The Sharks got their defence of the Currie Cup off to a near perfect start as they beat the Bulls 35 – 16 at Kings Park tonight, in a superb display of creative and running rugby, in which Fred Michalak was a standout performer both in directing the backline and with his kicking at goal.
Keegan Daniel got his first full season as captain off to a superb start as he lead from the front, popping up in all the right places with those superb breaks from nowhere and scoring a great team try in the process.
First points went to the Bulls through the boot of Francois Brummer, after the Sharks were caught offside in their own half. The Sharks hit back almost immediately, turning down three points and going for a lineout, Michalak going over for the try, which he duly converted from the sideline as well.
Brummer got another opportunity to go at goal, this time a trickier attempt, but slotted it and got the deficit back to one point for the Bulls. Brummer lined up yet another Sharks infringement minutes later to take the lead back again, 7 – 9 with the first quarter of the game gone.
The young front row, which saw a late change in Dale Chadwick starting this game with Eugene van Staden injuring his hamstring at the Captains run on Friday, really impressed and managed to win the Sharks a penalty after scrumming through the Bulls, which Michalak stroked through the poles to take back the lead in a tight affair.
A penalty after a break away from Keegan Daniel, gave Freddie Michalak his chance to show some magic, putting a kick across field for Ludik to catch and easily fall over the tryline, absolute magic from the Frenchman, catching the Bulls off guard. Unfortunately he could not convert from the sideline, leaving the Sharks with a six point lead.
The Sharks did not stop there, this time starting a move from a scrum inside their own half, Cronje breaking and finding Botes, who passed to Daniel inside him, who put Marcell Coetzee away to swallow dive in under the poles, giving Michalak the easiest of conversions. A thirteen point advantage at the break, with the Sharks one try away from that all important bonus point.
The Bulls started the second half guns blazing, camping in the Sharks 22m, twice coming very close to scoring tries, but the Sharks defence held strong and kept them at bay until Derick Kuün finally broke through a couple of tackles, Bosman letting him through the defensive line.
The bonus point try was scored ten minutes into the second half, Captain Keegan going over after a 5m lineout for the Sharks. Michalak’s conversion took the lead back to thirteen points.
The Bulls kept coming at the Sharks with wave after wave of attack, and the Sharks defence stood tall and tackled like men possessed. When they did eventually get their hands on the ball, play went into the Bulls 22m and Michalak stroked another penalty through, stretching that lead to sixteen points.
After a lull in the game where both teams reverted to kicking and chase rugby, the Sharks mauled up a good 40m from a lineout, after which a penalty was awarded and Michalak stretched the lead even further to nineteen points.
Coach Plumtree started making changes from the 65th minute, Jan Andre Marais coming on for Anton Bresler, who looked to have picked up a knock just on half time. Francois Kleinhans came on after 60 minutes, replacing Jacques Botes who also took a knock and was hobbling off the park. Kyle Cooper replaced Burden in the 69th minute, getting a good ten minutes under his belt.
Julian Redelinghuys also made his debut, replacing Wiehahn Herbst, as well as flyer Sibusiso Sithole making his first start, coming on for Stefan Terblanche. The halves were both replaced with five minutes to play, Cobus Reinach and Jacques-Louis Potgieter getting a few minutes.
The Sharks ended as easy winners, outscoring the men in blue four tries to one, but it was most certainly the Sharks defence that won them this game. The Bulls attacked for long periods at a time and left with no points to show for their efforts. My forward of the match is without a doubt Marcell Coetzee, who impressed on Currie Cup debut and was absolutely everywhere on defence, with Fred Michalak my back of the match, what a replacement to have when Lambie goes on Bok duty.
Scorers:
Sharks:
Tries: Coetzee, Daniel, Ludik, Michalak,
Penalties: Michalak (3),
Conversions: Michalak (3)
Bulls:
Tries: Kuün
Penalties: Brummer (3),
Conversions: Brummer (1)
Tweet
I’ll be the 1st to say that Cronje played a lot better than I thought he would.
Let’s continue in this manner for the rest of the season.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 1) : Yeah I second that.
