The Sharks ended the Blue Bulls’ reign as Currie Cup champions and secured a home final with a hard-fought 16-12 victory in atrocious conditions at Absa Stadium on Saturday.
By Quintin van Jaarsveld
The men in black and white, despite playing at home, were considered the underdogs against the defending champions whose experience and stellar 88 percent win record in play-off matches were expected to see them through to the final on October 30.
The Sharks, however, got the match off to a perfect start and dictated the pace of the game for much of the 80 minutes. Their attack was fluent, calculated and precise while their defence at the death was incredible, especially after they had exerted so much energy with their high-octane game plan.
The Blue Bulls were starved of possession which ultimately proved decisive, but they defended like Trojans and the fact that they were in with a chance at the end alone was testament to how good a team they are.
The wet conditions in the second stanza assisted the Blue Bulls and their structured game plan with their driving maul gaining valuable meters. With the exception of a lone Ryan Kankowski steal, Victor Matfield and co also had the upper hand in the lineouts.
After a bizarre 42-minute delay due to a swarm of bees that descended on the field and concerns of the match possibly having to be postponed, the much-anticipated clash got under way with the Sharks retaining possession from a Pat Lambie kick-off.
The hosts were simply electric and strung together 14 phases before Charl McLeod found Keegan Daniel with a brilliant inside ball which saw the flanker rush to the line and dive over for the opening try inside the first two minutes to hand the Sharks a seven-point lead.
Lambie had an opportunity to stretch the early lead after a dominant period of play by the home team forced a penalty out of Chiliboy Ralepelle, but the young flyhalf pushed his kick to the left.
The Blue Bulls finally got their hands on the ball after the Sharks had enjoyed 93 percent of the possession in the first 15 minutes and Morné Steyn opened the Blue Bulls’ account in the 17th minute following their first visit to the Sharks’ 22.
The frenetic pace of the game continued throughout the half with the flyhalves trading penalties to make it 10-6 at the break in favour of the hosts. Considering the Sharks had 77 percent of the possession and only a slight four-point lead, the visitors from the North would have been pleased with their defensive effort and good discipline, while the Sharks would have wanted more points on the board.
The Sharks again enjoyed a good start as the rain started coming down hard and Lambie restored the seven-point lead two minutes after the interval, Victor Matfield being pinned for not rolling away, before Steyn missed his first kick of the afternoon off the upright.
The Springbok pivot, however, made amends moments later when he expertly landed a long-range penalty. Increasing pressure exerted by the Sharks then resulted in another successful penalty by Lambie and a final team warning against the visitors.
Matfield and his charges’ frustration intensified when Pierre Spies opted to take a quick tap from a very kickable position only to lead to a turnover. The Pretoria side’s fortunes seemed destined to change when ill discipline by Bismarck du Plessis saw referee Marius Jonker reverse a penalty, but Steyn was unable to close the gap in the ever-deteriorating conditions.
In the 62nd minute Steyn kicked his fourth penalty of the match to make it 16-12 and allow his team a chance to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The Blue Bulls laid it on thick in the last 10 minutes, turning down two shots at goal in search of the match-winning try.
It was to be the Sharks’ day, though, as their hunger and drive to succeed reflected in their resolute defence, which saw them hang on by the skin of their teeth to claim a thrilling victory.
Scorers:
Sharks – Try: Keegan Daniel. Conversion: Pat Lambie Penalties: Lambie (3).
Blue Bulls – Penalties: Morné Steyn (4).
Mooooooo!!!!!!! Hehehe
Some surprises in bok group.
Why no Keegan or Waylon or Doppies?
What has Adi or Stegmann done to be in the squad?
@ Pam Anderson:
what have they done wrong to be forgotten. Remember they were deemed good enough before their injuries , great from the selectors to show faith in their original picks.
You pick a side on form, not reputattion.
That was a brutal match,Bulls are extremely difficult to beat,I reckon Sharks will win the final,we’ll smash them upfront and their incredible backs will be nullified. But the Sharks have a history of cocking up in play offs so I’m not going to get ahead of myself.
Congratulations to all the Sharks.
Your team showed guts and determination and where by far the better team on the day.
Enjoy !!!
Also well done to WP who played a very good game themselves.
Good luck to you guys in the final.
Guys just one question or I might say area of worry…
The Bulls were terrible, I’m the first to acknowledge it, but with all the teritory and possession that the Sharks had they only manage a win by 4 points ?!
Look, they played well, not trying to take that away from them, but if it was my team I would be worried…
Blouste,I think you guys lost the game because we matched you upfront and the Bulls dont like it when you get in their faces,plus having Alberts at first receiver bashing it up tired the Bulls out in the first half. If you look at the stats they made about 100 tackles by half time. Sometimes in sport you can only play as well as you are allowed to.
