Sean Everitt’s young Sharks XV side has a properly tough opening outfit against the defending champions today.
The Bulls have suffered a few setbacks themselves, none of which will be more keenly felt than the loss of their coach, Nico Serfontein, to the Lions. They are always strong, though and have won this competition enough times in the past to know what to do.
For the Sharks XV, bolstered by a number of experienced campaigners from the Sharks ranks, including 100-cap Super Rugby veteran Adrian Jacobs, the Vodacom Cup has remained an elusive prize. Will the young class of 2011 be able to finally nail this piece of silverware? Today is the first, vital step.
Kick-off at Mr Price Kings Park is as 14h40.
The Sharks XV
15. Kobus de Kock, 14.Mark Richards,13. Adrian Jacobs, 12. Riaan Swanepoel, 11. Anton Verster, 10. Guy Cronje, 9. Ross Cronje (Captain), 8. Marcell Coetzee ,7. Peet Marais ,6. Francois Kleinhans, 5. Gerhard Mostert, 4. Jandre Marais, 3. Dale Chadwick, 2. Kyle Cooper. 1. Robbie Harris
Replacements
16. Monde Hadebe, 17. Sabelo Nhlapo, 18. Daniel Adonga, 19. Nic Claasen ,20. Cobus Reinach, 21. Fred Zeilinga, 22. Jerome Pretorius
Blue Bulls
Ulrich Beyers, Akona Ndungane, Claude Burger, Fanie Booysen, Courtnall Skosan, Louis Fouche, Dustin Jinka, Tendayi Chikukwa, CJ Stander, Marnus Schoeman, Mthunzi Mabeta, Cornell Hess, Frik Kirsten, Henry Bantjes (Captain), Corné Fourie.
REPLACEMENTS: Zane Botha, Juan Pike, JJ Breet, Vincent Gwavu, Neil de Bruyn, JC Roos, Pieter van der Walt.
Tweet
I hope Adi and Swannie has a blinder of a game.We need them back on form.
@Danman110 (Comment 1) : Especially Adi..
Yes if Stef gets injured we are going to need him fit and on form.Luckily Stef hardly ever gets injured.
Sharks 3
Bulls 0
11 mins
@Danman110 (Comment 3) : Yes but still stef will have to be rotated. Can’t expect him to start all our games.
Try to swannie
Sharks 8
Bulls 0
19 mins
Guy misses the conversion
Lions should have held onto Mostert ..big future ahead of him.
Shraks VC side looking in top form and well drilled.
You Durbanites hope u enjoying the lovely day over there looks incredible ..great day for rugby.
Bulls penalty.
Sharks 8
Bulls 3
22 mins
@Ben (Comment 5) : Yes I believe he will be rotated with Smitty to take over as captain but JLP should hold on 13 till Adi is back to his best.I am just concerend with Conrad Hoffman he needs gametime.
@Danman110 (Comment 10) : That makes two of us concerned about Hoffman.
@csb (Comment 8) :
And 25 he still has a good 5-7 years ahead of him AT LEAST.
Penalty to the sharks.
Sharks 11
Bulls 3
29 mins
Penalty to bulls
Sharks 11
Bulls 6
30 mins
@Ben (Comment 11) : We should not have let Rory go he was hard to work with but on the field he gave his all and he has lots of super rugby experience.
18-9 to the Sharks XV at halftime
sorry my internet collapsed. The 2nd half just started. Its 18 9 to the sharks after 44 mins.
tries to Kobus de Kock and Riaan Swanepoel
@Danman110 (Comment 15) : I agree.
Penalty to the bulls.
Sharks 18
Bulls 12
49 mins
@Ben (Comment 20) : not good – Sharks need to hang in there
@robdylan (Comment 21) : Starting to make silly mistakes now.
I have just arrived at the game..
Bulls on the attack here..
Sharks 18 – 12 Bulls
17 minutes to play
Bulls try..
Sharks 18 – 19 Bulls
16 minutes to play
shit… that’s bad
come on boys… get stuck in
Sharks try!!!!