Some thoughts:
Stef a bit too casual with his clearance kicks tonight. Had my heart in my mouth on a couple occasions.
Marius Joubert… eish – hope it gets better from this game onwards… 🙄
Michalak & Keegan – simply superb!
Lineouts were a bit of a mare, as was the passing to the wings.
Overall good stuff sharks
@KSA Shark © (Comment 1) : he did but his distribution out is a bit too slow..but otherwise I like his style
@KSA Shark © (Comment 1) : Yip, he lacked some urgency in the first 20 minutes and his service wasn’t great at times but he seemed to improve in both departments as the match progressed. He’s inside step to break the line was superb.
@CapeShark (Comment 3) : Agreed. In the case of MJ I trust it’s just some rust after his break. Hope he improves from here on out.
just a slight correction… it wasn’t Julian’s debut. He came on for a few minutes in 2008 🙂
Sorry Rob, I didn’t research it, the stadium announcer must have gotten it wrong..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 7) : don’t worry boet… only a freak like me would know that!
Commentators also got it wrong.
@robdylan (Comment 8) :
Very impressed with Cronje today..
Youngsters really stood up..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 9) : must have been a blast to be there, how many in attendance…
@franshark (Comment 10) :
22,000 in attendance
Its okay, but it was far from a great crowd, especially playing the Bulls
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 11) : Double than what was at Newlands, I think its still early season stay-aways… If I stayed closer u would not get me away from the stadium with a gun 🙂
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 11) : 22k isn’t bad at all.
biggest for the weekend I’m told.
@franshark (Comment 12) : not according to the commentators. 44k? That is almost a full house at newlands
@KSA Shark © (Comment 14) : In their dreams. The stands were empty.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 14) : I heard them say 11000, and here is a tweet from Rob earlier “From: @sharksworld
Sent: Jul 16, 2011 3:35p
11 079 fans at Newlands
sent via Snaptu
On Twitter
@franshark (Comment 16) : yeah only 11 000 at newlands. If we get 22 000 for every home game of the currie cup and then full it up for playoffs i’ll be very happy 😉
pretty good all round team performance today, all the youngsters played really well. Would have liked richards to have a good run tho
I think KSA is talking about another game… He acknowledge it was the biggest attendance for the weekend… Comment 13
@RuckingFun (Comment 18) : was exiting to see the youngsters in action 🙂
Cronje really should play faster at ruck time,but I liked his tackling.
@Honey Badger (Comment 21) : Agreed
@franshark (Comment 20) : yeah exciting times lie ahead, we look like we have a good mix of youth and experience. the real test will be when we play the cheetahs in 2 weeks time
@RuckingFun (Comment 23) : but after today’s good win I would like to see how we perform next week when we would think opposition is weaker… And away
we’ll probably have more support then they will next week anyway, but ja hopefully we can produca another good performance and our centers “click”. Did bosman and joubert play together at the cheetahs?
@RuckingFun (Comment 25) : don’t think so, I kinduf liked they amount off times Stef came looking for work and getting involved.
@franshark (Comment 26) : yeah stef looked much more at home at fullback, needs to speed up those kicks a bit, got charged down twice if i remember correctly. ludick doesnt have out and out speed but looked competant at wing
@RuckingFun (Comment 27) : would be interesting to see what happens if both Odwa and Mvovo returns, Ludick and Richard to drop out?
@RuckingFun (Comment 27) : @franshark (Comment 28) : Who is Ludick? Does he play for the Sharks?
