The Sharks overcame a spirited Waratahs team to take four points and keep their play-off hopes alive in a 26-21 win on Saturday night at Kings Park. The Sharks and the Waratahs both managed to score two tries, with the boot of Patrick Lambie bringing the Sharks home through 4 penalties and 2 conversions.
Lambie scored the Sharks’ first try after a great line break, cantering in under the posts for a seven-pointer, after the Waratahs had opened the scoring with a penalty through Kurtley Beale.
Beale and Lambie exchanged penalties until four minutes from half time, when the Sharks lost possession while on attack and Halangahu sprinted nearly 80 meters before giving the bal to Turner who dived over in the corner. Half time and the Sharks had a narrow 2 point lead.
The Waratahs came out firing after half time, scoring a try through flyhalf Halangahu, which was converted by Beale for a five point lead. A mere 2 minutes later Jean Deysel was yellow carded for dangerous play at the breakdown, and another Beale penalty pushed the lead to eight points.
It was at this stage when JP Pietersen suddenly came to life, with an amazing 50m run to score in the corner, which Lambie converted to reduce the deficit to only 1 point. After this, Pietersen got his hands on the ball as much as he possibly could with some great runs and amazing line breaks. JP was deservedly named Man of the Match.
The Sharks dominated the final twenty minutes, and even though they only scored two penalties, first to take a two point lead and then to extend the lead to five, they had most of the possession and after taking the lead, never looked like giving it up again.
The Sharks never looked like scoring four tries, but against a quality side like the Waratahs victory is most important. It was a shame that Conrad Hoffmann’s first Super Rugby start for the Sharks was limited to ten minutes, and even though Char McLeod had a decent game, Hoffmann did look very sharp.
Lambie had a great game after a few off weeks, where he was running at the defence for the first time since returning from injury.
The Sharks forwards looked hungry and were forceful at ruck and maul time, but that seemed to dwindle late in the first half and early in the second.
The Sharks will be happy with the win and will look forward to their last three games albeit on the road.
well done sharks
Something is still missing though..but winning is important..JPP what a boy though..
@shaniboi (Comment 2) : Yip, it was an okay performance but they weren’t playing like their campaign depended on it
Congrats – your chaps put up a good fight.
@diablo (Comment 4) : And the same to you.
@Ben (Comment 5) : Thanks
I’m so chuffed about the bonus try – did not think we were gonna make it 
AND,
, shame on you for not going for your team on SB – ye of little faith 
@diablo (Comment 6) : Thought you might get bitten in the back for going for the bonus point but it paid off in the end.
@diablo (Comment 7) : Would you have? Considering the way the Sharks are playing?
Maybe I should not read this….. Ben ben, what do I hear….
@franshark (Comment 10) : Hoe nou Franna?
@Ben (Comment 9) : I did – spot on
Maybe I look at the games from a more objective point of view, in spite of my (royal) Blue Blood 
@Ben (Comment 11) : not picking the sharkies
What do you guys mean Superbru? Never heard of it!
@diablo (Comment 12) : are u going to The Game at loftes
No Worries people. Rob also went for the Waratahs on SB.
I went for the Sharks.
Maybe now Robs call for a cathartic loss makes sense……..
@Ben (Comment 14) : hahaha
@KSA Shark © (Comment 16) : ja that must have bin, he seemed a bid grumpie earlier
(hope his not reading this) did not know who he wants to win 
@franshark (Comment 18) : Rob moderates all the comments! Your screwed!
@Ben (Comment 19) : So do I.
You’re safe.
@Ben (Comment 19) : oops
Anyone watching the football?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 20) : Gee, how do u guys do that…
@franshark (Comment 23) : There are THREE Admins.
One of us will be here most of the time to keep an eye on things.
We are watching.
@Ben (Comment 22) : nea, watching a movie with the boss
, she not so happie with all the rugga(again) today 
@KSA Shark © (Comment 24) : Big Brother!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 24) : you, rob and claytie, must be a lot of reading
@KSA Shark © (Comment 24) : You, Rob and?
@franshark (Comment 25) : You’re doing something wrong….., movies can always be watched later, whilst cuddling, in the warm glow of a victory for one’s team. Ai, dat n Bulle-girl jou dit nou moet vertel.
@diablo (Comment 29) : Are you watching?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 24) : you know what, I have respect for that, few weeks ago there was that “whateverspecifick” or something that took it too far with the abuse, not nice
@diablo (Comment 29) : allready watched the victory, now have to build up some shares
@Ben (Comment 30) : The soccer?, yes – go bleddie MU
@diablo (Comment 33) : Yes I’m with you!!!!
