Sensational Sharks smash Reds
21 Jul 2012
JON CARDINELLI reports on the Sharks’ 30-17 hammering of the Reds in Saturday’s play-off in Brisbane.
After the Bulls’ dismal effort in Christchurch, the Sharks have turned in a rousing physical performance to not only keep their own title hopes alive, but those of a nation.
The resounding victory in Brisbane has set up a semi-final showdown against the Stormers. What this means is that one South African team will definitely progress to the grand final on 4 August.
The Stormers will be difficult to beat in Cape Town, but the Sharks will fancy their chances given the manner of victory at Suncorp Stadium.
It was a superior forward performance that set the platform for what will go down as one of the great Sharks Super Rugby victories. On the back of that forward dominance, the Sharks piled on the points in the first half, and defended like demons in the second.
Some might say that the Sharks had their fair share of luck in this encounter. Indeed, Reds coach Ewen McKenzie would have felt a strong sense of dejavu as starting flyhalf Ben Lucas was carried off in the 21st minute, an injury that forced star scrmhalf Will Genia to shift to No 10.
Lucas had been ineffective while he was on the park, and it didn’t help that his forwards were copping a hiding at the collisions and breakdowns. The Reds certainly missed Quade Cooper’s decision making in that key position, and after Lucas cried off with injury, the Reds also missed Genia’s impact at No 9.
But while this certainly worked in the Sharks’ favour, the visitors made a great deal of their own luck. Travelling across the world for this fixture was never going to be easy, and doing so without Frans Steyn and Pat Lambie was expected to detract from their performance.
They went into the game as underdogs, but from the first whistle they showed the mongrel, desire and precision to win the key battles and eventually the match.
Apart from the raw power at the collisions (the Sharks pack was superb and the decision to play Willem Alberts at No 4 was vindicated), the decision making by the heavies was a real highlight.
The Sharks forwards would place their counterparts under pressure at the rucks, force the turnover and then produce some dazzling offloads that kept the movement alive.
They converted every early opportunity, racing to a 10-0 lead inside 13 minutes. By the half-hour mark they were 20-3 up, Freddie Michalak nailing a drop goal to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Genia would leave his mark on this match with an important play moments later. Spotting Jannie du Plessis defending on the wing, Genia directed play left and linked up smartly with Scott Higginbotham. The Wallabies loosie delivered the final pass to Genia, and at 20-10 the Reds were still in with a chance.
The period before and after half-time belonged to the Reds, but they were undone by their high-error rate as well as some stunning Sharks defence.
In fact, it was a sharp piece of pressure defence that created the Sharks’ next try, Charl McLeod reading the play beautifully and picking off a Genia pass.
The scrumhalf raced 75m to score, and at 27-10, the whole complexion of the game changed again. Another Sharks score would win the game, and the Reds would resort to some desperate tactics in an attempt to close that massive gap.
They turned down numerous shots at goal in search of a seven-pointer that would bring them closer, but their inability to win the collisions cost them at every turn.
While the Sharks spent almost the entire third quarter defending in their own territory, their ferocity at the point of contact was as rabid as was at the start of the game. They turned the Reds over from five metres out on several occasions, and again it was sharp decision making that cut down the Reds’ attacking space.
The Sharks had a further chance to score when Lwazi Mvovo broke from deep to spark a great period of attacking rugby with the offload in contact again a prominent feature. The ball eventually flew to the hapless Meyer Bosman, who tripped over his own feet and fell agonisingly short of the tryline. Fortunately for the Sharks, it was a gaffe that didn’t cost them on the scoreboard.
The Reds finished strongly in the final five minutes, but by then the result was beyond doubt. Radike Samo crossed the tryline and Genia converted, but all this served to do was lend some respectability to the scoreline.
The Sharks were more dominant that the final scoreline suggested, and that final try will not detract from what was their best defensive performance in 2012.
Scorers:
Reds – Tries: Will Genia, Radike Samo. Conversions: Mike Harris, Genia. Penalty: Harris.
Sharks – Tries: JP Pietersen, Paul Jordaan, Charl McLeod. Conversions: Freddie Michalak (3). Penalties: Michalak (2). Drop goal: Michalak.
