Sharks snap losing streak
10 Mar 2012
JON CARDINELLI watched the Sharks beat the Lions 32-20 to end their winless run in the 2012 Super Rugby competition.
The Sharks were hammered by the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld and pipped by the Stormers at Newlands. They came into this clash desperately needing any kind of win, no matter how ugly.
From a results perspective, the men from Durban will be satisfied. They not only claimed their first win of the season but also a bonus-point for four tries. It may have taken them three games, but they are finally off the mark.
It was a stop-start game at Kings Park with both teams surrendering possession all too easily. The Sharks conceded a mass of penalties at the breakdown and also coughed up the ball in the tackle on too many occasions.
The Lions attempted to play the game at a lively pace but displayed very little control. Their counter-attacking surges often came to nought and coach John Mitchell will be livid with the high number of turnovers.
What helped the Sharks was their appreciation for territory. Flyhalf Pat Lambie had his best game of the season thus far, kicking the hosts into good field positions. He also converted some difficult goals during the first half to ensure the Sharks went to the shed with a substantial lead.
It was before the break where the Sharks scored the try of the game. The forwards finally managed to marry power and precision, keeping the ball through the phases to stretch the Lions’ defence. It was also during this movement that the Sharks backs showed some good hands, getting the ball to winger Lwazi Mvovo who highlighted his value as a finisher with a superb score.
For all their handling mistakes and lost possessions, the Lions just kept coming and coming. They marched the Sharks back towards the tryline and then struck through fullback Jaco Taute, who wrestled his way through several defenders to score.
It was an important strike on the hour, and ensured the Lions went into the final quarter with a chance of an upset.
Along with their inconsistencies at the breakdown, the Sharks battled to secure the ball at the lineout. Bismarck du Plessis failed to find his jumpers consistently and this robbed the hosts of a good attacking platform.
And yet, the Sharks still managed to get the ball back, such was the loose nature of this contest. As the game entered the final 10 minutes, neither team managed to control the ball and counter-attack after counter-attack was launched.
Again, it was the Sharks that came through a scrappy period of play as the big winners. Meyer Bosman latching onto the final pass to score what many believed was the clincher. At 27-13, the game was all but over.
But the Lions scored in the 75th minute through reserve prop Ruan Dreyer, and Butch James’s conversion set up a frantic finish. The Sharks were placed under pressure by a desperate Lions side, and it took a big tackle by Marcell Coetzee to win the ball back.
A kickable penalty was turned down by Sharks captain Keegan Daniel as the hosts set up a lineout deep in Lions territory. And to the delight of the Kings Park faithful, the Sharks finished the second half as they had the first, with a rare blend of power and precision.
On this occasion, Du Plessis found his jumper to set up the maul, and the forwards bulldozed their way over the line. Jacques Botes emerged from a pile of bodies and the referee awarded what was the bonus-point try.
While the Sharks may have finished this game strongly and 12 points ahead of the opposition, they will know that there is much to do before they meet the Reds next week. The game against the Lions was in the balance until the final minutes, and the Sharks will need to address their inconsistencies at the breakdown and lineout if they hope to challenge the better teams.
144 Comments
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10 Mar 2012, 18:09 pm
**** off bondesio, you are worth **** oll… You cant play at this level.. Please f-off
10 Mar 2012, 18:10 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-48: Howzit Dawn, ja it was a lekker workout blasted the pecs & Triceps then chilled in the lovely jacuzzee & Sauna, steamroom.. So relaxing!
10 Mar 2012, 18:12 pm
these TMOs are rubbish! Where is the reverse angle that would’ve confirmed he was out, plus the assistant ref was RIGHT there behind mvovo surely he saw it!
10 Mar 2012, 18:14 pm
Luvly!
Cape Town is steamroom. Feel sorry for the bicycle riders 2m it is gonna be scorcher.
10 Mar 2012, 18:15 pm
Who is this tmo.
Mieuwesen again?
10 Mar 2012, 18:15 pm
Wtf? Is this team honestly worthy to be in the comp?
10 Mar 2012, 18:15 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-53: That’s 10 points gifted to the Sharks through dodgy refereeing. 7 points for the converted non-try, and 3 points for the non-high tackle. Should be a one point game now.
10 Mar 2012, 18:17 pm
Will someone answer.
Thought I heard Lawrence squealing “johan”
10 Mar 2012, 18:18 pm
@PieterJordaan(PieterJordaan)-56: It is by no means a run away game at all, some dodgy calls and the sharks got the advantage..maybe we are watching a different game..
10 Mar 2012, 18:20 pm
Anyone know what has happened to Waylon Murray and George Earle?
