The Sharks survived an early scare as they found form in the second half to beat the Cheetahs 18-23 in Bloemfontein keeping them alive for another week.
The Sharks failed to secure a bonus point for four tries and played a very dangerous game as their discipline in the closing stages was so bad that they lost two players to the sin-bin and finished the match with 13 players on the field.
The result moves the Sharks back into the top six teams who qualify for the play offs although to keep that position they will need to beat the Lions and the Bulls over the coming weeks.
Two second half tries by wings Lwazi Mvovo and JP Pietersen saw the coastal side move past the Bulls and Waratahs on the competition’s log standings on 51 points in fifth place behind the Crusaders.
In a typically tough tussle between two arch rivals, it was clear early on that both sides had made some strategic adjustments to their game plans.
Sharks flyhalf Patrick Lambie’s sneaky short kick-off at the start of the match set the tone for what was to come as he tried to catch his hosts off-guard.
The Sharks were, however, the stunned team as the Cheetahs decided not deploy eighthman Ashley Johnson as a battering ram and instead used him as a decoy runner.
Despite struggling to find their way into Cheetahs territory, the Sharks opened the scoring with a penalty conversion by flyhalf Patrick Lambie.
Having earlier missed a kick at goal, the Free State squad responded with a try created by wing Riaan Viljoen who played brilliantly throughout.
Viljoen ran in a poorly directed line clearance and found space in midfield before off-loading to Johnson who flicked the ball on to try scoring specialist Sarel Pretorius.
Although the conversion attempt struck the upright, Cheetah spirits remained high for the rest of the first half.
Two breakdown infringements by Springbok hooker Bismarck du Plessis ensured that the home side enjoyed a 11-6 lead at the break.
As the second stanza got underway, the Sharks wasted no time in sending their surplus stars on to counter threats from Johnson, Pretorius and the Ebersohn twins were posing on the night.
Young flanker Johan Wessels was another dangerous man to contend with at the fiercely contested breakdowns.
After soaking up the pressure the Sharks managed to build some momentum, but were still making the most tackles.
Pietersen’s try put the Sharks 12 points clear of the Cheetahs who continued to fight to the final whistle.
Naka Drotske’s men, against all odds, nearly managed to cause another upset as the Sharks were reduced to 13-men through two yellow-cards but the Sharks held on to the ball and wound down the clock.
Cheetahs scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius won man of the match.
Final Score Cheetahs 18 Sharks 23
Scorers
Cheetahs
Tries – S Pretorius, R Viljoen
Pen – S Ebersohn 2
Con – S Ebersohn
Drop –
Cards –
Sharks
Tries – L Mvovo, JP Pietersen
Pen – P Lambie 3
Con – P Lambie 2
Drop –
Cards – C.McLeod (73rd min) Yellow, K Daniel
Match Officials
Referee: Mark Lawrence
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan, Cobus Wessels
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen
Teams
Cheetahs:15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Riaan Viljoen, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Corne Uys, 11 Philip Snyman, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Davon Raubenheimer, 7 Ashley Johnson, 6 Johan Wessels, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Francois Uys, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (capt), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Replacements: 16 Ryno Barnes, 17 Lourens Adriaanse, 18 Izak van der Westhuizen, 19 Pieter Myburgh, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Naas Olivier, 22 Riaan Smit.
Sharks : 15. Louis Ludik , 14. JP Pietersen , 13. Stefan Terblanche , 12. Meyer Bosman , 11. Lwazi Mvovo , 10. Patrick Lambie , 9. Charl McLeod , 8. Ryan Kankowski , 7. Willem Alberts , 6. Keegan Daniel , 5. Gerhard Mostert , 4. Steven Sykes , 3. Eugene van Staden , 2. Bismarck du Plessis , 1. John Smit (C)
Replacements , 16. Tendai Mtawarira , 17. Wiehahn Herbst , 18. Alistair Hargreaves , 19. Jacques Botes , 20. Frederic Michalak , 21. Jacques-Louis Potgieter , 22. Adrian Jacobs
A Win is a win… the Sharks march on… now in 5th Spot on the Combined Log!
Congrats to the Sharkies for the win. In terms of the SA conference it was a good result. However, rarely has a loss, left such a sour taste in y mouth. Plonker was a disgrace, and cheating clearly comes to mind. Was Jonker subjectively thinking, that the SA conference results overshadow the need fair officiating? Too many incidents have question marks. John Smit’s face after Coenie was penalised was a classic, but that can be seen as a grey are. What was quite conspicous was the call to retake the lineout after two penalisable offences by Sykes? Then we look at the spoiling tactics by the Sharks, (and please no Shark supporter must ever accuse the Cheetahs of using spoiling and negative tactics because they are deemed the weaker team!)
Terblanche slapping the ball out of Pretorius’ hand, the cynical killing of the ball on the tryline by Ludik, the high tackle by Daniels etc.
I refrained from posting to get perspective and calm down, but I see on numerous websites, the people are commenting on the same thing, so clearly it’s not a matter of sou grapes from the Cheetahs camp.
Sharks have the win, and they can go on to contest the semi’s if they make it that far! I will rather support the Bulls, that beat us fair and square!
Go Cheetahs! You lost the match, but came out smelling like rose petals, whilst the rotten Guppies the victors!
Cheetah, I must say I agree with you wholeheartedly!!!!! everyone I have discussed this with agrees that the reffing was atrocious, I mean the cheetahs played against 17 men throughout the game!!!!!
And the Sharks roll on!
Alles nie pluis nie sê Watson
2011-06-07 10:26
Bloemfontein – Alles was beslis nie pluis met die skeidsregterbeslissings in die Super Rugby-wedstryd tussen die Cheetahs en die Sharks nie, maar die fluitjieblaser Marius Jonker is nie pateties nie.