@franshark (Comment 28) : ya not sure what options we gonna have later [email protected]Ben (Comment 29) : he plays for the same team as Keegan Daniels 😉
@RuckingFun (Comment 30) : I don’t know such a team. Overseas maybe? 😉
just seen siyabonga tom and tyler fisher made the SA schools side, while matthew jones and cyprial mkhabela made the academy side, so well done to them and hopefully we see them playing for the seniour side one day
@Ben (Comment 31) : 😆
I so wanted Sithole to play some more time to see his ability in 15man rugga
@Ben (Comment 31) : hehe 😉
@RuckingFun (Comment 30) : @franshark (Comment 33) : Okay now seriously. It’s Ludik. Don’t say I’ve never done anything for you. 😆 😉
@Ben (Comment 36) : Ben to late for me to start learning spelling now, wil only do it again becuase ill forget 🙂
@franshark (Comment 37) : u see its getting worse now 🙂
I actualy wanna go and sleep, but I’m so wakker soos n akker, wane watch the Ausie game 2morrow…
Fantastic performance – Cronje really stepped up, Richards looked promising, Freddie showed absolute class, Keegan is a Teichmann style captain and should grow from strength to strength, Joubert showed glimpses and seemed to have a good connection with Richards, the pack was outstanding. So proud, and really hope it makes those arrogant WP journalists shut up about their young players and their structures. Those WP boys (Craven Week upwards) have the arrogance of superstars, but none of the quality.
Sean Everitt, et al, take a bow!
@franshark (Comment 12) : I misread this comment. I thought you said Newlands had double the amount we had in Dbn. 😆
@MerckZ (Comment 40) : Keegan lead from the front, but he isn’t a Teichmann.
Teich would never ask the ref “Can you just be a little consistent?” as Keegan did. 😆 I just about pissed myself when he said that
@KSA Shark © (Comment 42) : he just had to say something, to show his mate’s he wil stand up to the ref for them… 🙂
Anyone els watching the Ausie game 🙂
Marius Jonker is the ref.
Penalty for Samoa, Nr1 in front of kicker
PK Samoa
Aus 0 – 3 Samoa
3min
Aus get kickable penalty but opt for line out
And again Aus get kickable penalty but opt for line out
Aus knocks on 2meter from try line
Familiar BIG tackles coming from Samoa
Samoa try
95 meter run from Tuilagi(11) from turn over in the tackle
Pisi Converts the try
Aus 0 – 10 Samoa
13min
Ausies looks rusty, and the in your foce defense of Samoa is getting to them at this stage..
Penalty for Aus, late tackle on Gittue, BAD call…
Aus going for line out again
Aus knocks on but gets penalty right in front, takes a quick tap and knocks again…
20 min passed
Aus fight their way to all the way 10meters from the try line and lost the ball..
Penalty for Aus in the scrum, and now they go for goal, Kick in the center and 48meters out… Missed by Giteau
27 min passed
Aus doing most of the playing but have nothing to show
Charge down and try for williams(15) Samoa
Pisi Converts the try
Aus 0 – 17 Samoa
30min
Mark gets hammerd and looses the ball
5meter lineout for Aus
Penalty to Aus Samoa lying repeatedly on the wrong side, getting official warning
Aus takes the scrum 5meters from try line
Daniel Leo(5) gets a yellow for hand in the ruck…
Easy try for Ioane…
Giteau Converts the try
Aus 7 – 17 Samoa
39min
Aus gets the penalty, dangerous tackle, Penalty count 10 against Samoa, 2 against Aus
PK
Aus 10 – 17 Samoa
HALF TIME
2nd half under go
Penalty for off side, in the middel, 40 meters out, Giteau slots it
PK
Aus 13 – 17 Samoa
41min
Samoa looses the ball 1meter from the try line
Try for Samoa, Tompson(4)
Pisi miss the convertion
Aus 13 – 22 Samoa
48min
Samoa back to 15 players
Samoa gets warned again for continuous infringes at the ruck’s
Aus knocks on in center field
29808 in attendance
TMO for Samoa try
Try awarded to Pisi
Pisi Converts the try
Aus 13 – 29 Samoa
54min
Hole buch of replacments on for the Ausies, might be all of them
PK Aus
Aus 16 – 29 Samoa
58min
20 min to go
This Aus gonna feel this game, BIG tackles going in
Samoa gets a penalty, difficult kick
PK Samoa
Aus 16 – 32 Samoa
66min
10min to go
Giteau try in the corner
Great work from Higgenbottom
Giteau converts the try
Aus 23 – 32 Samoa
72min
Does that score look famaliar… Sharks vs Bulls S15 2011 Durban
Snoooooooter of a tackle… And again…
2 and half min, Aus scrum 22meters out
Samoa holding the ball for deer live
AND THAT’S IT
Aus 23 – 32 Samoa
FULL TIME
We play this Samoa team in the world cup, we might win but their tackling gonna hurt us
@franshark (Comment 102) : this is not new, though :). 95, 07…
Great game by the Sharks. Thanks Culling Song for being a great host last night. So at last CS and I managed to watch a winning game together……long may it continue!
