The Sharks took on The Lions in round 2 of the Currie Cup this afternoon at Newlands. The Sharks won a nail-biter by 2 points… 19 / 17 falling in the process to 2nd spot on the Log.
With permission from the official Sharks web site to use their match summaries, here is their view on this afternoon’s game:
The Sharks continued their impressive season with a hard-earned 19-17 victory over the visiting Xerox Lions at The Absa Stadium Durban on Saturday evening with the visitors certainly coming to Durban full of intent.
Both sides came into this game under pressure – this wouldn’t really have eased for either side, The Sharks failing to gain a bonus point which let Western Province slip above them on the log, the teams even on log points but Province enjoying a better points’ differential while the Lions cling to a smallest hopes of a semifinal spot with one round of the pool stages remaining.
Following their 30-19 victory in the first round, The Sharks didn’t quite have matters all their own way against a hugely competitive Lions side fighting the battle of their lives in their quest to remain within striking distance of a semifinal place.
As it is, they face Western Province in the last pool match next week, the Capetonians having leap-frogged the Sharks on the log but face an uphill battle to retain top spot if the Lions are as competitive at Coca-Cola Park next week as they were against The Sharks here today.
The lead see-sawed between the two teams for the entire match and the battle of the breakdown where numerous turnovers from both sides were effected was immense. With neither side really able to capitalise on attack in the first half aside from a few well-taken penalties from either side as well as a drop goal from Juan Hernandez the first half was a tightly-contested affair.
The Sharks finally came good after threatening for extended periods of the game when Nico Luus was sin-binned after his team had committed numerous infringements at the breakdown and with the penalty came a drive that had hooker Bismarck du Plessis in possession at the back of the maul and with the conversion, The Sharks had taken a small lead.
The visitors managed to cut the margin of deficit to just five points at the break after earning a penalty after the hooter had sounded and with Herkie Kruger converting, The Sharks led 16-11 at the end of the half.
Two penalties to one saw the visitors finish the second half the better, but The Sharks had done enough in the game to maintain their slender lead. The defences were tested severely in the final 40 minutes and although both side missed a few opportunities to score, the scramble defence was outstanding from both sides.
They each had their opportunities on attack, it must be said, but it was probably more a case of great defence than poor attack that kept the respective try-lines intact in the second half, neither able to penetrate the other’s wall of defenders.
The Sharks go into the final week knowing that a five pointer against Griquas, of a similar margin to The Blue Bulls 61-27 defeat of the Kimberley side earlier today, could mean the difference between first and second place on the log – and the Lions doing The Sharks a big favour by beating Province next week – or restricting them to just four log points.
However, today’s win guarantees The Sharks home ground status in the semifinals, the third-placed Blue Bulls unable to catch them regardless of the final weekend’s results.
Captain Stefan Terblanche admitted afterwards that, “It was a very tough game, you have to hand to the Lions who came here for a game of rugby. Although we wanted a bonus point win, first you have to win the game and credit to the Lions who played as if their lives depended on it.
“From this game, we know we can work on our lineouts, setpieces and our work at the breakdowns, they turned us over on the ground a few times. We have Griquas next week and it is always tough in Kimberley, but Province have to play the Lions next week, and that will be tough, hopefully the Lions can come to the party.”
Crowd: 23 998
Points:
Sharks: 3 Penalties & 1 Conversion Ruan Pienaar, 1 Drop Goal Juan Hernandez, Try Bismarck du Plessis
Lions: 3 Penalties Herkie Kruger, 1 Penalty Chris Jonck, Try Chris Jonck
Teams:
The Sharks: 15 Stefan Terblanche (captain), 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Waylon Murray, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Juan Hernandez, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Keegan Daniel, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Albert van den Berg, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Skipper Badenhorst, 17 Patric Cilliers, 18 Johann Muller, 19 Michael Rhodes, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Monty Dumond, 22 Adrian Jacobs.
Golden Lions: 15 Earl Rose, 14 Michael Killian, 13 Jannie Boshoff, 12 Doppies la Grange, 11 Johan Jackson, 10 Herkie Kruger, 9 Chris Jonck, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar (captain), 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Nico Luus, 3 Kevin Buys, 2 Hans van Dyk, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Replacements: 16 Torrie Meyer, 17 Wayne Swart, 18 Willem Stoltz, 19 Todd Clever, 20 Ruan Boshoff, 21 Walter Venter, 22 Pieter Engelbrecht.
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Assistant referees: Ben Crouse, Reuben Rossouw
TMO: Johann Meuwesen
@SA Barbarians – Hellooo….Province did the business for you!
Great brake by Rose, good follow up by Doppies, pity we lost the ball
@carol – Is the rumour that Sheridan is coming to the Lions?
@K9-MonsterLeeu – Wat? :poop: man.
Wel dis wat n wp supporter se antwoord sal wees.
Willem Alberts is baie goed.
Surely the Tjarks should be pinged for going straight to ground?
@carol – Think GBS has fallen asleep in front of his computer, must tease him about getting old and partying with youngsters
:rotfl:
52@carol – Listening to the live commentary on RSG. Unfortunately it’s in Afrikaans so it won’t help you much.
@The-Pill – :poop: wat?
@SA Barbarians – 58
Did you really think Kaplan will see THAT, it was the one of his Sharkies,
Jake White has made a moer of a difference to this Lions side, next week will not be so easy for the WP.
I know it is still early days, but Rose is having a good game thus far.
67@Treehugger – I’m right here… busy eating dinner… blogging, updating scores…. drinking nothing….
@Loosehead – As reigning CC Champs , they have immunity. :handshake:
Weet die Sharks hul moet 4 drieë druk vir ‘n bonuspunt ?
@Loosehead – I think K9 and SAB reported 3 British players were spotted at with The Lions.
K9 / SABarbarians
Guys what did you say earlier, I can’t remember where you posted this?
@K9-MonsterLeeu – Jy weet.
Jy weet wie is die beste 8 in die land volgens hulle.
@carol – 61
Oh yes that they did. But as you may have noticed us WP fans are not noisy or arrogant, so we just enjoy every game and give credit to other teams too when they merit it 🙂
70@Mr-T – Kaplan seems to think that the sun shines out of his rectum of late.
Every time I’ve seen him blow the Lions this year he has been so one sided it seems as if his one leg is 4 inches shorter than the other!
@carol – It was SAB who posted that.
@Treehugger – 67 OK I’m in, think he probably needs some leg pulling…… 😉
@The-Pill – O ok…verstaan 🙂
Lions kakking big time in the line-outs
@grootblousmile – Dam, was looking forward to teaseing you.
@Scrumdown – 79
Amen to that………LOL
Tjarks 9 / 8
@K9-MonsterLeeu – 80
Posted what?
We need to take our own line-outs, we are loosing to much possession at line -out time, Come on HANS
@SA Barbarians – 78 I have noticed many WP Supporters do have style and poise! 😎
everyones eating, and hubs potjie only ready at about 6. Hope its a good one cos its either divine or totally yuck.
:bomb:
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