@ Blouste:
6
Blouste i take it more as a compliment for the team we have, even when we are totally crushed and out played we have enough in our tank to prevent a rout.
Kom kom kom!! Watse ge suitjie trappery is dit die?
Die Bulls het op hul moer gekry omdat hulle te eendimensioneel is! Te veel oumanne wat al laankal moes plek vir vir jong spelers met nuwe denke en hope energie! Hoekom die Bulle se afrigter nog met Bakkies voorneuk sal net hulle weet? En Morne Steyn? Bwahahaha, at ‘n k@k up&under om die game vir die Sharks op ‘n skinkbord te gee!! Nee wat, staan opsy, 2009 was jou jaar, nou is dit tyd vir Lambie of Jantjies om te wys wat in hulle steek! Pierre Spies? Ek sou skaam wees as ek so ‘n lyf gehad het en so pateties speel! Miskien is dit tyd om weer ‘n besering te fake en sy “dealer” te kontak! Welgedaan Sharks, julle het ‘n paar grootbekker lekker op hul neuse laat kyk!!!
Rom, rom, rom!!!!
@ KingPaul:
Gewag vir die WP manne om uit die kas te spring. Kom ons kyk maar hoe julle dit hanteer as julle wen. Wel julle mag dalk net die braging rights op Curriebeker vlak verdien, maar onthou boytjie die MAIN titel is in ons hande en ons is lank nie dead en buried nie.
Ek sal my maar berus op die feit dat ons reeds 2 van die Beker wat daarvoor gespeel word die jaar gewen het en tans het julle nog farkall
@ KingPaul:
Ek sal 4 punte beswaarlik “op hulle moer gekry” noem.
Maar ja, die Sharks was die beter span op die dag en het verdien om die game te wen, al het dit tot in die laaste minuut nog in die weegskaal gehang.
Ek staan by my punt. Al was ons nooit in die game nie het die Bulle nog altyd ‘n kans gehad om die game te wen en het hul deurgaans binne tref afstand gebly.
@ superBul:
Gee ou Paul ‘n break man…
Hulle het so lanklaas iets gewen hy begin net solank oefen vir in geval hulle die CC wen 🙂
@ Blouste:
Its a fair question. The Sharks had a lot of possession and territory and they should have scored more particularly in the 1st half.
But credit to the Bulls for their defence. The Sharks did not make many mistakes on attack and the Bulls defence kept them out.
The Sharks defence was also very good.
One of those games. Hard defence. 1 try.
Anyway 2 weeks to rest and get ready for the final.
Here’s hoping the Sharks do the deed in the final.
Hope we have the Bulls supporters backing.
@ Blouste:
1punt, 5 punte, 24 punte, maak nie saak nie, Bulle het op hul moer gekry!! hehehe.
Wie weet, oor twee weke is dit dalk die WP se beurt om op hul moer te kry, maar gister was dit die Bulle se beurt, so suck up!! hehehe. Eintlik is ek bef@k vir die Bulls, hulle het my Superbru opgedonner en ek wou eintlik ‘n paar grootbek Sardyne sien huil het. Droom finale nou ook daarmee heen….
Kyk netnou weer die game hoogtepunte, hoe swak is die Durbanse rugby supporters nie dat die stadion nie eers vol was nie? Nuweland was gister stampvol, so ook laas naweek en met meeste games teen die groot spanne. Wat opvallend was was dat die stadion die volste was met die WP/Bulls game in die eerste rondte!!
@ Biscuit:
Moenie worry nie, na ek met hulle klaar is gaan meeste Bulls die WP so haat dat hulle sommer vir hulle Sharks truie gaan aanskaf!! Die ouens like mos van pak uitdeel as die WP k@k speel, maar as die Bulls op hul moer kry, dan mag ‘n man niks sê nie!! HieehAAAA!!!!
@ superBul:
S14 het julle nou wel gewen, maar die Vodacom Cup is nou nie eintlik iets waaraan ek aandag gee nie. Meeste supporters (van alle spanne) met wie ek deur die jaar gesels het gee baie meer waarde aan die Varcity Cup.
Darem sien ek ons en julle speel teenmekaar in die O’19 en O’21 games! Bietjie bragging right daar ook om na uitesien!!
Kingpaul, you only sing when you’re winning and less we forget, WP have won absolutely bugger-all yet….
@ KingPaul:
Wel ou KP ek is nie bang vir julle wat ons kom lip gee nie , na die Finaal het julle iets om oor te spog(dalk) tot dan is die koning nog die titel houer. 😆
Net so by the way het die Curriebeker nie vir jou ook so Vodacom Cup feel nie, met die dat so baie restrictions op die laaste deel van die kompetisie afgedwing is?
