Gutsy Sharks down Reds
17 Mar 2012
JON CARDINELLI watched the Sharks fight back from a 17-point deficit to beat the Reds 27-22 on Saturday.
The hosts trailed 17-0 after 28 minutes despite a gale force wind at their backs. It was during this period where they looked a frantic and disorganised unit, dropping passes and missing tackles to allow the Reds’ momentum and scoring opportunities. At that stage of the game, they were staring down the barrell of a big hiding.
But it was in that period right before half-time where they showed a belief that belied their inferior breakdown effort and lack of synergy. Replacement lock Jandre Marais rumbled over the line following an outstanding build up, and a Pat Lambie conversion further narrowed the deficit.
Reds winger Digby Ioane was also yellow-carded for a dangerous tackle right on the half-time buzzer, allowing Lambie to add an extra three points before the break.
Two different teams emerged from the Kings Park tunnel in the second half. The hosts drew confidence from the manner in which they had finished the first half, while the Reds’ grew more desperate as the game wore on.
The visitors’ effort was seriously hampered when they lost first-choice goal-kicker Mike Harris in the 23rd minute and flyhalf Ben Lucas early in the second stanza. This meant that the dangerous Will Genia was forced to stand in the first-receiver channel, thus eliminating the tremendous threat around the ruck which had caused the Sharks defence massive problems in the first half.
The Reds scrapped for survival, but while they only conceded six points during Ioane’s absence, they failed to get out of their own territory.
Keegan Daniel made a fantastic call as a captain, turning down the three-point option and keeping the heat on the Reds. It was fitting that he eventually breached the visitors’ defence, breaking from the back of the scrum to help the Sharks take a 20-17 lead.
While the Sharks never quite closed out the match, they had the momentum for the rest of the contest. Apart from Daniel, Willem Alberts and Marcell Coetzee were huge at the point of contact, and Bismarck du Plessis produced a magnificent performance at the breakdown. So often it was the Springbok hooker who effected a turnover that led to a telling counter-attack.
The Reds looked to have wrested back the initiative when reserve halfback Nick Frisby intercepted a Sharks pass and sparked a try. But the Sharks hit back immediately thanks to a Du Plessis turnover deep in Reds territory.
The heavies took the ball up before it was moved out wide, Riaan Viljoen not only crossing the line but dotting down closer to the uprights to ensure Lambie would enjoy an easier conversion attempt.
What followed was a frantic finish to the match, as both teams went all out to secure the clincher. Genia, the third-choice goal-kicker following the injuries to Harris and Lucas, had missed the conversion to Frisby’s try, and fluffed a simple penalty in the final 10 minutes.
It was thereafter where captain James Horwill was forced to turn down kickable penalties. Unfortunately for the Reds, they just couldn’t make an impression with ball in hand on an excellent and determined Sharks defence.
The hosts had the chance to score a bonus-point try close to full time, but were denied when the Reds turned the ball over at the breakdown. Considering the first-half deficit, coach John Plumtree will be ecstatic that the Sharks managed to get the four points let alone bank the maximum.
The result ensures the Sharks travel Down Under on the back of two good wins. For the Reds, it won’t get any easier as they will head up to Loftus Versfeld next week to tackle the Bulls.
240 Comments
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17 Mar 2012, 18:48 pm
Penalty Reds, just over 1min left..
17 Mar 2012, 18:48 pm
Big lineout from the sharks now common! Not strait sharks ball!
17 Mar 2012, 18:48 pm
Shocking, shocking refereeing. Hougaard didn’t drive the player into the ground and got a red. Ioane drives the guy into the ground and gets a yellow. Pathetic. The Reds should have been playing with 14 men for the entire second half. Or else Hougaard should have gotten just a yellow 2 weeks ago.
17 Mar 2012, 18:49 pm
Scrum sharks on reds 22. Another try and it’s a bonus point for the sharks.
17 Mar 2012, 18:49 pm
Reds win penalty virtually on their own line. 1min on clock, Red’s Lineout, not straight.
17 Mar 2012, 18:50 pm
Sharks win..
17 Mar 2012, 18:50 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-153: I expect he’ll be cited for that one.
Good win by the Sharks
17 Mar 2012, 18:50 pm
Sharks win.