1,036 Comments
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22 Jul 2012, 19:35 pm
@fitz1ella-994: Yeah, well whoever dares steal my nic needs a farken PK straight up their wellused, welloiled arseholle, whoever it is…
And Plum is in the process of giving those runts who started that FB petition and all the other “Dumbtree” fuckwits one figurative PK with the way HIS side has been playing for the last 3 games… Especially those carnts from that Sharksworld “supporter” site…
Let us not forget that Plum is a Shark thru and thru too…
22 Jul 2012, 19:35 pm
@wooden spoon-998: you the twat.. who put the fitz1ella post up on the other page if not you.. was a Sharkshit without a doubt.. and the only Sharkshit stupid enough to do so would be a failed barrister at law who wanna bend the rules for his own failed credulity sake…
22 Jul 2012, 19:36 pm
@fitz1ella-994: don’t be a twat. twat. twat. twat.
I am a twat twat twat.
22 Jul 2012, 19:37 pm
@wooden spoon-1003: lol even I had to laugh at #1003.
22 Jul 2012, 19:39 pm
@wooden spoon-1003: Chrissakes, this is not Woody… Now farkoff with your farken pedigreed fraudulent multinic….
22 Jul 2012, 19:39 pm
How is it possible for people to just take the usernames of others? The system should not allow it – surely.
22 Jul 2012, 19:41 pm
@Heavens Game-1001: now the same fuckwits are parading around here as if they been behind him all along… basking in all the glory when was them alone who been front of the lynch mob out for a Plum hanging.. and they be the nic thieves I reckon.. just to exacerbate the confusion and fraudulence around the town…goody two shoes nic thieves pretending they been Plum backers all along.. if Sharkshits to go on and win this thing they still gonna want his head.. how’s that for loyalty and allegiance for you.
22 Jul 2012, 19:41 pm
@sharks_lover-989:
You lying Hor-moanal Sharkshit you also said this @951:
“Crowd going crazy for Ernie he will prolly finish 2nd”
22 Jul 2012, 19:42 pm
@wooden spoon-1003: probably that Grant100 moron reckons he’s kinda stupid and clever all at the same time…
22 Jul 2012, 19:44 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree stole my password-1008: yes i did you insignificunt twatwaffel,
I am sure most thought Scott would hold it together after making that Birdie and was 4 up
Now FO
22 Jul 2012, 19:44 pm
@fitz1ella-1007: lol skop you are in your element, talking about Plumtree, trying to cause as much division in the Sharks ranks as you can.
But how can YOU talk in the first place? You were hoping for Jake White to FAIL every game he was Bok coach! That’s far worse….
What a farken hypocrite you are.
22 Jul 2012, 19:44 pm
Outa here till they clean up the nic a ring a rosies pocket full of posers so one knows who you talking to..
22 Jul 2012, 19:48 pm
Probably the best sporting weekend of my life.
Sharks, Proteas and now Ernie…speechless.
Well done boys.
22 Jul 2012, 19:48 pm
Me too. I’m out to watch the rest of the cricket.
22 Jul 2012, 19:48 pm
@fitz1ella-1007: Well, why dont Keo – Roy or whoever the fark it is – just switch back to the double Nic ID, and then we see who the farken nic stealing twats truly are… I suspect its the so called multinics who masquerade as the virtuous and oh so moralistic in one form or nic, then spew their utter farken nonsense and drivel, not in keeping with their cultivated moral personas under other nics… Farken fakefucking frauds
22 Jul 2012, 19:50 pm
@wooden spoon-1011: Jake White is a schmuck, was a schmuck, will always be a schmuck, never ever been anything BUT a schmuck in my estimation.. and never gonna be anything but a schmuck whatever his pseudo credential espouses to.. so I was never behind White who needed an Aussie to take him by his lost little hand and lead him to the promised land.. unlike Plumtree who been rubbing your second grade precocious little nose in all your underhanded insurrection since you been baying for his blood.
22 Jul 2012, 19:52 pm
@fitz1ella-1016: “Plumtree who been rubbing your second grade precocious little nose in all your underhanded insurrection since you been baying for his blood.”
And seeing that all I want is a winning Sharks team I am very happy that he has! You on the other hand actively wished for the Boks to lose so that you could say “I told you so.”
Poor show.