Dit is nie suur druiwe nie, almal het al daaroor gepraat. Maar die jaar was n goeie aarde toe kom vir ons Bul afrigters en ondersteuners. Baie veranderings van wedstryd na wedstryd. Beserings baie ens. Maar tog het ek die geleentheid gehad om van ons jonger spelers te sien speel. n Paar het baie mooi deur gekom en n paar liederlike tekortkominge gewys.
@ fender:
Ja,maar jy kan ook net wen as jy die finals maak. Ek sing nog nie regtag, kry net solank my stem reg! Wil nie oor twee weke onkant gevang word en dan ken ek nie eers die woorde nie!!
Maar kom ons begin solank orders insit vir ‘n lekker droe veld. As die WP wen dan kom drink ek ‘n dop daar by jou in SkelmBos!!
KP ook waar n ou pel van my het destyds toe die Lotto begin het die volgende gese. Ons praat so oor wat jy met die geld gaan doen as jy wen , hy noem toe baie dinge soos kar koop, huis regmaak , oorsee gaan ens. Ek se toe hy moet nou nie so droom nie. Hy antwoord my toe, as die TV n onderhoud met jou hou oor jou wengeld en wat jy daarmee gaan doen “moet jy nie oem en aaah nie jy moet weet wat jy wil doen”
One can not argue with Dan Retief’s article , this is what he said.
If it is possible to win a major match in the first seconds of a game the Sharks did it on Saturday with the manner in which they started against the Bulls.
And the man who made the crucial sting (okay that will be the last crack about the bizarre and uniquely African start, or lack of it) was Alistair Hargreaves, a young player about whom I’ve not been entirely convinced but who came of age in this big test against Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Danie Rossouw and Flip van der Merwe.
Hargreaves chased hard after Patrick Lambie’s opening kick and leapt high to snatch the ball from the outstretched fingers of the formidable Bulls. Hargreaves won the ball for the Sharks and they went about setting the tone for an eventual victory that most pundits (myself included) predicted was unlikely.
From the moment of Hargreaves’ steal until Keegan Daniel scored the game’s opening try after 110 seconds of play the Sharks kept the ball, used the ball, before dotting it down.
As statements go it was powerful stuff and to the great credit of Stefan Terblanche and his men they never let up. The Sharks sent an immediate and strong message of intent to their opponents and for once a team kept it up and held on for long enough to withstand the hard and direct pounding the Bulls always hand out.
I thought the Sharks played superbly; providing an object lesson in textbook rugby and showing others how to deal with the Bulls.
Most impressive was the variation in the Sharks’ play. They were resolved to stand up to whatever physicality the Bulls brought to the set-pieces and the collisions but for me the real difference lay in the nuances.
The Sharks, for instance, made excellent work of avoiding lineouts, thus denying the Bulls one of their strengths, and I revelled in the way they carried the ball wide, the way they changed the angles, the constant presence of decoy runners, the way they ran at spaces rather than straight at the man, the way they dominated possession.
They kept the ball secure with precision handling, the ran onto the ball rather than having to stop to take it, they zealously and unremittingly supported the ball-carrier and their tackling was deadly – particularly the way they went in hard at the ankles of the oversized Bulls to knock them down rather than allow them to hold it up and set in motion the grinding mauls they love so well.
The players executed the game plan to perfection but in the end it was a victory for expert coaching. After the bumbling, apathetic performance in their last league match against Western Province the Sharks were a team transformed, in personnel and performance, so take a bow John Plumtree.
Yep, it’s possible to set a winning attitude in the opening sequences but that might all come to nought if you can’t deal with the pressure of the closing moments.
Hargreaves stepped up at the start and Lambie provided the curtain call with his great mark, ignoring the pelting rain and the thundering Bulls, as he rose to claim the ball in front of his own posts. Winning and securing that ball put the Sharks in the final and, to my mind at least, Lambie straight into the Springbok touring side… thus ending one of the oldest quips when the boys of the great rugby schools rag each other for finally Michaelhouse will be able to “name their Springbok.”
We take this one on the chin and start our hard work back to the top. Enjoy your time in the sun Sharks and WP this is a well deserved FINAL.
Julle Bulls supporters vergeet een belangrike aspek van Saterdag, die reen het die game moelik gemaak, ek kyk net na die eerste helfte, toe dit nog droog was het die Sharks besit heeltemal oorheers.
Toe die reen kom, het hulle game plan gesuffer agv daarvan.
Hulle sou meer effektief gewees het in n’ droe tweede helfte.
@ biltongbek:
Se wie
Congratulations Sharks, the better team on the day for sure.
Bulls took more than 20 minutes to get into the game properly, something we’ve seen right through since the start of the Super 14 this year…. always starting slow and having to come from behind to pull it back.
2nd Half was way better, even in the rain, Bulls got their possession and attacked hard and relentlessly, specially here towards the end, but credit to the Sharks, their defence held and held bloody well!
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