17 Mar 2012, 18:50 pm
good win that – 2 games 2 wins after 2 losses – the sharks are back.
17 Mar 2012, 18:51 pm
So much for the 5/2 split I was going on about… not having an extra 10/kicking option has lost the game for the Reds…
Gees win for the Sharks… they’ll lose two win one lose two win one this season…
Good stuff all the same…
17 Mar 2012, 18:51 pm
Man of the match is Bismarck, 27-22 for the Sharks..So far the game of the weekend, Super Rugby at its best!!
17 Mar 2012, 18:51 pm
Well done Sharks…!!
Great fightback!! Great result…!!!
17 Mar 2012, 18:53 pm
They really turned it around. Made it a forward’s game, controlled it, stopped giving away penalties and starting making turnovers.
Great result in the end for the Sharks.
17 Mar 2012, 18:57 pm
England Ireland starting now..
17 Mar 2012, 18:58 pm
I’ve never seen so many happy Welsh people
17 Mar 2012, 18:58 pm
Well done Jon,
If it was the Stormers it would have been a ‘Brilliant’ or a ‘Fantastic’ win. But hey, gutsy is Gutsy is something I can live with.
Ever wonder why the Keo blog is falling apart at the seams?
Why numbers are significantly down than before?
Then again for you it’s just a ‘woosh’ past your ear drums.
17 Mar 2012, 18:59 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-165:
I have before – 2005 and 2008
17 Mar 2012, 19:01 pm
Marais needs to start in place of Bresler…
17 Mar 2012, 19:03 pm
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-168:
think deysel is back next week and then they can maybe consider shifting either he or alberts into lock to partner sykes. Alberts is a monster tho, without him sharkies more like tadpoles, once Beast is back, they going to be hard to beat.
17 Mar 2012, 19:03 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-153:
Kaplan didn’t see it, he told so to the lineman
He asked (in English in case you missed it) “is that a yellow or a red?” the lineman said “Yellow”
Red it was, nonetheless, and Digby will be cited, rest assured
17 Mar 2012, 19:04 pm
Thanks for the great commentary guys, don’t ever miss a game not for a wedding ,nothing. But this was just to important, hope there is a replay during the week to watch, sounded like one of those dreadful nailbiters.
17 Mar 2012, 19:06 pm
Hondo
I heard it. I was referring to the assistant referee. Pathetic call.
17 Mar 2012, 19:08 pm
Well OCO that went down like a lead balloon.
17 Mar 2012, 19:08 pm
Im glad the Sharks won, will always support any S.A. team that plays against overseas opposition.
That being said, kaplan was his usual pathetic self. How this chop can still ref anything is beyond me. what an absolute disgrace.
by far the worst ref performance of 2012.
17 Mar 2012, 19:08 pm
**b>SHARKSSS
17 Mar 2012, 19:09 pm
oops
17 Mar 2012, 19:09 pm
@cab(cab)-169:
The Sharks lost several line outs, they need Skeate, also for organizing the forwards.
Something must be done with the lack any defence and ball dropping by their wings, they won’t get far with such deficiencies, luckily, the Reds had no FH to exploit it
17 Mar 2012, 19:11 pm
@Hondo(Hondo)-177:
you might have a point, skeate and sykes probably the best shakes, tho they missing mostert. coetzee dropped the ball twice, gotta watch that.
17 Mar 2012, 19:12 pm
Joel Stransky:
” …where the Blues gave the Bulls a proper hiding.”
What
Please, you crooked fool, by 6 points is not a “proper hiding”. They barely bet the Bulls, and that only because the Bulls kicker had an uncharacteristic off day.
Why is Joel Stransky always so quick to criticize and lambaste the Bulls team?
It’s like he thinks he won a Rugby World Cup all by himself.
17 Mar 2012, 19:13 pm
SHARKSSS
17 Mar 2012, 19:14 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-173:
Yo Dawn,
That’s normal. Relativity went the same way as did many other revelations that were beyond ken.
Remember what this blog was like a year or two ago?
lots of banter and discussions.
Now there’s barely 100 comments on contentious issues.
