The Sharks will feel they gave their all but apart from guts, determination and effort, lacked the back line fire power to pull this one through as had been the case for much of the season.
John Plumtree afterwards admitted as much, as he spoke of the Bulls slowly squeezing the breath out of the Sharks and his pride of a Sharks team that showed so much spirit and guts.
Plumtree said the Shark’s need for back line depth, due to various reasons, is of much concern and that a lot of effort was expended behind the scenes to resolve this matter.
The Sharks fought gallantly for most of the match, but it was the Bulls that came out on top and sealed a 27-19 victory, deservedly so.
Sharks and Bulls matches are not for the faint hearted and had the 50 000 crowd moaning in disbelief as players tore into each other, as the teams threw all they had at each other, in conditions better suited for water sports. It was however very much a match of 2 halves, as the first 40 minutes belonged to a spirited Sharks team, and the 2nd period going to a Bulls team that grew in stature as they slowly squeezed the life out of the Sharks.
Scoring opportunities however with ball in hand was hard to come by under these conditions and the fist half was decided by penalties, it was the Sharks who took an early lead but by half time the Bulls had shrunk the lead to 12-9, with 4 penalties converted by Andy Goode (two of which were 50 meters out) while Morné Steyn slotted 3 penalties.
Young Patick Lambie was singled out for special attention as the Bombs came his way, as Fourie Du Preez and Morné Steyn launched up-and-under after up-and-under. The Sharks, including young Lambie, were up to the task however and conscious of the kind of effort that was required to keep a rampant Bulls team at bay, who were intent on increasing their lead on top of the Super 14 table.
The first half half however arguably belongs to Jean Deysel who was in sublime form and who threw everything at the Bulls.
The 2nd half went much the same way and although neither side could make any significant penetrations leading to points, it was the lions share of possession and territory which to the Bulls. It was only a matter of time before the Bulls made it count.
It was around the 64th minute that Morné Steyn leveled matters at 12-12 and I feel that this is where things changed, with Jacques-Louis Potgieter then dotting down shortly thereafter under the poles after a beautiful move with the Sharks defence having been broken for the first time, taking the now rampant Bulls into a 19-12 lead.
The slow poison had set in and The Sharks, on the back foot for the entire half, could not stop the home side’s attack. The Sharks felt the pressure as the Bulls, who now had a sniff of victory, continued their unrelenting pressure. Soon after saw young Gerhard van den Heever score in the right hand corner, after a well judged cross kick by Fourie Du Preez, with Morné Steyn missing the Conversion on this occasion. He did however slot another penalty a few minutes later to give the Bulls a 15 point lead.
With the Sharks clearly missing the strong ball carrying and fetching skills of Bismark DuPlessis (replaced in the week due to injury and operation), John Plumtree now threw on all his substitutes on to inject more energy into the Sharks.
It proved to work as Rory Kockott soon broke the line to sprint and score the Sharks only try next to the uprights to reduce the Bulls to an 8 point lead. Time was not in favour of the visitors but the Kockott’s try did lift his team, who kept coming at the home side but in the end it was not enough.
In the end the Bulls’ pressure assured them victory as they increased their lead on the Log, with a Sharks team battered and bruised, returning to Absa Stadium for their clash with the high riding Stormers this coming weekend.
No complaints about the match officials can be made, well done in difficult weather conditions.
Man of the Match: This time a hooker, Gary Botha of the Bulls, a sturdy hard-working hooker, an impeccable line-out man and an extra loose forward with quick reflexes.
Scorers:
For the Bulls: Tries by Jacques-Louis Potgieter & Gerhard van den Heever, 1 Conversion by Morné Steyn, 5 Penalties by Morné Steyn
For the Sharks: Try by Rory Kockott, 1 Conversion by Ruan Pienaar, 4 Penalties by Andy Goode
Ja Nulletjies, nou’s julle spyt julle spannetjie het gewen…..daai brannas en coke praat nou lelik saam ne?
Kom weer, wat try jy se?
good day all
eish their is gonna be very tired and sore bodies after this game
Hello all.
Sorry I couldn’t join you yesterday.
But it was a good rugby weekend for SA, Sharks nearly caused an upset though!
More Pietman, jis watse vis gereg is vandag op die tafel.
Sharks kon baie beter gevaar het die jaar as hulle kon driee druk, hulle het minder as 2 driee gemiddeld, dit is net nie genoeg nie.
super trust me the sharks realise this
superBul
Dagse.
Nee, gaan bietjie Nam steaks braai wat ek saam gebring het, uitgeeet aann vis vir eers.
Ek hoop om die week my bellofde rooibok en vlakvark te kry, ek geniet my wilds geregte, vrou ken van wild, sy is moet my getroud 😆
Vlakvark is moosa lekker!
😯 @ super
Die ou teel met tering vrye buffels en die varke eet hom bankrot. Hy se hy het varke geskiet wat meer vet aan hul het as n gewone vark.
wat 😯 jou Tjarkie?
Jy reken GBS gaan n hoofpyntjie he?
