Desperate Sharks edge Canberra scrap
31 Mar 2012
JON CARDINELLI reports that guts ultimately proved more valuable than accuracy in an important 29-26 win for Sharks over the Brumbies.
Regardless of a reflection that will reveal both teams were guilty of stupid mistakes, the upshot is that the Sharks have recorded a bonus-point victory in a city where they haven’t won since 1998. There is plenty to criticise and plenty to laud, but there’s no getting round this fact.
The result ensures the Sharks remain in the Super Rugby race after a string of inconsistent showings. They fell short against the Waratahs last week and desperately needed this win to keep them in the hunt. They were never in control in Canberra and the problems in their game still persist, but for the moment they will savour a performance that has brought them five log points and a crucial win Down Under.
Moving forward, though, they will need to address a few shortcomings that continue to hamper their ability to dominate a match.
Indeed it was their ability to stifle the Brumbies at the breakdown and force some telling turnovers that won them the game. Jake White will be livid with his players for coughing up possession whenever the hosts ventured into the Sharks’ 22. In these pressure situations, the Sharks prevailed, showing incredible tenacity as well as an accuracy that was absent from many other areas of their game.
It may seem harsh to criticise an attack that scored four tries against what is a good Brumbies defence, but many of these tries were created from turnover ball.
There were moments of clear desperation that garnered points, such as when Odwa Ndungane found himself defending against three Brumbies players and still managed to snaffle an intercept that led to a try. In the second half, there was a brilliant breakdown turnover on the Sharks tryline that was quickly shifted wide, and Lwazi Mvovo produced a thrilling finish to secure the bonus-point try.
The accurate boot of Freddie Michalak also ensured that the Sharks turned three of their four tries into seven-pointers. And yet, that high-try count is misleading, as the Sharks battled to control possession for much of the game.
Not for the first time in 2012, their failure to set a good platform before unleashing the backs led to some frantic play. And six rounds into the competition, there still seems to be a lack of synergy that is hampering their attacking execution.
Sharks fans will point to the scoreboard and denounce these claims, but it must be noted just how many opportunities the Brumbies botched on Saturday. Their first try was scored through fullback Jesse Mogg, who initially profited from a forward pass and then showed a superb piece of individual skill to finish. Between that point and just seconds before full time, the Brumbies enjoyed many more opportunities but were undone by turnovers.
When they had a chance to counter-attack, they were also guilty of silly mistakes and poor decisions. The Sharks kicked terribly out of hand, but unfortunately for the hosts, the Brumbies just could not capitalise. It is surely something White will want to address with this young and inexperienced side.
For the Sharks, it’s time to start putting some complete performances together. Like the win against the Reds two weeks previously, this result in Canberra highlighted the guts and tenacity that runs through the side, but they need to be honest about where they are falling short, they need to start executing efficiently if they are to build on a solid start to their Australasian tour.
They lost the match against the Waratahs in the final minutes, and so nearly relinquished a 10-point lead in the dying stages of the clash against the Brumbies. It took a Brumbies knock-on in the final play for the Sharks to escape with the spoils.
The scoreboard may tell a different story, but the Sharks still have a long way to go if they are going to topple the better teams.
210 Comments
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31 Mar 2012, 11:40 am
Huzzit Stormersboy, they drenched and miserable lol, and very intrigued bout the new structures going up, chit is going to hit the fan when the all the damaged noonoo’s arrive, am dreading it.
You must be a bit apprehensive for this evening, am only going to be able to watch from second half if I am lucky, the Masai conservationist farewell drinks at friends gamefarm a bit later.
31 Mar 2012, 11:43 am
@cab(cab)-50: alberts is so way overrated….but let him be the obvious choice for the boks.i am not going to spoil your fun.
31 Mar 2012, 11:44 am
stop namedropping tree,they are animals they are supposed to get wetin the rain.in their world it is caled taking a bath.
31 Mar 2012, 11:44 am
Sharks… ffs
31 Mar 2012, 11:45 am
Alots been said about Coetzee and he’s good but not in alberts league – what a massive game tonight – I relish the prospect of some of alberts, Bismarck and beast being combined with the stormers pack for the boks.
31 Mar 2012, 11:47 am
Sharks are really playing below par. It starts with a glory boy captain and goes downhill from there.
31 Mar 2012, 11:47 am
come on jake,work your magic!
31 Mar 2012, 11:48 am
JP playing damn well too – the Boks are all looking good. No nfungane for boks tho asb heineken.
31 Mar 2012, 11:49 am
Hahaha Brumbies (Oz) mauling! Did not take Jake long…
31 Mar 2012, 11:51 am
This ref spots the weirdest knock-ons that only he can see.
31 Mar 2012, 11:51 am
come on mr.ref,time to show some yellow cards !!sharks have been cynical at the breakdowns.
31 Mar 2012, 11:51 am
52 capecrusader
u actually been watching any of this game here today? The amount if work that 120kg monster gets thru us frightening – not only is he by far the strongest ballcarrier in sa, if not the S15, also look at tge tackles he gets thru AND he can offload too
31 Mar 2012, 11:52 am
@Treehugger(Treehugger)-51: Enjoy.
And watch yourself. You know how those conservationists get
31 Mar 2012, 11:54 am
What a try!!!!
31 Mar 2012, 11:55 am
Yessus mvovo put his nose down there – cracking stuff
31 Mar 2012, 11:56 am
@cab(cab)-65:
Ja he got shorter the faster he ran…
31 Mar 2012, 11:57 am
DROPPED
31 Mar 2012, 11:59 am
C’mon Boys, I know u can do it!!! Unfortunately working so I cannot see it but am enjoying all these chirps!!!