@robdylan (Comment 103) : that means we win the world cup if we get passed them, they make us hard 🙂
@Pokkel (Comment 104) : Great game indeed 🙂
@Pokkel (Comment 104) : So you doing it live on 30July 😉
Lekker! You Aussie Plonkers! 😈
@JarsonX (Comment 108) : Watch the backlash against us next week. 🙂
@KSA Shark © (Comment 109) : True 🙂
Good team performance all round. I’m still concerned about the ruck clearance that is not always utilised to the full extent, giving the other team quicker and cleaner ball (they are not hindered enough). The Sharks lost 2 line outs and the Bulls 5, I think. But I’m still not confident when its line out time. The Bulls always competes and seems to have read our calls and slightly disrupted our line outs. We dont compete nearly as often as we should.
But, with all that said, its great to know that we could score the bonus point try (3 in the 1st halve already) and that the Bulls got their try after a slow clearance by the Sharks. I’m stoked with the perfomance of the whole team with the exception again of the centres. What I’m really happy about is that everybody got onto the park for a few minutes. Dale Chadwick stood up and showed he can compete, Marcell was everywhere and can develop in an awesome player, Cronje was a lil slow sometimes at the base of the rucks and with the Bulls disrupting (ie. couter rucking) we stand to lose good ball here in the future, Marius J did nothing spectacular and not much wrong, Richards got few ball and not in space so he couldnt show-off his stepping and speed.
Of the older guys, Keegan had a captains innings as always. He is to me a great stalwart of Sharks rugby and I would HATE it the day he announces he is going abroad. Captain, my captain. Michalak was pure class and the speed at which he makes quick decisions is amazing. Bosman again, eish… Stef is better suited at fullback and I think that Ludick had a really good performance on the right wing.
I hope to see more of the bench players in the next game. With Stef starting at fullback and later making way for Sithole on the wing and Ludick at the back. Julian to shake off the injury rust, Marais to get more time in the 2nd row and Kleinhans more minutes on the park. I like Reinach and wouldnt mind seeing him start against the Pumas. And I would now seriously consider JLP at 12 in the place of Bosman.
There is much room for improvement for the Sharks. If they could take the Bulls by 19 poits, they can become monumental if they iron out lil issues.
PS, why is Muzi so quiet for the past 16 hours?? 😛 😆
@shaniboi (Comment 4) : Agree felt the same as you. Thought Cronje’s distribution was way, way to slow. Otherwise he was fine.
Anyhow well done to our Sharks.
Keegan was superb and one just has to feel for him not getting a Bok call up.
Freddie also once again brilliant. Joubert not so sure about him right now. Hope he gets better as the tourney goes on.
Terblanche and Ludik at La Lucia Mall at 12pm, Daniel and Bosman at 2pm, the new Sharkie was there from 10 to 12.
My daughters are making Kette stay at La Lucia until they have all the signatures. 🙂
OMG! Samao! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
@franshark (Comment 101) : 😯
@klempie (Comment 116) : 🙂
Samoa * 😕
@Ben (Comment 117) : why so wide eye 🙂 u just woke up 🙂
I wonder what THAT does to the rankings. Surely Aussies will drop below us.
@JustPlainSHARK (Comment 111) : do u think it was over eagserness by JLP when he came on, I wanted to close my eyes every time he touched the ball…
@klempie (Comment 121) : its a friendly, does it count?
@JustPlainSHARK (Comment 112) : his hiding!!
@franshark (Comment 120) : Shocked
@Ben (Comment 125) : if u recorded it, its worth the look 🙂
@franshark (Comment 126) : Didn’t record it.
@klempie (Comment 121) : Aus lose 2 points and Samoa gain 2.
Aus go down to third (Boks moved up to 2nd) & Samoa remain in 10th spot.