22 Jul 2012, 19:53 pm
NB
Am out too, ’til tomorrow…
Any other posting tonight under my Nic on this site of rapidly fraudulent flatulence until at least ntambama kusasa is a fraud….
22 Jul 2012, 19:53 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree stole my password-1008: Well at least you are swearing at the waiter. That is something I would do, so if you continue like this, you may share my nic.
22 Jul 2012, 19:54 pm
I am leaving now too. Got some cricket to watch.
22 Jul 2012, 19:55 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree stole my password-1008: TAlk ablout whoremoanlal, now thats you, pray tell where i lied??
here are the posts i spoke ok clear for others to see
920.sharks_lover said:
22 Jul 2012, 17:38 pm
Ernie back to -5
921.sharks_lover said:
22 Jul 2012, 17:39 pm
If he can finish -6 or -7 he might still be in with a shot to win, wind picking up
Now all this proves is that you are a lying sack of trash, and have to resort to onine trouble making to get some attention, obviouslyyour hubby wont give you any, and if you dont have a hubby?? one can see why??
22 Jul 2012, 19:56 pm
And im out too enough of this immature juvenile stupidity
22 Jul 2012, 20:01 pm
@sharks_lover-1021: You aren’t the brightest little bulb in the hardware store are you?
You are swearing at your mate Woody, masquerading as moi.
Sadly, it is only your fwendy Woody who seems to know how to change usernames, as he demonstrated last night – remember your little meltdown after his demo?
So do the very complicated mathematics…… 1 + 1 = 2. (If you get 3, I would suggest someone wave a hand in front of your face, to make sure you are still breathing….)
22 Jul 2012, 20:04 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree stole my password-1019:
I am in front of a mirror as I say this – the double agent.
I have to admit no one can steal my password so that attempt(in my nic) to slight the Sharks was just plain stupid of me.
22 Jul 2012, 20:44 pm
What the flaming hell is going on here.
Bile spewing deluxe.
22 Jul 2012, 20:51 pm
this site has gone viral.
22 Jul 2012, 21:09 pm
@charo-1026: Pathetic to say the least, the whole days was just fine till nic stealing etc started
And Good day Charo, you well?? how nice was this weekends sports for us Sharkies??
22 Jul 2012, 21:17 pm
@sharks_lover-1027:
could not have been better.
1. sharks
2. won my golf matchplay knockout
3. ernie – you beaut!
4. proteas showing the poms who the real world no.1 team are.
just hope that provincialism doesn’t creep into our cricket as well.
22 Jul 2012, 21:19 pm
@charo-1028: very true boet, so enjoyed our cricketers today, matters not whoe they play for provincially, just pure brilliance today
22 Jul 2012, 21:20 pm
@charo-1028: And congrats on winning the matchplay playoff
BTW i got my tickets for the match come saturday
22 Jul 2012, 21:38 pm
@sharks_lover-1030:
enjoy the game.
obviously want the sharks to win and make the final.
but my patriotic side says stormers have best chance for the country only because of a home final.
cheers, logging off for the night.
22 Jul 2012, 21:41 pm
Although i agree i do however think if the Sharks do win?? and thats a big IF, we prolly have the better side to beable to take on the Saders, Specially after all we would have gone through? the Sharks players i think in such a final would give more then their all
But if it is not to be and the Stormers do win?? will support them all the way and hope they do it for SA
22 Jul 2012, 22:38 pm
Well Done Ernie
Could not have happened to a nicer guy in sports
22 Jul 2012, 22:44 pm
Nice one, Wiggo!
23 Jul 2012, 02:41 am
Really, Meyer Bosman? REALLY? You cannot actually catch a pass and run over the line?
Never mind Big Match temperament, he does not have big millisecond temperament.
Except for a few lucky escapes by the Sharks, that try could have ended up being fooking CRITICAL!
23 Jul 2012, 08:05 am
@fitz1ella-1016: You sound like an utter idiot. Jake White took the boks from 5th ranked team in the world to number 1, that is the facts. Sure he wasn’t perfect but fact remains that he took the debacle that was Struali’s plonkers to world beaters. The fact that he had the vision and open mindedness to get Eddie Jones involved (a coach who had experience in World Cup rugby) to aid him was a master stroke.
Your childish rant just shows how narrow minded and clouded your vision is.
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