GO BRUMBIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
31 Mar 2012, 11:59 am
Close! Brumbies doing all the attacking and Sharks the scoring.
31 Mar 2012, 12:02 pm
@BrumbiesBoy(BrumbiesBoy)-68:
Brumbies looking ok and on attack for a while now but they need to score or else…
31 Mar 2012, 12:03 pm
that’s no forward pass!!
31 Mar 2012, 12:05 pm
Another mysterious knock-on…
The #19 of the Brumbies is a beast, he crosses the advantage line every single time…and as I type he concedes a penalty.
31 Mar 2012, 12:06 pm
@Fern… Name dropping would be if I said his name and what a big shot nailer of poachers he is… This wasn’t rain rain, but torrential all night and morning downpour. But they drying off in shed and stables. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.
Would have fought with you sooner but signal keeps going.
31 Mar 2012, 12:06 pm
finally the ref takes his sharks shades off!
31 Mar 2012, 12:08 pm
Number of mistakes from both sides but damn good game
31 Mar 2012, 12:10 pm
@CAPECRUSADER(CAPECRUSADER)-29: I don’t see any national teams playing. Shame did your daddy tell you to back the All Blacks cos they play a good brand of rugby? LMAO! Poor old coloured boy.
31 Mar 2012, 12:10 pm
Moore brilliant – either he or alberts for MOTM.
31 Mar 2012, 12:11 pm
Well done Tjarks! No time left for the Brumbies.
31 Mar 2012, 12:12 pm
Brumbies playing all the rugby but Sharks scoring the breakaways. Jake white has turned the Brumbies into “batterykoppe” like he did the Boks under his tenure!
31 Mar 2012, 12:14 pm
Slarti 72
u damn right he going to be a wobblie I reckon, monster
31 Mar 2012, 12:15 pm
To little to late…you would think?
31 Mar 2012, 12:17 pm
Aish!
31 Mar 2012, 12:17 pm
Feck Sharks..
31 Mar 2012, 12:18 pm
Sharks get out of jail
31 Mar 2012, 12:18 pm
PHEW!!!!!
31 Mar 2012, 12:18 pm
Always sad to see the better side lose, but that’s the nature of the game. In truth, the Sharks were poor. Two very fortuitous tries against the run of play saved them from a deserved defeat.
31 Mar 2012, 12:20 pm
Thank goodness.
Deserved a win last week and blew it. This week less so but held on.
3 out of 4 lost away. All the losses by 5 or less.
Let’s see if we can win 1 or 2 more then back to Durban
31 Mar 2012, 12:22 pm
Good job Sharks but ffs you make it hard.
31 Mar 2012, 12:22 pm
OFFS!!!!!!
31 Mar 2012, 12:22 pm
@Alucard(Alucard)-86: jake deserved to lose, deal with it
31 Mar 2012, 12:24 pm
well done sharks… congrats to their fans…
31 Mar 2012, 12:25 pm
@Treehugger(Treehugger)-73: is it mr leakey?
you tell him the ranger sends respec!
31 Mar 2012, 12:28 pm
@BrumbiesBoy(BrumbiesBoy)-89: hahahahahahahahaha
31 Mar 2012, 12:28 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-90: Oh dear, there you go again. Plum is turning out to be no better than Muir. Sloppy play amongst the backs and when that supposed grunt is negated up front they have nothing. Where was Bismarck? Best I saw of him was being skinned alive for that late try. So much reputation, so little done on the field. On the plus side, Alberts was huge and Michalak showed all the benefit of playing a real 10. Viljoen is consistently the Shark’s most productive back though whilst JP is still not settling in well at 13. For a side that is supposedly so robust they will be disheartened at hw easily the Brumbies punched massive yardage through each carry. As I say, they did all the playing, and only two very lucky tries saved a fairly average side from a deserved loss. That’s the reality.
31 Mar 2012, 12:30 pm
“Desperate Sharks Edge Brumbies”
Ok, now if it was the Stormers the title would have been:
“Magnificent Stormers destroy Australian Conference Leaders by 4 tries to 2 asway from home”
Keo’s journalists really scrape the bottom of the barrel.
And Keo wonders why Keo.Co.Za is going down the tubes.
By far the better side won.
31 Mar 2012, 12:31 pm
@Pee Wee(Pee Wee)-76: wow!…great response,buddy.you are the only blogger making race comments all day.give yourself a congratulatory peosklap buddy.
31 Mar 2012, 12:32 pm
well done my sharks!
the brumbies have clearly been well coached, their work at the breakdown in particular is outstanding.
i thought keegan, marcel, jpp, viljoen, alberts and the biz were outstanding.
freddie was poor, he needs to learn how to pass again, mcleod was also very inaccurate today.
all in all, a fantastic game to watch, much like the cheetahs game.
roll on rugby.
31 Mar 2012, 12:32 pm
Sharks = Choke no cigar again this year.
31 Mar 2012, 12:35 pm
@Alucard(Alucard)-94: ag kuk man, the brumbies are deservedly leading the aussie conference and you pay them far too little respect on their home turf.
freddie was poor, his distribution and kicking were sub par. biz was huge both in terms of yardage and tackles.
you are clueless sonny, hit rewind on the vhs ok?
31 Mar 2012, 12:35 pm
have to agree with the heading here ,but as they say ,’look at the scoreboard’.congrats sharks
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