Whaaat – you mean we do have something in common? PS, my other half is a Liverpudlian so you can imagine my great mirth this year, Shame, but I actually do respect them as a club – loyal to the death.
@diablo (Comment 35) : I’m a Chelsea fan so not really that much in common.
Just dislike Barca a lot.
Barca toying with UTD now! Bwahahahaha.
@Ben (Comment 22) : yeah its 2-1 to barca 68 min gone
@Ben (Comment 36) : Oh, my
. Know a guy who worked for Chelsea – not a bad sort, but a bit “dom” – also supports the Sharks 
@RuckingFun (Comment 38) : make that 3-1 villa scored
@diablo (Comment 39) : Are you trying to say something???
I could just do a Lukie right now
What happend with IPL today, totale forgot about it, did not even do sb pick, and I did so good in the last week or so,
@franshark (Comment 43) : The Chennai Super Kings won the final.
@Ben (Comment 41) : Meeee, on a sharks-site????, never
Barca are the far superior team here!
@diablo (Comment 45) :
@Ben (Comment 44) : again!
@franshark (Comment 48) : Yup! Dhoni have now won the IPL and the WC in 2011.
Barca hast to be one the football team with the best BMT in the world.
@Ben (Comment 49) : must be his year, and the windies is next target for them… Ouch
@Ben (Comment 50) : Okay that didn’t come out right.
Barca has to be the football team with the best BMT in the world.
@franshark (Comment 51) : The cricket Gods are certainly shinning down on him.
Barcelona wins 3 – 1
Well deserved.
@diablo (Comment 55) : At least you guys won the Premier league. Chelsea won nothing!
I just took a peep at the S15 log, I picked the saders to win tomorrow but it would be nice for the sharks if the saders go home with nothin… Sharks still to get to that 4th possible, so to get an home playoff at least.
@franshark (Comment 57) : Still got to do my pick – something in me bones says Reds for a win. Gonna sleep on this one
@diablo (Comment 58) : Crusaders baby!
@Ben (Comment 59) : You’re probably right, but something is bugging me about this game.
@diablo (Comment 60) : Dan Carter vs Quade Cooper is going to be awesome! Definitely getting up for this game!
@Ben (Comment 61) : Getting up? I s the game not only at 08h00 or thereabouts?
@diablo (Comment 62) : Yup something like that.
Thought so – you should be up long before then, lazybones
Anyway, let me go and sleep on the outcome, chat again. Have a good night 
@diablo (Comment 64) : Hey, I’m not one for getting up early on the weekends. Especially not in this cold! Cheers
JPP was just great today….and has been very good this year…
The Sharks backline really miss Odwa…..Mvovo is a FAR cry from Odwa…..
JPP and Basson will be my pick for the SA wings at the moment…
The Sharks have a few tough games ahead…I think the Bulls have the better shot of the two teams to make it to the play-off’s…
@Hmmm (Comment 66) : Thank you. Odwa is big for the Sharks.
turbo reverse in full swing again with Smit. How much longer ?
@grant10 (Comment 70) : I KNEW IT.
Someone stole your login details for a few days, but you have it back now.
congrats.
@Hmmm (Comment 68) : Unfortunately I agree that the Bulls have a better shot at it than we do.
I think our match against the Bulls will be the decider.
Just as our match against the Stormers was the top spot decider……..
@KSA Shark © (Comment 72) : Yes they do but we can have 3 teams in the playoffs….
@franshark (Comment 73) : we(sa teams) should just shut out the warratahs and we can have a go at having 3 teams in
Ummm John Smit said his doing the comrades today on twitter. . . Was he joking?
Was it me or was Smit looking really disappointed yesterday? His facial expressions almost said, coach why are you playing me at prop and making me look bad.
Deysal has been cited I think him and Rhodes will be out for 2weeks. Deysal that was the such a stupid thing to do! You looked like you were killing the lad.
Owing to the practicalities of getting a two-year old bathed, fed and put to bed, I only saw bits and pieces of the game. From my limited perspective though, a few players kind of caught my eye:
Steven Sykes: While I’m still not entirely convinced of the overall quality of his contribution, what was very clear was that there was a marked increase in the intensity of the big man’s game.
Jean Deysel: Overlooking the Du Plessis* he committed, he certainly seemed to be getting back to his barn-storming, ball-stealing wreking ball best. Pity that he’ll probably be cited and suspended.
