Scintillating Sharks blow away Bulls
6 Jul 2012
RYAN VREDE reports on an excellent all-round performance from the Sharks that saw them get the bonus point in beating the Bulls 32-10 to keep their Super Rugby campaign alive.
If the Sharks can replicate the characteristics that earned them this most critical of victories – energy, purpose, physicality, accuracy of execution and killer instinct – they will be formidable opponents going forward. Their inconsistency has undermined their cause in recent matches, but tonight they were largely flawless in their approach and execution when they most needed to be.
The Bulls, laden with Springboks, are no soft touch, even away from home. But they were comprehensively outmuscled at the collisions and seldom allowed to get any momentum into their attacks. The Sharks would score four tries, but this win was built on their industry, accuracy and brutality on defence. With their key strike runners nullified, the Bulls’ potency was significantly diluted. Furthermore, the Sharks played above themselves at lineout time and their scrum fronted to further stifle the Bulls.
The Sharks starved them of possession and pinned them in their territory for the first 30 minutes of the contest, scoring two converted tries and two penalties to establish a 20-3 lead at the break, then struck the telling blow of the match three minutes into the second half. The Sharks’ first five pointer came after erosive phase play, Marcell Coetzee setting up Bismarck du Plessis for a try with a deft offload. Their second came after they punched up left then snapped right, JP Pietersen rounding off in the corner.
The Bulls were stunned and their response reflected this, loose, unstructured attacks marking the second quarter. Lwazi Mvovo scrambled well to deny Akona Ndungane a try in the 34th minute and the Bulls couldn’t convert subsequent pressure into the points they needed to stir belief going into the change rooms.
The Sharks then fractured the Bulls’ psyche further when Keegan Daniel alluded the cover defence after another wave of pressure had depleted the numbers in their defensive line.
But the Bulls’ resolve is well known and they rallied in search of what would have been one of the great comebacks. Zane Kirchner finished close to the corner with Morne Steyn converting. And while they enjoyed plenty of time on the ball in the period that followed, their play became increasingly desperate in the face of the Sharks’ immense tackle fight and rabid breakdown contest, the latter yielding numerous turnovers.
Having negotiated the best the Bulls could offer the Sharks set about capturing the five-point win they so needed to improve their chances of making the play-offs. The composure and intelligence they showed in achieving that goal was inspiring and their wild celebrations upon Louis Ludik touching down said everything about how much they had invested in achieving this crucial result.
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711 Comments
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7 Jul 2012, 15:52 pm
sharks benefited from lambie not playing fullback what a blessing
marcel coetzee is brillianthe just needs to play for the full 80 min as he tends to go missing in action in the midle part of the game or he could play 60 all out and then be replaced
7 Jul 2012, 19:25 pm
As a bulls supporter, I will give credit where credit is due and say well done sharks. You played an amazing game last night and the bulls were never in it. So well done!!!
8 Jul 2012, 09:17 am
As it stands the bulls will have to go to Candbera and the sharks to Christchurch,I know where I would rather be going.Hopefully the saders will lose next week and bulls and sharks win taking them to 4th and 5th place.
8 Jul 2012, 10:06 am
4 moreyears… Look at the log again… Sharks will go to Canberra… 3 plays 6 and 4 plays 5… Sharks are 6th…
8 Jul 2012, 15:15 pm
My take on the young talent in SA:
Kolisi had a great overseas tour – put in some big hits but has not delivered the same level of performance since returning from tour. 1 or 2 big hits looks great on a highlights reel (ala J.Potgieter) but I prefer Marcel Coetzee for his work rate (most tackles), superior speed, cover defense, linking play and off loads.
I am a Stormers supporter and rate Marcel higher than Siya. This may change, let’s wait and see.
Then Eben looked better at the start of the Season than he does now – he is a rare talent but has been over hyped, I watch his games closely and don’t yet see what all the fuss is about. (I would select Elstadt as my #4 enforcer).
J. Potgieter – it is a joke that this neanderthal got a Bok Cap. He doesn’t read the game well, is late to arrive at the contact points, flops over in contact and has never passed or offloaded a rugby ball in his life.. Vodacom Cup level player.
8 Jul 2012, 18:56 pm
@ Gumboots i see you are moaning about the fact there is hardly any bulls fans blogging,i am not surprised what do you expect them to write about,how good we were.I will say it for all the bulls fans out there the bulls got an absolute hiding,are you happy now.
8 Jul 2012, 18:58 pm
Well done to all you sharks fans out there your team totally outplayed the bulls and deservedly won the game.
9 Jul 2012, 00:48 am
Well done Sharks, you played bloody well.
As a Bulls supporter, I have two comments:
1) Akona Ndungane SERIOUSLY needs to lean how to finish. Any decent winger should have been able to finish that try, He INSISTS on trying to place the ball at a point about two feet OVER the tryline. He should be diving to hit the floor just before the line. It cost us a try last week against the Cheetahs, and this week again. At this level it is unacceptable.
2) WTF is going on with Hougaard? Even when under pressure, a good scrummie should have the technique to clear the ball fast, accurately and stably. His wonky, wobbly passes out were a big problem as it takes the flyhalf a half second to correct their grip on it after receiving it. this gives them less time to make good decisions. He needs to step in, bending the front leg, and pass as if passing with one hand. so that it comes out of the hand stably. he currently steops all teh way in, bends both legs, picks up the ball, runs two steps sideways, and then passes. Not good enough. Ditto his box-kicking – just bad technique. He must be taking a step backwards when kicking to move clear of the advancing forwards. Currently he stays still, and kicks. Shabby technique.
9 Jul 2012, 01:23 am
@SjamBok(SjamBok)-708: ludeke & heyneke should’ve fixed ALL these technical flaws in hougaard’s game.
9 Jul 2012, 02:18 am
705 Brains Trust….
Who did you watch closely? Because Eben didn’t play?
Must not drink so heavily on a Sunday mate.
9 Jul 2012, 02:20 am
Games I see. With an ‘s’. My apologies.
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