Richards going over in the corner!!
Zeilinga to go for poles.. hits the poles
Sharks 23 – 19 Bulls
11 minutes to play
RICHARDS! Legend! 23-19
I like the play of 15,14 and 8.
Adonga did good at the ruck.
Adonga is a machine!
Covering on the wing..
@Honey Badger (Comment 30) : De Kock, Richards and (especially) Marcell Coetzee. All future Sharks stars
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 31) : is he actually on at wing, Rick?
@robdylan (Comment 32) : Nice glad I can also spot some talent.
Adonga’s cover defense is everywhere.
@robdylan (Comment 33) : He is playing in the pack somewhere
Adonga stealing another ball at tackle time..
This guy is awesome!
Adonga steal..
@robdylan (Comment 33) :
No dude..
Playing on the flank, but the guy is everywhere..
@Honey Badger (Comment 34) : glad for him… he’s going to be good, but we so badly need to find a position for him.
UNLESS we make him a specialist utility sub, able to cover 4,5,7,8,11,13,14…
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 36) : Must be those long legs..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 38) : excellent – really glad to hear. I guess Lambert will be back with them next week, so we won’t get to see Dan start at 7
Sharks try!!!!
@robdylan (Comment 39) : I say let’s make him a 13.
Try De Kock
Cobus de Kock scring from a chip and chase..
KOBUS SCORES!
Zeilinga to go for poles again.. Slots it
Sharks 30 – 19 Bulls
Last seconds of the game now..
that’s the game won and a bonus point
Sharks 30 – 19 Bulls
FULL TIME
Sharks are also going to get 4 Tries.
@Honey Badger (Comment 49) : so long as the Blues get less 🙂
Marcell Coetzee is far from the finished product but I thought he was brill today. His determination and workrate 2nd to none. If he can iron out the little unforced errors, the sky’s the limit. Best I’ve seen him play. Man it’s hot here. Pray for those clouds guys.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 48) : Awesome 😀
Wasn’t impressed with either cronje twins 🙁
Just had to listen to a soccer fan trying to blow what I can best describe as a constipated vuvzela ..
De kock looked really good on attack ..exciting youngster! Where is wynand pienaar,though?injured?
Wouldve liked to have seen lindeque in action..
Seemed like bulls left wing skosan had taken some personal dislike in richards..
What you guys think of marnus schoeman,bulls 6?
Cooper was not convincing at line-out time 🙁 ..basics,basics,basics..spend time on them..
Hoping reinach gets a start in next gam,need to see what he can offer the sharks..
Where is tian meyer @present?the pumas?has he been released by sharks management again?
Gonna go sleep now..nite everyone .
lol i just want to say i just went on keo.co.za and remembered an intense dislike for the man 😀
@bergshark (Comment 55) : Yeah De Kock was really good
Just finished watching recording of the game, Adi’s back…
@Charlie (Comment 60) : check the match report. He wsas superb, according to what I’ve heard.
@ Rob, for sure he was 😉
@Charlie (Comment 62) : a very kind friend is mailing me a dvd of the match 🙂
Ok will be all worth it, hope he added the post match interviews, Adi’s one at the end was good, such a professional, he is surely blessed !
Jip ,adi looks like a nice guy
Think it will be good if adi plays vc rugby for the next 4 weeks,to get back in the swing of things..some nice touches and runs on attack.
@bergshark (Comment 66) : Uhm his going on tour today so he won’t play vc for the next 4 weeks.
Hi all! Lovely day in durbs!
Rob ,for interest sake ,how do you select people to write articles? I would love to contribute some time.
I have to go to a game of touch rugby now ! 🙂
But I would love to contribute ! Even if i could email you my work and you could decide how to use it ,or even if to use 😉
Talent – mail me. [email protected]
@robdylan: I’ve sent you 2 arti’s to look at (and sent them to ksashark and clayron)without any reply.. ?? First one was bout return of matt stevens (19 jan)and second one was last week monday .??.
@bergshark (Comment 55) : I rate Marnus Schoeman. I thought he was 1 of the best u21 players last year.