Só het André Watson, Suid-Afrika se skeidsregterbaas, Maandag gesê nadat die Cheetah-afrigtingspan sy misnoeë oor verskeie voorvalle in Saterdag se kragmeting in die Vrystaat-stadion uitgespreek het.
Naka Drotské, die Cheetahs se afrigter, het intussen ook ’n skrywe aan Sanzar, die beheerliggaam van die Super Reeks, se merietepaneel en Watson oor sy klagtes gestuur.
“Ek stem nie saam met al die beslissings nie. Sommige beslissings moet hersien of anders hanteer geword het,” het Watson gesê.
Volgens hom sal besonderhede daaroor later bekend gemaak word sodra die verdere ondersoek klaar is.
Watson meen verkeerde beslissings het die Cheetahs, sowel as die Sharks, benadeel. Hy het ook vir Jonker in die bres getree.
“Alles was beslis nie pluis nie, maar mense wat sê Jonker is swak, pateties en hoort nie daar nie, is verkeerd.”
Volgens Drotské voel hy selfs sterker oor sy vroeëre uitsprake oor swak beslissings nadat hy videomateriaal oor die wedstryd nagegaan het.
“Daar was vyf insidente waar die Sharks geel kaarte moes kry en sowat 20 losskrums waarmee ek nie tevrede is nie.”
Die afrigter meen hoewel die Sharks in die gevaarsone, naby hul eie doellyn, dikwels geel kaarte moes gekry het, is hulle nie eens met strafskoppe gestraf nie.
“As ons ons kanse gebruik het, het ons die wedstryd gewen.
“Maar as jy my vra of ons die wedstryd oor swak beslissings verloor het, kan jy jou eie somme maak. Ons het met slegs vyf punte (18-23) verloor en daar was minstens vier insidente, waar sowat 20 punte op die spel was, waar ons kon druk.”
Boonop meen Drotské dat hy nie net oor die beslissings kla nie, maar dat hy mediamanne se vrae daaroor reguit beantwoord.
“Daar is ’n verskil tussen om ’n klakous te wees en die media se vrae reguit te beantwoord. As ek oor die vertolking van die skeidsregter uitgevra word, gaan ek mos sê wat ek dink en nie lieg nie.”
Buiten bogenoemde vyf insidente meen Drotské die Sharks het nie altyd op ’n wettige manier balle op die grond by die Cheetahs gesteel nie.
“Daar is omtrent 20 videogrepe waar onder meer Bismarck du Plessis nie die aanvaller tyd gegee het om die bal te plaas nie.
“Almal sê die Sharks het ons by die afbreekpunte uitoorlê, maar dis nie so nie. Marius Jonker het hulle net nie gestraf nie.
“Ek het bewyse op rekenaar daarvan en sal dit vir enigiemand wys om my punt te staaf.”
Drotské kla hieroor
Volgens Naka Drotské, die Cheetahs se afrigter, moes die Sharks by die volgende vyf voorvalle geel kaarte ontvang het:
* Die Sharks-vleuel JP Pietersen het ’n drie vanaf omgekeerde besit gedruk. Voordat die bal omgekeer was, was die Cheetahs op die aanval en het die Sharks-stut Tendai (Beast) Mtawarira gekeer dat die Cheetahs die bal terugwen. Mtawarira het vanaf die verkeerde kant by die losskrum aangesluit en die Cheetahs kon hom nie wegvat nie.
* Die Sharks-senter Stefan Terblanche het naby sy eie doellyn die bal opsetlik langs ’n losskrum afgeklap toe die Cheetahs op die aanval was. Die Cheetahs het vier aanvallers teen twee verdedigers gehad en kon maklik druk.
* Die Sharks-stut John Smit het die Cheetah-stut WP Nel vanuit ’n onkant posisie geduik. Nel het twee spanmaats langs hom gehad en daar was geen verdedigers in sig nie. As Smit aan kant was, kon Nel hom trek en die spelers weggesit het.
* Toe die Cheetah-skrumskakel Sarel Pretorius byna gaan druk het, het Pietersen vir Pretorius geskaapvang. Pietersen was reeds op die grond en mag nie aan spel deelneem nie. Nadat Pretorius grond toe is, het die Sharks-heelagter Louis Ludik die bal vanuit ’n onkant posisie gesmoor en verhinder dat die Cheetahs die bal terugwen met spelers aan die buitekant.
* Die Sharks-flank Willem Alberts het drie keer die Cheetah-flank Ashley Johnson laat geduik. Die vierde keer het Alberts Johnson sonder arms geloop toe Johnson nie eens die bal vanaf sy losskakel Sias Ebersohn ontvang het nie.
Sharks soek steeds Cheetah-ster
2011-06-07 12:57
Kaapstad – Die Sharks gaan weer probeer om die dienste van die Cheetah-senter Robert Ebersohn te bekom nadat hul pogings in 2009 én 2010 misluk het, het die rugbywebtuiste Keo Maandag berig.
Dié 22-jarige voormalige Blitsbok se kontrak met die Cheetahs eindig na die Curriebeker-seisoen en sy franchise het nog nie ‘n aanbod gemaak om dit te hernu nie.
Tog sal ‘n skuif moet behels dat Robert se tweelingbroer, die losskakel Sias, saam met hom gekontrakteer word.
Die broers is vasbelote om as ‘n pakket gesien te word. Maar terwyl die Sharks se aanbod in 2009 albei broers ingesluit het, sal die puik spelpeil van Patrick Lambie so ‘n skuif bemoeilik.
Die Western Force het twee jaar gelede vir Sias Ebersohn ‘n kontrak aangebied maar hy het toe gekies om sy rugby eerder in Suid-Afrika te speel.
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