Sharks end Blue Bulls’ winning run
The Sharks continued with their fine recent Currie Cup form when they claimed a hard-fought 28-20 win over the Blue Bulls in Pretoria.
In an entertaining encounter in which both sides gave the ball plenty of air, the Sharks eventually got the rub of the green as they outscored their hosts four tries to two with Garth April finishing with a 13-point haul courtesy of a try, two penalties and a conversion.
The defeat is the Bulls' first one of the season and means the Sharks are now in joint first place on the table with the Free State Cheetahs, who have played one match less than the men from Durban.
The Sharks were fastest out of the blocks and in the third minute S’busiso Nkosi gathered a pass from Inny Radebe before beating three defenders on his way over the try-line.
Ten minutes later, Burger Odendaal ran a good angle and after gathering the ball on the Sharks' 22-metre line, he shrugged off a couple of defenders before crashing over for a deserved try which Tony Jantjies converted.
Shorlty afterwards, the Sharks crossed for their second try – Franco Marais dotting down after the visitors launched a line-out drive deep inside the Blue Bulls' 22.
The home side were dealt a blow in the 26th minute when Ruben van Heerden was sent to the sin bin for deliberately tripping Tera Mtembu during a Sharks attack inside the Blue Bulls' half.
Shortly afterwards, Boom Prinsloo was penalised for a high tackle on Inny Radebe and April – who earlier failed to convert the two tries – slotted the three-pointer from the kicking tee which meant the visitors led 13-7.
Just before half-time, the Sharks were blown up for illegal scrummaging and Jantjies slotted the resulting penalty which meant the visitors held a slender three-point lead at half-time.
Both sides made a cautious approach to the second half but the game came alive in the 52nd minute when Lukhanyo Am ran onto a pass from Benhard Janse van Rensburg, just outside the Bulls' 22, and beat three defenders before scoring under the posts.
April added the extras before Jantjies reduced the defict in the 57th minute when he slotted his second penalty.
Five minutes later, April restored parity wheh he landed his second penalty but the Blue Bulls upped the ante on attack and were rewarded when Van Heerden barged over from close quarters in the 65th minute.
Jantjies converted which meant the match was evenly poised with the Sharks leading 23-20.
The visitors finished stronger, however, and in the 68th minute they sealed their win in style when April gathered an inside pass from Janse van Rensburg before crossing for the match-winning try.
The scorers:
For Blue Bulls:
Tries: Odendaal, Van Heerden
Cons: Jantjies
Pens: Jantjies
Yellow Card: Van Heerden
For Sharks:
Tries: Nkosi, Marais, Am, April
Cons: April
Pens: April 2
Blue Bulls: 15 Manie Libbok, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Franco Naude, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Tony Jantjies, 9 Andre Warner, 8 Nic de Jager, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Johannes Prinsloo (c), 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Irne Herbst, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 2 Jan-Henning Campher, 1 Pierre Schoeman
Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Matthys Basson, 18 Abongile Nonkontwana, 19 Shaun Adendorf, 20 Ivan van Zyl, 21 Dries Swanepoel, 22 JT Jackson
Sharks: 15 Garth April, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Lukhanyo Am, 11 S’busiso Nkosi, 10 Inny Radebe, 9 Michael Claassens, 8 Tera Mtembu, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Keegan Daniel, 5 Ruan Botha (c), 4 Tyler Paul, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Franco Marais, 1 Thomas du Toit
Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 John-Hubert Meyer, 19 Jean Droste, 20 Cameron Wright, 21 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 22 Odwa Ndungane
Referee: Quinton Immelman
Assistant Referees: Stephan Geldenhuys, Morné Ferreira
TMO: Lesego Legoete