed to keep out the Bulls’ lineout drive and the Sharks went into half-time chuffed to be in the game at 20-13.
Discipline would have been the main point of discussion in the Sharks’ change room, only for them to concede two penalties in the first two minutes of the second half.
And then suddenly it all changed. In the 45th minute the Sharks had their first lineout throw of the game. It was taken cleanly by Reniel Hugo and from the resulting attack, Williams broke clean through and 40m later was halted just short of the Bulls line, and from the ensuing ruck Steadman Gans was yellow-carded for a cynical foul.
The Sharks exploded into life. Kerron van Vuuren scored off the back of a lineout maul. A few minutes later — with the Sharks now having a string of penalties go their way — Williams broke blind from a maul to set up wing Thaakir Abrahams for a dart down the touchline and he passed back inside for Williams to finish off the move he had started.
Still with Gans off the field, the Sharks scored a fine team try that started in their 22 with a break by Cronje and ended when Werner Kok chipped into the in-goal area for Murray Koster to pounce.
Cronje added a penalty to give the Sharks a 35-20 lead before the Bulls finished with a try and a penalty to earn a losing bonus point
Scorers
Sharks: 35 – Tries: Leroux Roets, Kerron van Vuuren, Grant Williams, Murray Koster. Conversions: Lionel Cronje (3). Penalty: Cronje (2).
Bulls: 28 – Tries: Elrigh Louw, Lizo Gqoboka, Arno Botha. Conversions: Johan Goosen (2). Penalties: Johan Goosen (2); Chris Smith.
IOL Sport