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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6 Jul 2012, 19:48 pm
Deon Greyling is kak
Both Potgieters are kak
Aikona is the slowest kakkest wing in superrugby!
6 Jul 2012, 19:49 pm
Juandre Kruger, GHD Potgieter, Spies……………………hondk@k lol. How do these okes make the SB squad. GO SHARKS!!!!!
6 Jul 2012, 19:50 pm
Kankowski’s having a good game.
6 Jul 2012, 19:51 pm
No try
6 Jul 2012, 19:51 pm
freddie the TMO spotted it.
6 Jul 2012, 19:51 pm
And Kankowski is as kak as Spies!
Infact the word Spies is synonymous with kak.
6 Jul 2012, 19:53 pm
@Pee Wee(Pee Wee)-52:
Macguyver Greyling pulls the same “ek gaan jou dik bliksem ek se’ kak out each derby (with the same sad results for him each time…)
6 Jul 2012, 19:57 pm
morne is NOWHERE in general play! just waiting to skop.
6 Jul 2012, 19:57 pm
Good debut by Pieter-Stef du Toit. well done young man.
6 Jul 2012, 19:58 pm
Sharks very good on the counter.
Dewald Potgieter having an outstanding game in a losing pack.
6 Jul 2012, 19:58 pm
Mvovo, textbook try saving tackle!
Spies is MIA. Bismarck is calling the shots here, thank you very much
6 Jul 2012, 20:00 pm
Spies…..rolls like a toddler, loses the ball. Woeful.
Where is that Taccy fellow? He needs to explain to me what Spies was doing there, and why he was coached to do that.
6 Jul 2012, 20:00 pm
JP Pietersen stood there watching a rugby ball on the ground for an eternity.. WTF?? Sometimes he falls asleep on the field.
6 Jul 2012, 20:00 pm
Good half of rugby that.
6 Jul 2012, 20:01 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-43: The Bulls have one of the poorest loose trios in the competition.
I’ll probably get crucified for saying that.
6 Jul 2012, 20:01 pm
I luv that Vodacom advert.
6 Jul 2012, 20:01 pm
first scrum of the game was a chassisbender
looked like the bulls pack were wearing rollerskates
first long range penalty,fransie nails it.
double BOOM!
6 Jul 2012, 20:02 pm
@IAAS(I am a stormer)-63: He was telling the ref to play the knock-on.
6 Jul 2012, 20:02 pm
Spies just actually touched the ball for the first time in 12mins, and that was to pick it up after a knock-on. Somebody please, tell me what this guy does on a pitch………..!?
Last game he touched it 4 times in the second half and there was a period of 22 mins when he didn’t touch the ball…………he just runs around,
How can this be…………??
6 Jul 2012, 20:03 pm
Strooi. Morne is doing his level best, distribution is good. Others ore messing it up.
6 Jul 2012, 20:03 pm
I cannot believe how people are going on about how kak the Bulls players and no mention of how good the Sharks are at shutting them down and allowing them the go forward they had last week. There is always a Sharks player attacking the defensive ruck with rights to play the ball which makes it difficult to get quick ball.
6 Jul 2012, 20:03 pm
The Sharks are looking awesome. But then why wait until now to play as well as you can? Why not throughout the season? They always do this.
6 Jul 2012, 20:03 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-71: meant “not” allowing them…..
6 Jul 2012, 20:04 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-62: I would like to hear from him why that King reject Potgieter was selected for the Boks ahead of the hairy Strauss.
6 Jul 2012, 20:04 pm
The Bulls defensive coach is busy spitting puffadders in the changeroom.
6 Jul 2012, 20:05 pm
@frm(frm)-69:
Do you realise that rugby is more than just running around with the ball for 80 minutes?
6 Jul 2012, 20:05 pm
@51 akhona’s lost his acceleration. But outside of the speed issue, him & his bro have been amongst the most dependable, diligent wings of the past few years
6 Jul 2012, 20:05 pm
Sharkies looking sharp!!! Bulls loosies are nowhere, led from the front by Captain Invisible himself lol …loved Bissy running right over Kirchner
6 Jul 2012, 20:06 pm
Those geniuses who have been critical of Marcell Coetzee – where are you now? Do you have any more pointers for him?