@McLovin (Comment 128) : Serious, that would hurt a lot 😆 same 😛
@franshark (Comment 123) : Not a friendly. Full blown Test boet.
@McLovin (Comment 128) : Bit of a raw deal for the Samoans but I guess the gap to 9th was quite big.
@McLovin (Comment 128) : Just for that reason I like Samoa now!
@Pokkel (Comment 104) : So, after knowing Pokkel for more or less 12 years we actually finally managed to watch a game together where the Sharks emerged victorious! Looking back, I think what broke the infamous PokCul curse’s back was the judicious use of my patented frozen margharitas; after a couple of those we were suitably loose and any negative psychic vibes dissappeared like the Blue Bulls’ resistance in the face of the Sharks onslaught.
What a great game; I thought our pack was superb, dominating the Bulls in all facets. Our loose forwards were similarly brilliant, with the nomination of Keegan as captain vindicated in spades.
Great showing from our halfbacks; Ross Cronje may still win me over if he keeps performing like that, although I still thought he was guilty of doing the Joost a few time too many. Fred simply reinforced my opinion that he has been one of the best value-for-money acquisitions in Sharks’history.
The one area of concern for me was the centres; Meyer Bosman’s defence was again found wanting, and if he doesn’t cut it at this level, he’s definitely not going to be a success at Super Rugby. I’m still not sure that he’s missing that many tackles, but the boy sure has a knack of missing the ones that matter. Allowing that imbecile Derick Kuun to score against us is something I will hold against him forever, I’m afraid. Marius Joubert did not show me anything to make me believe he’s worth whatever we paid for him either, but given that it was his first game in the black-and-white, he should probably be afforded the benefit of the doubt.
In the back three Ludick looked a lot more composed than I would have though, I liked what I saw of Richards, and Oupa looked a heck of a lot more at home at the back than in the 13 jumper. I was a tad worried about his seemingly lacksadaisical approach to clearance kicks, but I’m sure it’ll come back to him.
I think the most pleasing aspect overall was the hunger, the intensity, and the desire to play that was on show. I just hope that we can maintain that, unlike our Super Rugby squad’s consistently inconsistent showings over the years.
@Culling Song (Comment 133) : hi there NN’s CS, I’m giving Pokel a call 2morrow, any chance that we can go together to watch the Cheetahs game?
@Culling Song (Comment 133) : All the more reason to bring him to Dbn. 😛
@franshark (Comment 134) : Get together and watch it in Durban. 😛
@franshark (Comment 134) : I’m on standby that weekend, so any Durban plans will depend on if I can get someone to cover for me.
@Culling Song (Comment 136) : At least plans are in the offing 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 137) : ja at least 😉
@franshark (Comment 122) :
Heck, I was grinding my teeth in the last minutes. I think JLP tried to fit in a 80 minute performance in the space of 10min. I mean, you have to show that you are at least on par with Michalak. I actually feel for JLP. He came to the Sharks in order to get a spot in the World Cup side.
@JustPlainSHARK (Comment 139) : I feel for him too, he made a decision to come to the sharks, might have been the starting FH at the bulls this year, now sitting on the bench looking up to a guy like Mitch
@Culling Song (Comment 133) : The margharitas were fantastic but the Glenmoranghie was the icing on the proverbial cake. What a way to celebrate a great game in style.
@Pokkel (Comment 141) : 😛
The way the younger guys came through was absolutely bloody brilliant!!! We need to keep hold of them, and we WILL be near unbeatable in a couple of years!
Just a few observations from my seat on the halfway line at the game. Cronje cleared the base of the ruck a lot better in the 2nd half but his pass is just too slow- hence the charge downs, altho Terblanche did seem in go slow mode. Would like to see Reinach start, and wuld love Hoffman back even more! Our centres looked fairly average and I really wouldnt mind seeing JLP start at 12 just to put some pressure on Bosman to perform. Michalak was the flyhalf SA has been searching for and hopefully he will have some time to rub off on Lambie and the other young Sharks flyhalves. I thought Chadwick was good but Burden and Ludick had great games. Yes Burden could throw in better but i also think the speed of our jumpers and lifters needs to improve. Kleinhans was everywhere when he was on as was Coetzee all game.