It was touted to be a big game. And oh how right they were. The Sharks beat the Bulls in the Currie Cup semi final on Saturday in a match with the same intensity as a final. And what a final it would have been.
The game was delayed by 40 minutes due to a swarm of bees deciding they would much rather watch a Currie Cup semi final than anything else, but even that could not take the sting out of this match. The match got off to a perfect start for the Sharks, as they kicked off, won the kick off back and held possession for countless phases until a magical break by Keegan Daniel secured the and only try of the match.
What followed can only be described as a war, as the two packs of forwards went at each other with everything they had, crashing into each other at rucks and mauls. It was as if they were fighting for their lives. The Sharks were relentless in their ball retention as the Bulls hardly had a sniff of the ball for the first 20 minutes.
Eventually something had to give as the Bulls finally got their hands on the ball and managed to get into the Sharks half to get a penalty. Morne Steyn gladly took the points. Lambie and Steyn exchanged further penalties to leave the score at 10-6 at half time. The score was no real reflection as the Sharks had managed 78% of the possession for the half, forcing the Bulls to make 79 tackles in the first half alone.
The players were welcomed back onto the field with a bit of drizzle to start off the second half. Lambie and Steyn again exchanged penalties, with the lead jumping between 7 and 4 points. Steyn had numerous chances to cut the lead to only 1 point in the last ten minutes, but Matfield was adamant to score the try that would win them the match. But it was not to be as the Sharks showed amazing guts and effort to tackle relentlessly for what must have been a ten minute attack by the Bulls. The physicality was immense, but it showed that the Bulls can be beaten at their own game, as they were tired from all the tackling that had to be done in the first half. Man of the match was rightly given to Willem Alberts for an amazing performance, but could easily have gone to any of the starting 15.
The Sharks will now host Western Province at the same venue in two weeks time to battle it out for the coveted Currie Cup title.
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Go the Sharks!
An epic match it was for sure…I just hope the Sharks didn’t play their ‘final’ this past weekend and are up for the real final. Thank goodness for the 2 week break.
@Pokkel (Comment 2) :
I think they will be hungry as hell to beat WP that day. They will go all out. Its going to be another great day!
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 3) : So are you allowed to scream in the pressbox???and if not how the hell did you manage not to? 😀
I’m still buzzing… What a game! What a day!
WHAT A TEAM!
I think McLeod deserves a lot of credit for Keegans` try. . .
I knew they would do it. Never any doubt.
i`m just glad that the 2 teams that was at the top of the log for most parts of the cc is now in the final. whoever wins this will be worthy winners…
@Pokkel (Comment 4) :
I was the only one to shout. But you know what, it was well worth it. Try and stop me in two weeks time!!!
Well done boys!!!
And Rob, have to be said, your “stand up and fight” arti last week really got things going on this site.
There was just that something extra in beating the defending champs…….
@SharksRTB (Comment 10) : we all do our bit 🙂
Matfield was a little dof not to go for poles on two occasions. He though his team could simply pull another victory out the bag. What he didn’t count on was the hunger and determination of the Sharks.
@CapeShark (Comment 12) : lets be honest, in previous years, they probably could go over in the last minutes for the win.
I was so happy! Couldn’t stop screaming “yeah yeah yeah f*#k you bulls”! Haha eish so happy we beat those idiots I am very confident that if we have the same commitment for the final we will be cc champions!
The thing that made me the happiest on Saturday, was the fact that we made a lot less mistakes than previous matches, that’s why we had such great possession. And with Mcloed’s performance this CC I can totally understand how he can keep Rory out of the starting 15 (and I do like Rory). The day we played the Lions in Jo’burg, I called a Sharks vs. WP final and I was right.
As a critical analysis, i am concerned at the lack of points scored considering the amount of possesion we had. At halftime, we had almost 70% possesion but the score was only 10-6.
We have to convert possesion into points if we are to beat Province.
Mcloed played like a true champion. Who was man of the match btw?
@Mocho (Comment 17) :
Obviously did not read the entire article… Willem Alberts
@Mocho (Comment 17) : willem alberts deservedly so
@dawj (Comment 16) : As plum pointed out, they were attacking the ball. The Bulls do have one of the best defensive structures in the game.
@Benna08 (Comment 19) : hi benna, just saw you on and wanted to say that both Alberts and Kanko were fantastic. Hope they can deliver even better in the final.
And Willem deserved it 100%, I’m so glad he joined the Sharks. I would have just loved to Jean Deysel in the game as well. He and Willem will have bulldozed the Bulls back to Pretoria. 👿
We are going to miss strauss’s defense next season what does bosman have that strauss doesn’t?
@rekinek (Comment 21) : yeah but with the same team commitment we will go all the way
@Nita (Comment 22) :
I wonder how Plum wuld have structured his loosies had both Deysel and Alberts been there..
@Benna08 (Comment 23) : He can kick for goal and can play flyhalf.
@dawj (Comment 16) : that would be a big worry in pool stages as there you’re after a bonus point but during knock-outs this is of less importance.
One must not underestimate the bulls defence. Did not see the final stats but at some point it was like 15 tackles missed for over 120 made. And their defensive lines seemed very structured.
I was very impressed with Sharks patience whilst retaining the ball. After all they can’t score if they don’t have a ball.
@lostfish (Comment 26) : so why did we buy jacques louis potgieter then we are going to be short on centres plus he kicks like shit
Well done to both sharks and wp, two good games, looking forward to the final!
@Nita (Comment 22) : that would be too beautiful 😀
@rekinek (Comment 27) :
In the first half they made 79 tackles and missed something like 16 already..
@lostfish (Comment 26) : he seem to do well in kicking – wondered why cheetahs rather have louis strydom though, but why would we need him at flyhalf when already having lambie, guy cronje, jlp (who can also play centre) plus I’m sure that in hour of desperation both Stef and Adi can fill in.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 31) : noted. but did they miss much more later on. Will you be posting some stats later on? whould be interesting to see, I thought they really defended well, and one must remember that the one missed was the first line of defence – after all sharks only scored once and often it looked like they were not gaining any ground- hence I am applauding their patience.
Do anyone know if there’s any injuries in the camp after Saturday, Beast wobbled a bit after the game and why did JP leave so early?
@Nita (Comment 34) : JP pulled a hamstring – the commentators were saying that it may be this warming up and “down” whilst waiting for bees to leave the party.
@Benna08 (Comment 28) : At that stage we were desperate I suppose. It was before Lambie had played at flyhalf and we basically had Steve Meyer and Monty when JLP was shopping for a new province.
@rekinek (Comment 32) : We bought Bosman as a centre.
@rekinek (Comment 35) : Thanks.
@lostfish (Comment 36) : I think if he wasn’t able to kick so far we wouldn’t have bought him we don’t have someone who can kick from the halfway line. Imo he is a pretty average centre!
@lostfish (Comment 36) : I forgot Steve Meyer in my fls list. And he can kick I presume.