10 Mar 2012, 18:20 pm
@59… The difference is the sharks have the ability to do something with possession… The lions? Nothing!!! 5 phases and the ball is lost!!!
10 Mar 2012, 18:23 pm
So pleased that Bismark has settled down a bit. He has been really good today after a poor first 2 games.
10 Mar 2012, 18:23 pm
Mitchell better teach these overrated CC champs to catch a f’ng ball or not get turned over in every tackle, these Lions are either has been’s or never gonna be’s – a few physical jerks ain’t gonna make these hapless over rates anything resembling a S15 competitive setup, so either get serious or can the gamble and move on to better things. Can’t see Mitchell bashing his head against a brick wall for too much longer he soon gonna reckon the anxiety ain’t worth the pay package and f’off to more interesting ventures.
10 Mar 2012, 18:24 pm
dawn, it is shaun veldsman!
10 Mar 2012, 18:25 pm
@PieterJordaan(PieterJordaan)-61: If that is your argument then I guess its not worth my time..
10 Mar 2012, 18:25 pm
Where’s that CC gees.
10 Mar 2012, 18:26 pm
@65.. Prove me wrong…
10 Mar 2012, 18:26 pm
@65.. Prove me wrong..
10 Mar 2012, 18:26 pm
Sharks look better with Michalack off the field..
10 Mar 2012, 18:27 pm
Ok Trans.
Explains a lot! Nudge wink.
10 Mar 2012, 18:27 pm
all this rubbish on this site about bush attacking the gainline is shown today to be rubbish…lambie – metres gained 17….butch – metres gained 2!
10 Mar 2012, 18:29 pm
They miss Elton badly.
10 Mar 2012, 18:29 pm
Taute jou doring!!!
10 Mar 2012, 18:29 pm
Yurrah thats kak defence from the sharks
10 Mar 2012, 18:30 pm
try lions.
10 Mar 2012, 18:30 pm
Tea and biscuits anyone? Our teams must pick up bonus points. Just look at those ratarse ausie teams all losing by a few. Soul-less bunch.
10 Mar 2012, 18:30 pm
@PieterJordaan(PieterJordaan)-68: There’s a difference with a team taking a beating and a team being competitive..This is the Sharks team that was pushed to be the conference leaders this year, yet the score reads 20-13 and you want to say the lions don’t desserve to be in the comp..
10 Mar 2012, 18:31 pm
and then between Lawrence, Meuwersen, and the dodge touchies this game was pretty much a done deal before kick off
Taute maybe breathe a slight bit of belief back into a flagging pre season promise
See if Lawrence allows a game to develop from here or he stick with the Saru scripting
10 Mar 2012, 18:31 pm
@weakoma(weakoma)-69: Ja, try against them.
10 Mar 2012, 18:32 pm
smaaklik
10 Mar 2012, 18:33 pm
Sharks giving away too many penalties.
10 Mar 2012, 18:33 pm
get butch out!!!!
10 Mar 2012, 18:34 pm
@Kleuter(Kleuter)-79: That was a bit of Taute magic..
10 Mar 2012, 18:35 pm
Lions really bad under the high ball today..
10 Mar 2012, 18:36 pm
Butch is cheesed cos book did not sell.
10 Mar 2012, 18:37 pm
where the touchie gone who called the Strauss high tackle, when Sykes does worse the schmuck’s tjoep still, shows these thingymajiggy’s aren’t dealt with equal concerns by those who got vested interest in the outcomes.
10 Mar 2012, 18:37 pm
Taute is wearing the wrong jersey. He’ll look better in a light blue one.
10 Mar 2012, 18:40 pm
Had Sharks by 4. Lions must get a 3 pointer and I’ll be happy.
10 Mar 2012, 18:41 pm
That looked forward
10 Mar 2012, 18:41 pm
What a great couple of minutes of rugby from both sides..
10 Mar 2012, 18:42 pm
Good try Sharks. End to end stuff. Lions trying desparately.
10 Mar 2012, 18:42 pm
if you can’t maintain possession you gonna get punished, that’s that, ball game in its moer
10 Mar 2012, 18:42 pm
Good try, except the scoring pass was forward. So no try then, really.
10 Mar 2012, 18:43 pm
game over, too little depth.
could be grootkak for lions unless they get their players back, shouldve bought some more.
10 Mar 2012, 18:43 pm
A ****-ing shadow of the team that won the cc!!
10 Mar 2012, 18:45 pm
Magtag Shaun again
10 Mar 2012, 18:45 pm
Looks like a try to me..
10 Mar 2012, 18:46 pm
Try meuwessin!!!
10 Mar 2012, 18:46 pm
7 point ball game
10 Mar 2012, 18:46 pm
Halefuckenlujah Veldsman.
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