Lambie’s light shines brightest
23 Feb 2013
Pat Lambie scored 19 points as the Sharks downed the Cheetahs.
The Sharks won 29-22 and were forced to dig deep to secure the victory. They led 26-5 with 20 minutes to go before the home team launched a fantastic comeback.
The Cheetahs got off to the ideal start, scoring a try early in the first half from a rolling maul, Philip van der Walt falling over the chalk. Johan Goosen missed an early long-range penalty and the try’s conversion.
Lambie on the other hand, slotted three consecutive penalties to take the lead for the first time and converted the Mvovo try to contribute 11 points in the first half alone. Mvovo’s try came from broken play after a messy lineout ball was wildly tapped on the Sharks’ side, which Mvovo ran onto at pace and ran to the tryline untouched.
The Cheetahs threatened late in the first half, but the Sharks’ defence was impressive and the home side could not reduce the deficit before half time.
The second half continued in much the same vain, the Sharks scoring another 10 points through a try from Marcell Coetzee, and the conversion and another penalty from Lambie. The Sharks had a 21 point lead and the game seemed all but over.
But step up Sarel Pretorius, who was the kick up the backside the Cheetahs needed. His speed and quick service almost single handedly got the Cheetahs back in this match. The Cheetahs hit back to score 17 unanswered points, two tries, both converted by Goosen and a penalty to bring the match to within three points for the home team.
The Sharks managed to held on though, their defence being the best attribute on the day. Lambie, who was announced man of the match, scored his 21st point late in the game, slotting his fifth penalty.
A poor crowd turned out for this season opener in Bloemfontein, but they were treated to an exciting, running game, something that has become something of a given at a Cheetahs match.
The Cheetahs’ slow start could well be as a result of Johan Goosen not having had any preseason gametime and taking some time to find his feet, his decision making and kicking letting him down in the first half. Piet van Zyl was also not in the best form, Sarel Pretorius pushing to start the next match after his magnificent performance tonight.
The Cheetahs battled in the set pieces, their lineouts were a complete shambles, probably as a result of their two first choice locks being out injured, while they struggled to get the upper hand at scrum time.
For the Sharks, one cannot say much more about the game plan at this stage, but their maturity showed as a Sharks team of two years ago would not have held on for this victory. Whether this comes down to the leadership within the team, Frans Steyn being the new captain, or just experience of past results finally paying dividends, remains to be seen.
They dominated at scrum time, and the backline showed some pace from speedsters such as Mvovo, Pietersen and Jordaan. Coach John Plumtree should be happy, but knowing the perfectionist he is, he would like the team to improve on their handling and possession lost stats.
The Sharks now host the Stormers in Durban, a match that is a repeat of the semi-final last year, a match that will go a long way indicating the top South African conference team.
By Richard Ferguson
249 Comments
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23 Feb 2013, 17:23 pm
@nortierd-45: A challenger appears.
23 Feb 2013, 17:25 pm
@kaksioek-51:
23 Feb 2013, 17:25 pm
Both of these teams are playing so much better than that drivel dished up yesterday.
23 Feb 2013, 17:26 pm
So far Sharks look like fish out of water
23 Feb 2013, 17:28 pm
Kakinniebroek if your team loses it doesn’t matter how you play
23 Feb 2013, 17:29 pm
Looking at what Franco Vd Merwe has done so far, looks like we bought the wrong Lion
23 Feb 2013, 17:29 pm
See: it goes between the poles. An easy mistake to make though.
23 Feb 2013, 17:30 pm
@W.P-54: what game are you watching? Dont talk kuk.
23 Feb 2013, 17:30 pm
@nortierd-56: Lion*s*. You bought the wrong Lions, plural.
23 Feb 2013, 17:30 pm
Would rather play boring rugby and win than exciting rugby and lose.
23 Feb 2013, 17:31 pm
@kaksioek-59:
Yep, the wrong pride of lions
23 Feb 2013, 17:31 pm
@W.P-55: Keep telling yourself that sunshine. It’s a ******* long season to watch that kak though. Rather you than me.
23 Feb 2013, 17:32 pm
Jeez why does our field look so patchy and kuk. Looks like a dinosaur used it as a catbox.
23 Feb 2013, 17:32 pm
The Beast is on his last legs, the game’s only 24 min old?
23 Feb 2013, 17:34 pm
Must be nice to support a team who has a kicker who actually converts penalties into points.