Dan kry ons eers mid week die wedstryd verslag uit die man.
and to all the bulls out there , congrats
the bulls and stormers final is going to be some game
Sharks came hard yesterday and if we had a 10,12, and 13 we would have won,we seriously need some new acquisitions there.. Cant believe Jaque Fourie approached us and we turned him down,we could have had a combination of Butch.Frans and Jaque.. But its a pipe dream,but I can still hope that our awful backline will be rectified..
lol super i did the article this morning
after the match last night i still had a rock concert to go to
😆
Winston,
Too true, our best backline players were Kockot, Keegan Daniels and Craig Burden.
Our 10, 12 and 13 needs a complete overhaul, maybe old Straeuli should organise them a kamp staaldraad. 😆
Ok, praat weer, die Black Label is op ys en ek raak dors en honger, vanpggend al 3 uur op om die boks te kyk, tydmors gewees…
Tjeers.
15
You must be very fragile today then.
Laat dit vir jou n les wees
As Loftus kook is dit ROF
Pietman jy maak deesdae net so celebrity appearance. 😆
Geniet jou zamalek
Die vraag is wat kan julle Sharks volgende week teen die Stormers uitrig ?
lol super
anyhows catch you all later im off toe a braai
ps winston and fires , ruan was huge yesterday and so to mvovo and swannie
its the inbetween that failed us,
plumtree told me after they looking for top backline players bigtime
frans ludicke and matfield said after people dont really understand how hard these 2 teams came at each other
anyhows i better run ciaooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Still proud of my Sharks, the gave it their best and for a long time it was very close.
We are in desperate need of a 13,12 and 10. Goode was very good at goal kicks yesterday and he is only here temporary. For next year Sharks have to get the cheque book out and go in search for centres and a FH. If we had Frans Steyn, Butch, Barritt even Waylon at his best in 2007 playing in those postions we would be a whole different team. Would beat almost anyone. Butch getting on though in age and injury prone. Need a younster at FH and just leave him there.
What happened to Justin Botha that Scrumdown spoke about? Heard he was a really class player? Is he over that op after his accident?
How did Sharks EVER, EVER TURN away J. Fourie? Who ever turned him away should be fired. Really you don’t get players of world class approach a team that often.
Mvovo showed some real pace and he should have been starting this whole season ahead of probably the out of form JPP or even Odwa. JPP is a class wing and will get it his form back. So for next year we need to start with Mvovo and JPP. Ruan must just play scrummie, stop messing him about by making him play two positions everygame. He is playing very well again at sh. Lambie is pure class, that youngster is a future Springbok. (PdV, PLEASE don’t lose this youngster to Scotland)
So we have our wings in JPP and Mvovo, FB Lambie, Scrummie Ruan. Now all that is really needed in this team is centres and a FH.
Read on another site someone saying play Kockott at FH!! I know he has played there before maybe that is another option for the Sharks to think about.
Sharks FOR EVER though, win or lose that is my team 😀
Stormers will be a whole lot different next week, they don’t kick too much ball away and keep possession, maybe will be a lot tougher that game.
We did miss Bissy yesterday, he is a monster in the loose but John done well at hooker.
What about Ludik we bought fromt he Lions? I know he is a FB but can he not play centre? He is a superb player. Also another thought once he is over his injury.
Once again WELL done to the Bulls. They are a real champs and really looking forward to the game against Bulls and Stormers. Please Bulls beat the Saders and keep that top spot. Really want a home final.
Want a home final against the Stormers and Bulls that would be a cracker. Also very good for SA rugby.
20 – Blouste, to be honest think the Stormers will beat the Sharks maybe by more. Need to see who is injured after this game. Deysel and Alberts looked sore going off.
Stormers play a different game to Bulls. They keep possession and have brilliant backs. That will be coming at us all game long. Very good forwards too. Bekker and Burger are playing the best rugby I have seen them play. Actually they are great in all postions. Maybe not in the front row now as they have injury there. But everywhere else they are pure class. Going to be tough. I think Stormers by 10 next week. Will go with my head next week on bru.
Puma a bit early to speculate on the Bulls vs Stormer game , but boy o boy that will be a massive duel. Nakelavuki will be used, Bulls will on the other hand target him. So you can go on and on, every position will be a test.
Like we will target Nakelevuki they will do to Shaddow. Who will have the best plans to counter it will be intriguing.
Pienkste 20,
Ek reken my Sharks gaan nog minder reg kry teen die Streamers as wat hulle gisteraand reg gekry het.
Streamers is in my boek is ‘n baie beter span as die Nulle, en die Sharks se 10,12 en 13 is nie S14 gehalte nie. Dit is ook die rede hoekom ons gisteraand verloor het. As dit nie was vir Burden, Kockot en Keegan nie sou ons nie eers ‘n drie gedruk het nie.
Ek sien uit na vanmiddag se Twenty 20 game tussen SA en Indiee
Sharky, thanks for the article above. I had to miss the match and at half time a Keo chum texted me to say at half time to say the Sharks were leading!! (Arghhhhhhh) !!!!
So it was the 64th minute that the scores were level!!
Well, it must have been quite nerve wracking…..anyway, bad luck to you Sharkies……but phew for us Bulls Fans!
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