6 Jul 2012, 20:06 pm
If we, The Mighty Stormers, can whip The Pink Brigade twice in a season, then The Whitebait should win in the Goldfish Bowl…………………
6 Jul 2012, 20:06 pm
@willievz(willievz)-60:
I’ve reckoned for a while that Dewald should concentrate at 6. He has the intelligence and skill to provide an element that’s been missing from our loosies.
6 Jul 2012, 20:07 pm
@IAAS(I am a stormer)-75:
He can spit all he wants. It’s clear all these babies just went with for a long weekend in Durban.
6 Jul 2012, 20:07 pm
@RL(RL)-74: Absolutely ridiculous. Josh a far better player and more versatile (7 & 8)
6 Jul 2012, 20:07 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-71: guppies are only good if they pickup a bonus point win. 4 points just not good enough.
6 Jul 2012, 20:07 pm
@RL(RL)-56: Kankowski is on fire. What are you talking about?
6 Jul 2012, 20:07 pm
@willievz(willievz)-65: How can you be crucified for speaking the truth
The only folk who will disagree with you, in no particular order:
1. Heyneke Meyer
2. Frans Ludeke
3. That Tacitus fellow.
4. Spies
5. J Potgieter
I am a huge Dewald Potgieter fan though, so I won’t be saying anything negative about him. He has such a good rugby brain and reads the game far too well to play for the Bulls.
6 Jul 2012, 20:09 pm
@kaksioek(kaksioek)-79: Notice the number on his jersey tonight.
@David(David)-81: I tend to agree with you, even though I also think he is best nr8 they have at the moment. Very intelligent player.
6 Jul 2012, 20:09 pm
Jacques P is hondk*k!!
6 Jul 2012, 20:10 pm
Kanko is having a brilliant game. Superb in the lineouts.
Go Sharks.
6 Jul 2012, 20:10 pm
@Ho3n3r – running around for 80mins and ACTUALLY ACHIEVING SOMETHING is my point! What’s Spies’ point?
6 Jul 2012, 20:10 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-71: Because at this stage it’s more fun talking about how kak certain Bulls players are.
(Sharks are playing extremely well dude, we all see that)
6 Jul 2012, 20:11 pm
Can’t believe I picked to Pienk Cows on S.bru!!! Where is their pienk away strip?
My synopsis of the 1st half:
For the Sharks; Bissie, marcel, Jpp, Fred and Kanko have all played well.
Bulls; not many positives, lineout and scrum under pressure, Spies has been invisible, how did JJ make the Boks squad, he has had a kak season, Potgieter (7) also nowhere and has no impact – how did he win a Bok cap?
Bulls look sh!te !!
6 Jul 2012, 20:11 pm
@viewer(viewer)-77: look Aikona is 5 years older that what his I’d book says. Long story but it is true so the lack of pace is understandable.
@willievz(willievz)-83: sad but true.
6 Jul 2012, 20:12 pm
@Ho3n3r(Ho3n3r)-76: Did you notice anything constructive Spies did in the half? I honestly didn’t but I’m all ears if I missed something.
6 Jul 2012, 20:13 pm
Whitehaed is slow – Spies tracked him down…
6 Jul 2012, 20:13 pm
Spies making Whitehead look like a snail. One good thing to see as a Bulls supporter.
6 Jul 2012, 20:13 pm
Spies did something!
6 Jul 2012, 20:13 pm
@kaksioek(kaksioek)-85: sorry I must have mistaken him for Daniel.
6 Jul 2012, 20:13 pm
@willievz(willievz)-65:
The Bulls in essence aren’t a bad team, but they have won so many of their games last two years assisted by fraudulent referees, they just got used to those referees winning it for them. It’s the easy way
Ditto the Stormers
6 Jul 2012, 20:15 pm
Good build. Well executed try.
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