Keegan Daniel: It feels like months now that I (and a few others on the site, in fairness) have been saying that while Keegs is a good to excellent flank, his natural playmaking abilities are better harnassed at 8. Thank you Keegan for lending my opinion some much-needed credibility; a simply monstrous display. Moreover, while I am a big fan of the Hoff, Keegan seems to be a lot better at tidying up at the back of the scrum in pressure situations; quite frankly, he seemed to simply treat a “turbo reverse
” scrum as just another attacking platform. This boy has mad skills!
Conrad Hoffman/Charl McCloud: Hoffman surely did enough to warrant another start; I really like the look of him. McCloud certainly had a much better game than throughout the most of this season, but is still guilty of doing The Joost* far too much in my opinion.
Pat Lambie: Lambiergini!!!
Meyer Bosman: His liability on defense is simply getting too much for me to bear; we saw two virtual carbon copies of the Stormers’ first two tries against us at Newlands; one where a player simply ran virtually unimepeded past his inside shoulder, and the second where a tackle on him resulted in the ball practically squirting all the way to our own tryline… My nerves, young man, my nerves!
Stefan Terblanche: I must admit, I have been fairly vocal in my criticism of him, but the bits I saw went a long way towards shutting me up; solid on defense, much, much more incisive on attack, and far fewer aimless kicks. Another few games like that and I may get well and truly sick of all the humble pie I’ll have to eat…
JPP:
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Class!!!!!!!!!!!
*Du Plessis: Whereby the perpetrator’s brain goes on temporary sabbatical, vacating the premises, resulting in an act of ill-discipline of truly jaw-droppingly idiotic proportions, and for which a sanction is duly imposed on his team.
*The Joost: Whereby a player attending to a ruck, with the aim of clearing the ball, places his hands on the ball, and then violently whips his head form side to side, repeatedly, scanning the field, after which he gesticulates to his team mates in a manner similar to a cricket captain setting his field placements, and then, after an interval of time of sufficient length to allow a single-celled organism to evolve into a talk-show host, passes the ball to the most obvious available recipient.
Culling Song,
I couldn’t have said it better myself!!!
Brilliant write up, pissed myself laughing on your Du Plessis and Joost analysis.
Bosman’s defense is shocking, but I am sick and tired of saying it.
@Culling Song (Comment 77) : dude – you’re a legend. PLEASE will you write us an opinion piece each week? I will beg, if you like
I had a bit of a crap weekend and as a result couldn’t watch the game, I saw the Blitz report on SS but that about it… With Deysel apparently having a good game, then having a brain fart? How bad is it, some say his season is over?
@DarkDestroyer (Comment 80) : He will probably get a 2 week ban it was quite shocking, if you saw the Rhodes insedent for the Lions it was almost the same but Deysel held the guy neck for a few seconds.
Conrad Hoffman is probably out for the season Plum is looking at Tian Meyer from the Pumas as a replacement.
@DarkDestroyer (Comment 80) : I missed the incident initially, but caught a replay which, it must be said, made it look pretty malicious on Deysel’s part.
The only possible justification would be the fact that he did it to the ‘Tahs no. 12, who looks like he’s trying to audition for one of the myriad generic emo/alterna bands currently blighting the musical landscape. Actually, when viewed in those terms, it’s pretty damn laudable.
Unfortunately, I know that most of the citing commissioners are not really of the “bigger picture” types, and so I reckon they’ll focus on the narrow view and deal with it in purely rugby terms. On those grounds, I’m afraid to say, Wolla’s actions were pretty much indefensible.
@robdylan (Comment 79) :
Seconded, thirded, and fourthed.
@Danman110 (Comment 81) : in that case, he should call Meyer. The lad knows nothing about that. Checked with him 5 mins ago.
@Big Fish (Comment 83) : you getting a little tubby that side?
@robdylan (Comment 84) : Apparently Plum is considering Tian or Ross Cronje as backup to Charl but they will make the call later in the week.
@robdylan (Comment 85) :
You really want the hills to be alive with the sound of you screaming?
Well done Sharks
@robdylan (Comment 79) : Thanks Rob, I’m sure your lavish praise will make my already hyper-inflated ego expand to truly unmanageable proportions…
I don’t want to make commitments that I know I cannot honour; right now, because of kids, work, and a variety of other vague factors I am only getting to watch typically between 10 – 30 minutes of each game; a weekly opinion piece is therefore just not going to happen.
What I’ll agree to is to do my best to sit down and watch a full game in the run-up to the elimination rounds, and if I feel suitable riled up or inspired, I’ll see if I can put something down in writing. I have a few ideas kicking around from my music blog days which I wouldn’t mind reviving, and this is probably an opportune time.