At this stage of the comp, I am not sure how that feels
23 Feb 2013, 17:34 pm
@Treehugger-63: It’s Bloemfontein – it doesn’t rain there a whole lot. The grass will be reseeded after this game, apparently.
23 Feb 2013, 17:35 pm
Lambie is a machine.
23 Feb 2013, 17:36 pm
Silence of the Lambie falling on Bloem now.
Mvovo is the real deal.
23 Feb 2013, 17:36 pm
Yebo baby………….whooohooo Mvovo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
23 Feb 2013, 17:37 pm
Treehugger the Kiwis manage to play exciting and winning rugby. The Sharks have captured that magic but their funishing lacks conviction….thus far.
23 Feb 2013, 17:38 pm
Planned move – straight off the training field
23 Feb 2013, 17:38 pm
Tjarks feeding frenzie?
Bad mistake by Goosen.
Jantjies already failed the test yesterday, Goosen looks like he will join him in the special class.
23 Feb 2013, 17:38 pm
Go Cheeatah’s – Go Cheetah’s
23 Feb 2013, 17:38 pm
@kaksioek-66: thank you, am blushing……missed the very beginning of game.
23 Feb 2013, 17:39 pm
@Treehugger-74: No sweat, I did think you were a Sharks fan.
23 Feb 2013, 17:40 pm
FS greedy d00s.
23 Feb 2013, 17:40 pm
@Predawn-70: huzzit, are you in SA watching the game.
23 Feb 2013, 17:41 pm
@kaksioek-53: I have to agree with you! See, I’m not trying to be funny
23 Feb 2013, 17:41 pm
@W.P-76: We’ll keep him – thanks.
23 Feb 2013, 17:43 pm
@kaksioek-75: 100% SHARK !!!!!! But a very distracted one, that has to really make an effort to watch a bit of rugy, that’s why I haven’t really been on keo much lately.
23 Feb 2013, 17:45 pm
Treehugger I arrive on the 28th.
23 Feb 2013, 17:45 pm
Anyone got a decent stream for this game?
23 Feb 2013, 17:45 pm
@Treehugger-80: Well come back often – we need to try and balance out the Stormers propaganda.
23 Feb 2013, 17:50 pm
Great defence.
23 Feb 2013, 17:51 pm
How long are you going to be here for Pre?
23 Feb 2013, 17:52 pm
@Predawn….welcome back
Kaksioek……..was posting a lot when the Hore thread was on the go. At least we have pussycat on our side this year and not against us
am waiting for a support song from him like the one he did against the Sharks previously 
23 Feb 2013, 17:54 pm
The beast is Beastly.
23 Feb 2013, 17:55 pm
@Treehugger-86: Yes, I do remember you.
Where’s Skop? I would like to hear his take on things.
23 Feb 2013, 17:55 pm
Tree
Whenever I see the peels on the paperbark thorntree at our office I think of your m onkeys:-)
23 Feb 2013, 17:57 pm
@nortierd-56: Nobody, but nobody, other than the Bulls, knows more about buying talent, than the Sharks …
23 Feb 2013, 17:58 pm
@90
The all blacks know far more.
23 Feb 2013, 17:59 pm
Just for you hugs.
We are Black
We are White
We are freeeking Dynamite
BOOM
I will work on a great guppy song for you guys
23 Feb 2013, 18:00 pm
@Angostura-90:
That’s the truth
Pretty much what Skop has been saying the past couple of days, only less eloquently.
23 Feb 2013, 18:00 pm
@nortierd-61: nope, the correct shame of Lions
23 Feb 2013, 18:01 pm
@RL-92:
Somehow ‘Bread of Heaven’ on the other chanel sung by Wales fans is so much more melodic!!
23 Feb 2013, 18:02 pm
Nortier
Wanna align you with him?
23 Feb 2013, 18:02 pm
Lambie’s holding back, no doubt under instructions to preserve the Coastal team’s stamina at 34 Deg and altitude of 1,400m
I really hopehe will start stronger at the 2nd half, to see some attempts to put his backs into the many gaps in the Cheetahs’ defence
23 Feb 2013, 18:03 pm
@Angostura-94:
Ha ha
Well said
23 Feb 2013, 18:04 pm
@Fern-96:
With who?
23 Feb 2013, 18:04 pm
Nobody, but nobody, knows more about boring spectators than the Stormers
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