Hope you are well (seriously) and making hay whilst the sun shines
17 Mar 2012, 19:15 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-172:
Digby will be dealt with, if Coetzee wouldn’t release the ball earlier and supported his neck with his hands, it would have been a neck injurie, I was shocked like anybody else to watch it though.
And a drug test too is called for
17 Mar 2012, 19:16 pm
@BlueBlood(BlueBlood)-174:
Not a chance, worst reffing was in the Stormer’s first game.
Old age seems to be getting to your memory banks
17 Mar 2012, 19:18 pm
Iaone the best wing in the world tho – aggressive, strong, fast, steps off both feet, cant be stopped one on one.
17 Mar 2012, 19:21 pm
@cab(cab)-178:
He was doing a lot of damage at the 2nd half, broke the gain line too many times to count and produced a huge defence work, he recovers from tackles so fast, only Bissie might be faster in this regard
I will keep him there, the Sharks are covered well with Deysel back, can use a bench of five and steamroll any opposition with McLeod at 9!
17 Mar 2012, 19:27 pm
Indeed OCO back in the day 1000+ threads easy.
Lots of brawling and fun had by all.
17 Mar 2012, 19:28 pm
Doubt whether it’s JC’s fault though
Other reasons
17 Mar 2012, 19:39 pm
Wow!
That was a close call.
I still feel the Sharks are a bit off the boil, but as the Stormers fans say, a win is a win.
Almost 5 points in the end.
17 Mar 2012, 19:40 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-186:
Yes dawn, “Those were the days that were”
About time Keo and cohorts provided independant, unbiased commentary.
“Something for all” always wins the day over “support for the local team”.
Gavin Crowmore cannot string sentences together without “Stormer” or “Certain Bok” in them.
I prefer the dancing girls meself rather than some bug-eyed, brain washed nincompoop.
17 Mar 2012, 19:43 pm
Don’t worry be happy your team won
17 Mar 2012, 19:44 pm
Independent unbiased don’t generate no hits
17 Mar 2012, 19:48 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-191:
False, look at Keo for instance.
Rapidly heading to the south pole as stats will reveal.
What keo needs is reporters giving all angles, not just the crowmore diatribe.
As long as they continue to play amongst themselves Keo should be issuing snow shoes
17 Mar 2012, 20:01 pm
Extraball should be back soon
Majola suspended for a year on full pay
17 Mar 2012, 20:01 pm
Well Done Sharks. I knew you could do it. Great points on the Bru!
17 Mar 2012, 20:12 pm
If you were too slow to understand what’s happening with Keo read no further that the SR headlines:
Gutsy Sharks down Reds
Highlanders hang on
Force upset Tahs
Chiefs Steal it late
Note the incongruity:
Stormers Bash Blues
Nuff said.
17 Mar 2012, 21:01 pm
Oco you really are a dumb schmuck
typical snotty nosed dumb fck pom pom last bastion of pomposity deluded moronic expatriated idiot
Shaka’s Zulu’s should have done a decent job and kept those pompous red coats off their land .. look at the snobbish pompous twats they left behind
17 Mar 2012, 21:05 pm
I have just got back from the game and watched the PVR
Stransky and Bladen and the Smiling Rasta all confidently picked the Reds to win.
No apology or sheepish admission after the game.
I know why Kaplan hates the Sharks a certain Sharks no 7 a few years ago shagged some body close to him ,but what’s Stransky’s story,the ungrateful arsehole went to school here and learnt all his rugby here.I wish he would speak out of both nostrills not just one.
Sharks will get better,to play like that in those conditions,is a real achievement.
Beast,Deysel,Hargreaves all on the way back.
The bone collector,is almost at his best again,and Marcel Coetzee the best thing I have seen since a young,Andre Venter .
17 Mar 2012, 21:05 pm
None of those headlines are Pulitzer material
17 Mar 2012, 21:20 pm
@OCO(OCO)-166: Oh get over yourself. Every year we have to hear how the Sharks are the favourites from a SA perspective. Every year they flatter to deceive. Kaplan allowed the Sharks to infringe at will at ruck time today. Watch what happens once the Sharks go on tour.
17 Mar 2012, 21:25 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-196: He’s afarid the Stormers are going to steal their “perceived” thunder again this year lol.
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