Rory Kockott emerged the hero as he slotted four late penalties to hand the Sharks a thrilling 28-25 victory over Western Province in a Currie Cup match played on Friday night.
Report courtesy www.news24.com
After being up against it for the majority of the match, the Sharks needed a hero and the man who stepped up to the kicking plate, so to speak, was none other than man-of-the match, Kockott.
With both sides fielding relatively new-look sides and playing their first top flight match for weeks, there was always going to be an element of rustiness in their play.
However, the truly dour first-half showing by the Sharks would have had new coach John Plumtree warming up his vocal cords to give his charges a half-time tongue lashing.
Conceding four penalties and a soft try, they headed into the interval with a shock 19-11 half-time deficit that silenced the 17 000 fans who turned up to see the Sharks in action for the first time at home since their Super 14 win over the Chiefs.
The Sharks at last found their feet in the 50th minute when No 8 Keegan Daniel found himself on the wing and once again showed his pace as he went over in the corner to reduce the deficit to six.
They held the supremacy for the next 10 minutes, but ultimately continued to be the architects of their own demise as handling errors cost them at crucial times as they were headed for the red zone.
Kockott eventually managed to cut the deficit to 25-22 with two well taken penalties, setting things up perfectly for a tense final 10 minutes that was played out in driving rain, adding further drama to proceedings.
Kockott slotted his third penalty within minutes to draw things level before nailing another just moments later to hand his side an incredibly hard-earned win.
In a penalty riddled opening 10 minutes Kockott missed one and slotted two penalties while Province’s flyhalf Willem de Waal nailed his first from right in front.
And the Sharks’ lead was extended to 11-3 when Kockott, who had an absolutely storming outing that would have had Peter de Villiers sit up and take note, sniped around the blindside from the base of a scrum on the Province 22 to dive over in the corner for the opening try.
From that point forward things progressively unravelled for the Sharks as error after error and penalty after penalty saw them under the cosh for the final quarter of the half.
And almost inevitably it was an error in the 31st minute that cost them seven points as they lost the ball on attack, allowing WP to capitalise as they quickly sent it out to veteran winger Wylie Human who sprinted nearly 50m to go over untouched.
And when kicking metronome De Waal added another penalty from 53m out after the half-time hooter had sounded, it aptly summed up the Sharks half.
The men from the Cape continued their onslaught early in the second stanza as De Waal made the Sharks pay for conceding another penalty as he slotted his fifth kick in succession.
However, Daniel and Kockott produced their magic to turn things around for the Sharks.
Playing against his former team-mates, new Province recruit AJ Venter received some expected jeers from the crowd but performed solidly without shining.
Penalties
Sharks: Rory Kockott 4 (2)
Western Province: Willem de Waal 2 (4)
Conversions
Sharks: Rory Kockott 0 (0)
Western Province: Willem de Waal 0 (1)
Tries
Sharks: Rory Kockott, Keegan Daniel;
Western Province: Wylie Human.
Tweet
I think he acts like a bit of a tool, but almost only when playing against province. However love him against foreign oppo. Go figure. 😆
And hats off to the guy, he kicked them when they counted. Impressive.
@ra-cheltjie de’ be-er (Comment 1) : you probably just notice it more when he plays against Province 😉
Rory, to me, is one of those guys who clearly has a real asshole attitude, but at least backs it up with good performances. A bit like Philip Burger
Scrumhalves and hookers are supposed to have an asshole streak in them.
Its one of Ricky January’s most endearing qualities.
Well done Rory.
@Big Fish (Comment 4) : he was actually superb.
Maybe he should be a flyhalf…
@robdylan (Comment 3) : Exactly.
Hardegat attitude. Little people playing amongst big people need it.
ok – I’m off.
Later guys
@robdylan (Comment 8) : See ya.
“Rory, to me, is one of those guys who clearly has a real asshole attitude, but at least backs it up with good performances”
A-la… Gregan, Joost, Kelleher, Marshall… et al…
I am going to miss the bok match this evening 👿
And maybe the Bulls match as well 😕
Bloody work is interfering with my social life. 🙄
@KSA Shark © (Comment 11) :
Rugby-watching comprises your social life? 😯
WHIPEEESH!!! 😈
@Big Fish (Comment 12) :
😆
And i believe Rob will also be missing the game. 🙁
You doing commentary?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 13) :
I have a pc, not a laptop, and my tv is in another room – not the ideal commentator I am afraid.
Methinks rachel will step up – he has a flair for it.
Well done Sharks – I almost lag’ed my gat off thinking what flack Roberto would have taken next week given his article yesterday!
Man that would have been fun!
@MorneN (Comment 15) :
I can’t seem to find that article what was the title?
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 16) :
Found it under ‘original content’ having a read…
Hey, we did win! Kind of
@robdylan (Comment 18) :
266 original content posts already… quite an achievement…
I like Rory and he was a ghost when I was down in Durbs even some of the other guys didn’t know where he disappeared to, so I can’t personally speak about his attitude.
That being said from what I’ve seen it does appear that he’s got quite a fiery/fiesty one yet it reminds me more of the one you’d find with the youngest sibling in a large family.
You know the ones where they are oft forgotten, stepped over, pushed out of the way and picked on?
😆
@Milissa (Comment 20) :
He was in the kitchen making sandwiches…
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 19) : thanks pal… we’re trying very hard.
And always open to new contributions 😉
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 21) :
I’ve heard about some of his sandwiches…
@robdylan (Comment 3) :
Oh
I thought that was just normal Deben behaviour!
but seriously
few beat fliPPenBurger!
Both on aTTitude and dry field capabilities!