If the Sharks want to sort out their scrums they have to drop Alistair Hargreaves. People are quick to blame John Smit, but even Beast battled until Hargreaves was replaced by Mostert. The Sharks won’t have a problem against the Cheetahs or Lions forwards with Hargreaves though, but if they make the playoffs they will definitely have to look at replacing him.
Only threat this weekend is the Cheetahs backline. They could make Stefan Terblanche and Meyer Bosman look as average as really they are. If only Rudolph Streauli had followed through and bought the Ebehrson brothers and not rather settled on has beens.
Well done Sharks!!! Great win but we are still our own worst enemy and we need to sort that out.
@Culling Song (Comment 77) :
Well said my friend…….I was a bit worried about the ‘du Plessis’ bit there for a while!
@Culling Song (Comment 89) :
Time to get a PVR…..you’ll never look back!
I’ll take this win on the chin – thank you very much…in my household it sounded like we just won the SR Cup when that whistle went!! I even did a victory dance!
We need to sign Megatron’s cuzzie ASAP. That dude has speed, strength and skills. All chant now: “We want Sbu! We want Sbu!” Seriously, I know sevens is far removed from the 15-man game, but Sithole has what it takes to be a great wing.
Then all we need to do is turn Mvovs into a 13, move Lambie to 12 and start with Bosman at 10. *Ducks and runs…*
@rhineshark (Comment 95) : Bosman proved again this weekend that he can’t tackle.
@rhineshark (Comment 95) : @Ben (Comment 96) :
Bosman made the most tackles (11) and missed 2, Daniel made 10 and missed 2…..?
@Ice (Comment 97) : The difference is that Bosman misses tackles when it matters. I would not at all be surprised to find that those two tackles missed by Bosman are off first phase, whereas Keegan’s tackles could be of the last-gasp, desperate cover tackle attempt variety (qualifier: take note that I’m a huge Keegan fan, and that he can almost do no wrong in my eyes, so the opinions expressed above my not be entirely objective).
@Culling Song (Comment 98) : I get it…sort of like the Line out stats of last week…. not how many we lose – but WHERE we lose them;-)
The only thing I am trying to say is that the stats certainly says that he is trying…but like you say – not when it really matters.
@rhineshark (Comment 95) : no no no, leave lambs at 10
@rhineshark (Comment 95) : As far as I know, Sithole is a Shark.
Never thought I’d here myself say this but:
“For the next 3 weeks my favorite team are a new zealand team … Go Chiefs! ”
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 101) : Yip he is. That is why Megatron likes us so much, he just doesn’t like to admit it.
@Ben (Comment 96) : Only because he is out of his depth at 12. He prefers flyhalf and is much more comfortable there on both attack and defense.
@franshark (Comment 100) : That’s why I “ducked and ran”.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 103) : like you? hahahaha
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 101) : Ah, you’re right. But we aren’t using him, so for all intents and purposes he might as well be a Lion or a Cheetah.
@rhineshark (Comment 107) : give him another year of VC so that he can get experience and improve his positioning & defence. then see if he is ready for currie cup or super rugby.
@Megatron (Comment 108) : That laaitie is the real deal. I’m just worried that he gets snapped up by another union. We must look after him.
@Megatron (Comment 108) : congrats mega, he scored a brilliant try yesterday… i almost thought he stepped over the deadball line when he got tackled, but all seems well. do you know how quick he is?? maybe in comparison to a sharks player?
@rhineshark (Comment 104) : Lol what???
@Ben (Comment 111) : Just what I said. He is a much better 10 than inside centre.
@rhineshark (Comment 112) : Must be why the Cheetahs plaid him at 10 all these years. Sorry I’m not going to come close to agreeing with you about that. What evidence can you provide to back up that statement seeing he has almost never plaid 10 for a consistent time period.
@Ben (Comment 113) : Just from what I’ve seen of him when he has been at 10. He played there for most of his career (also for the Boks at 20 years old), until the Cheetahs decided to play Bulls-style 10-man rugby (which they did successfully in the CC from around 2005) and moved him to 12 to accommodate kicking flyhalves, like Louis Strydom, Willem de Waal, Conrad Barnard and Naas Olivier.
Well done Sharks we needed that win
now its the cheets and the Bulls
Very happy with what I saw from Hoffman.
@VanWilder (Comment 110) :
Apparently does the 100m in 10.4 or 10.5 seconds – Habana at his quickest.