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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21 Jul 2012, 21:16 pm
@sharks_lover-588: Of course its going to be tought and of course travel is a huge factor… But boet these Sharkies are peaking right now… Running hot hot hot.
Momentum team… They should have enough for this game… But the final they may be like a damp squib unfortunately.
But as a wise man once said “have Faith, my son”
21 Jul 2012, 21:17 pm
@sharks_lover-599:
Hi SL are you Sharky on Superbru siting at 16 ?
21 Jul 2012, 21:18 pm
@fitz1ella-600: What now… changing tune… You scared?
21 Jul 2012, 21:19 pm
@carol-592:
Nice biceps and shoulders are good for pulling chicks but not essential for success on a rugby field.
Congratulations on Bradley winning the greatest endurance race in the world.
I am dying to find a pom to congratulate on his achievement – Big Hit ignored me when i tried him. You Brits are a funny lot.
21 Jul 2012, 21:20 pm
@Heavens Game-601: Oh i got faith brother, just a tad more quietly so
Our boys are really playing like we know that can at the Mo
@carol-602: Hi carolientjie as GBS calls you
and no hun that aint me, have not played SB this year
21 Jul 2012, 21:21 pm
Bulls should have made Dewalt potgieter captain that was the trick they missed.. by making Spies captain they basically stuffed their entire building year and are now further in arrears than they were before the S15 kicked off this year.
2009 is a LONG time ago.. Bulls got a long way to go to get back into the zone.. they not even intimidating up front and through the backs only one or two are pulling their weight.. too many mediocre middle of the road players without the real character of aggression required to make it at the top.
21 Jul 2012, 21:21 pm
@sharks_lover-605: Quiet… WTF for?
21 Jul 2012, 21:22 pm
The attack from the Sharks in the first half was some of the best seen this season – they cut the Reds to ribbons. If Jordaan hadn’t have got injured it would probably have continued in the same vein. The Stormers would give their eye teeth for some of that – whether their fans admit it or not. But you guys are blinded by the green monster – and I’m not talking about Windhoek or Amstel
21 Jul 2012, 21:24 pm
@Heavens Game-607: sanity??
21 Jul 2012, 21:25 pm
@Heavens Game-607:
and you you big enough to keep all the Stormer supporters in here at bay for us, we have faith in you hehehe
21 Jul 2012, 21:26 pm
Bok Barometer after today
Beast
Bissy
Doc
Etsebeth
Kruger
Coetzee
Alberts
Kanko
Vermaak
Freddy, if he was actually Saffa, else its Super Pat
Mvovo
Steyn
Donkey/Whitehead
JPP
Ludik/Pat
21 Jul 2012, 21:27 pm
@sharks_lover-610: Wheres Doggy Ped now… All loslyf met die groot banana
21 Jul 2012, 21:28 pm
1. Beast 2. Bismark 3. Coenie 4. Elstadt 5. Etsebeth 6. Kolisi 7. Alberts 8. Vermeulen
9. Hougaard 10. Goosen 11. JdV 12. Frans 13. JdJ 14. JP 15. Aplon
16. Jannie 17. Deon fourie 18. Juandra Kruger 19. Brussow 20. Coetzee 21. Pienaar 22. Habana
goodbye and thanks for coming
21 Jul 2012, 21:29 pm
@fitz1ella-606:
Yip, Dewald should have been the captain . He has more brains then the rest of the bulls pack combined. He scored 6 straight A’s in matric- marginally better than Koster and “Lem” Bosman who scored 5 each.
I heard Schalk also scored 5 but that is unconfirmed
21 Jul 2012, 21:30 pm
@Heavens Game-612: @Heavens Game-510
Groot bek, klein piesangtjie, ne?
21 Jul 2012, 21:30 pm
@sharks_lover-590:
hehe
bismarck is teaching the boys well
21 Jul 2012, 21:30 pm
@Robzim-604:
Congratulations, you are leading most of us here at position 22!! Heheheh
21 Jul 2012, 21:31 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-616:
this be true
21 Jul 2012, 21:32 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree stole my password-615: Klein bek…. GROOT piesang… You finished yet with your big yellow dahhhling…
21 Jul 2012, 21:32 pm
@Heavens Game-603: No tune to change I called Sharks to win already early last week.. Sharks got lucky that Bulls pulled the short straw to go to Chch and Sharks got the easy semi vs a dwindled Reds team.. in spite of Sharks being the far stronger physical outfit to Reds they were on the back foot the entire 2nd half and Reds should have scored early in the 2nd period.. Sharks were saved by some big tackling and some clever manipulations by Kaplan who disguises his bias very cutely by giving Reds penalties but actually diminishing their scoring chances on momentum…
Nothing whatsoever to be scared about.. Stormers will klap these boys when they venture into Newlands… Vermeulen must sit out first half and come on off bench and Stormers will end Sharks campaign next week.
Sharks got 4 – 5 trump cards.. Beast, Bismark, Alberts, Coetsee and Pietersen
Take care of them and they an easy target.
21 Jul 2012, 21:32 pm
@Heavens Game-612: I will tell you who is really CR@pping himself for our next match?? G10
21 Jul 2012, 21:34 pm
@carol-617:
That is no achievement taking into consideration te quality of the opposition.
These blokes just talk a lot of cr@p, they know farkall
21 Jul 2012, 21:35 pm
@kaksioek-608:
Tries count for nothing in the playoffs. No matter how pretty your rugby was in the lead up. It’s all about having more points at the end of the game than your opponent. And i’m gonna drink to that next Saturdsy.
