Sharks beat Reds to maintain fine Super Rugby start

Colin Newboult

Sikhumbuzo Notshe (right) of the Sharks celebrates after the first Sharks tryduring the Round 5 Super Rugby match between the Queensland Reds and the Sharks at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Saturday, February 29, 2020. (AAP Image/Darren England) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY ** STRICTLY EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO COMMERCIAL USE, NO BOOKS **

The Sharks continued their excellent start to the 2020 Super Rugby season by claiming a thoroughly deserved 33-23 triumph over the Reds in Brisbane on Saturday.

Sean Everitt’s men have enjoyed an impressive opening to the campaign and, despite going into the break 11-8 in arrears, they did enough in the second half to seal a deserved victory.

Henry Speight’s try and two Jock Campbell penalties had given the Australians a three-point buffer, but Kerron van Vuuren, Dylan Richardson, Lukhanyo Am and Madosh Tambwe crossed the whitewash to secure an important win.

Although the Sharks struggled with ill-discipline in the opening period, you could not question their endeavour and physicality, and they regularly pressurised the hosts’ attack.

Their line speed was superb and often sent the opposition into reverse, but the visitors committed far too many infringements early on and allowed Campbell to open the scoring off the tee.

Curwin Bosch then responded with an effort of his own before Everitt’s charges manufactured the first try of the game through their trusty maul. They set up the drive just inside the Reds 22 and the Aussie outfit were powerless to stop it as Van Vuuren touched down.

The Sharks initially failed to build on that score, however, and the Reds hit back when deft hands from James O’Connor saw Speight cross the whitewash.

Campbell missed the conversion but the full-back was successful with a penalty attempt after half-an-hour to give his side an 11-8 advantage at the interval.

Evidently frustrated by their first half efforts, the South Africans began the second period on the front foot and went back ahead as Richardson powered his way over from close range.

Bosch added the extras to make it 15-11 but the home side impressively pegged them back once again. The Reds put pressure on the visiting rearguard before the consistently outstanding Tate McDermott caught the Sharks defence unawares and touched down.

The hosts had the momentum following that effort from the scrum-half, but it was extinguished by a pair of Bosch three-pointers.

It was still finely poised going into the latter exchanges but Am displayed his qualities to seal the win. With Brad Thorn’s men probing for the score which would potentially snatch the victory, the South Africans’ defensive linchpin produced a trademark intercept to put the result beyond doubt.

The Reds were forlorn and their opponents duly pounced, scoring the try of the game through Madosh Tambwe, but the Brisbane outfit mustered one final surge as Ed Craig crossed the whitewash to garner a semblance of consolation for his team.

In the earlier game, it was another disappointing day for the Sunwolves, who were thrashed 62-15 by the Hurricanes in Napier. The Japanese outfit actually took the lead through Michael Stolberg’s try, but the hosts soon began to dominate.

Kobus van Wyk and Chase Tiatia both touched down twice as the New Zealanders took a 28-10 advantage at the interval before they added to that in the second period.

Van Wyk completed his hat-trick after the break while Ben Lam, TJ Perenara, Gareth Evans, Ngani Laumape and Vince Aso also went over to complete a comfortable victory.

Hurricanes