21 Jul 2012, 21:36 pm
@fitz1ella-620: Eish big talk hey… But nice… Those lowly Sharks beating the defending champs in their own backyard are definite underdog in all of Cape Towns eyes…. Nothing better…
21 Jul 2012, 21:36 pm
@sharks_lover-621: fannywobble
21 Jul 2012, 21:37 pm
@Heavens Game-619:
Have you seen those baby bananas in UK? That’s your pedigree. Try being a plantain, then talk.
21 Jul 2012, 21:38 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree stole my password-626: You too, hurt me so bad… Sob
21 Jul 2012, 21:39 pm
@Heavens Game-625:
21 Jul 2012, 21:39 pm
@Robzim-596:
hehehe
well, come next saturday its either gonna be mock punches or virtual high fives that rule the day… has rugby ever been this cool…
21 Jul 2012, 21:41 pm
@Heavens Game-627:
Ask Hor-moanal to help you.
21 Jul 2012, 21:41 pm
@Heavens Game-611:
You picked 2 Storrmers in your barometer. One of them being donkey. I can’t believe. He is the Bok captain afer all.
Respect! i knew you’d see it my way.
21 Jul 2012, 21:42 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree stole my password-626: I have no qualms about my size, and neither does banshee or the lucky ladies of Pretoria… but come now, not even John Holmes is the size of a plantain… Sheezus, what are you…. the channel tunnel?
21 Jul 2012, 21:44 pm
@IAAS-631: I must… Hes done nothing wrong at 13 and Cappie… But am watching him like a hawk
21 Jul 2012, 21:44 pm
@Heavens Game-611:
2 Stormers and 2 Bulls the rest Sharkshits
why not include Bressler for Kruger and Sykes for Etsebeth and Mcleod for Vermaak with Jordaan for captain JdV.. and you good to go.. a complete black / white dynamite Bok team.. who needs green and gold when all you want is black and white to smoke up your eyeglasses entirely?
21 Jul 2012, 21:46 pm
Sadly vermeulen won’t play on Saturday.
He did not really train with the team on friday as the press reported unless catching and passing two balls count as training.
Oh yes, he also did some juggling with a rugby ball- quite nifty for such a big bloke.
@wait for it, wait for it…-629:
Lol, yip.. hopefully some dancing from de Jongh or Aplon on Saturday
Breyton actually started this trend in SA with his somersaults.
Funny how some players have less inhibitions then others.
Always the backs… the small blokes… fark, i nearly said someting wrong….
21 Jul 2012, 21:47 pm
@fitz1ella-634: Sykes above Etsebeth maybe, when at his very best… But I give a gimme to the others for social cohesion, national unity and all that…
21 Jul 2012, 21:47 pm
@Heavens Game-632:
feck! channel tunnel? lol
21 Jul 2012, 21:49 pm
@Heavens Game-611: I remember reading Tacitus a month ago or so saying that a Springbok team composed entirely of Blue Bulls could beat England. Now you’re having similar delusions about the Sharks.
I thought they played very well, but they’re a bit like the tennis player that beats the top seed. Great one day, flat the next. Look what happened to the guy that beat Nadal. The same thing happened after the Sharks beat the Stormers-lost to the Lions.
Make no mistake I did admire the rugby played by the Sharks today,but you’d better hope they keep it up or you’ll look foolish.
21 Jul 2012, 21:51 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree stole my password-637: That’ll teach you too
21 Jul 2012, 21:53 pm
@papashanga-638: You soppy twat… It was a great Sharks victory against the defending champs… away… What do you want? Farken black and white nun habits and a vow of silence…. farkoff man
21 Jul 2012, 21:58 pm
Ever since Sharks ditched that fatfunk show boater that weighed them down their last 2 seasons they have turned the corner..
The Sharks of today compared to the Sharks under that fat funk hump of lardacious self serving gunk is like chalk and cheese.. and to think Boks were saddled with that hump of f’ng lard who kept Bismark out the start team.. and Spies kept keeping Alberts out is no wonder Boks lost 11 from 13 starts the last 2 years under that fat funk clown’s over fed lardarse..
21 Jul 2012, 22:00 pm
It is really a pity that the legendary bloggers called grant10 and just rugby won’t be here next week to join in the build-up towards the sharks/stormers game. Their contributions are sadly missed.
21 Jul 2012, 22:02 pm
@fitz1ella-641: Eish, you trying…
It aint working… Sharks chappies too happy…
And PS… Barney is Legend.
Hasta la Vista… Outtahere tonight
Hasta la muerte Sharks
21 Jul 2012, 22:04 pm
@Robzim-642:
What is their story, Rob? They continue to behave like girls’ blouses. Someone sure p1ssed them off big time. In unison. But that’s the way they seem to roll. Would be good to see them back around here. The more the merrier.
21 Jul 2012, 22:05 pm
@Robzim-642:
Sadly missed makes them sound like the have ‘pegged it’!!
Grant and JustRugby if you look in, we do miss you
21 Jul 2012, 22:06 pm
@Heavens Game-643:
Nag ou grote. And the Stormers are going to kick arse next Saturday. I stand by that.
21 Jul 2012, 22:08 pm
@IAAS-644:
I think they just got tired of it all and moved on. I met both of them in real life – absolute great blokes- both played first league club rugby in WP and Just rugby also played age group rugby for Natal (of all places).- pity as u said.
21 Jul 2012, 22:10 pm
@fitz1ella-641:
‘Lardarse’ though that was a ‘Pommie’ saying!!
Sounds a bit undignified coming from a Captonian!!
21 Jul 2012, 22:11 pm
@carol-645:
Lol, ja, “sadly” was not an appropriate word.
Let me go before i lose a fridge like grant has done on more then one occasion
21 Jul 2012, 22:12 pm
@Robzim-647:
Hear, hear….Grant10 and justRugby are great company and fabulous hosts!
Both of them loved to wind up the bloggers too….. Grant especially!! lol
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