Hats off to Cell C Sharks XV flyhalf Tim Swiel for keeping the scoreboard ticking over during a tough first half, while the rest of his team found his feet during a 40-3 win over the Tusker Simba XV at a sweltering City Park in Cape Town on Saturday.
Swiel scored 18 points in a flawless kicking display, including four unanswered penalties in the opening forty that kept the pressure on the Kenyan side despite the dominant Sharks XV failing to score any tries during that period. Turning at 12-0 up and sorely in need of some ideas, it fell to inside centre Neil Maritz – a late replacement in the starting lineup for Andre Esterhuizen – to break the game open, scoring the first try while Kenyan prop Joseph Kangethe was in the sinbin.
Sharks XV replacement prop Thomas du Toit scored the second shortly afterwards, also his second try of the campaign.
Johan Meyer, enjoying a rare start at number 8, scored the third and with all three scores converted by Swiel, it was suddenly one-way traffic at 33-0 to the Sharks XV. Tusker Simba XV flyhalf Kenny Andola pulled back a penalty to finally open his side’s account, but the last laugh belonged to replacement flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis, who made a good fist of his fifteen minute cameo by scoring and converting the bonus-point try.
Given Western Province’s win over the Free State XV, the Sharks XV now find themselves needing just a single point from next Saturday’s home game against the EP Kings to be assured of top spot in the Vodacom Cup South Section – however, the imminent loss of Swiel to the Super Rugby squad coupled with du Plessis’s ongoing Junior Springbok commitments will certainly add a few headaches for the coaches, with the knockouts looming.
Scores:
Tusker Simba XV (3). Penalty Kenny Andola.
Cell C Sharks XV (40). Tries Neil Maritz, Thomas du Toit, Johan Meyer, Jean-Luc du Plessis. Conversions Tim Swiel (3), du Plessis. Penalties Swiel (4).
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If only Sharks had another young fly half on their books…………. o yes that’s right they had one but decided to donate him to WP.
@JD (Comment 1) : I think you will find its his signature on the paper not the Sharks…..
Basically we traded rob for tim swiel-imo a pretty good trade
@Bok-Clyde-Kiwi (Comment 3) : Exactly. If A player is not willing to fight for his position and would rather leave to play with less competition for a position then he can go, I am only interested in players who are keen to fight for game time.
@JD (Comment 1) : yes, but then Jean-Luc du Plessis steps into the breach.
Congrats once again to the Sharks XV! Good to hear that Swiel was in fine form.
@Seth101 (Comment 2) : @Bok-Clyde-Kiwi (Comment 3) : Rob was contracted to the Shark until the end of the year. If you’re contracted you can’t leave until your contract expires or you are released from it. No matter what you do or sign that does not change. I think Rob should not have been released so easily and if WP wanted him they should have paid a transfer fee, but hey that’s only how I feel and apparently my feelings were not shared by the powers that be.
@robdylan (Comment 5) : yes du Plessis is there but currently he’s with the Baby Boks or will he be released to go play Vodacom cup?
Rob, all reports I’ve read have Andre Esterhuizen scoring and converting a try. I dont recall JL du Plessis name being mentioned.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 9) : that’s because those reports are wrong 🙂
@JD (Comment 8) : well, he played for the Sharks XV this weekend, so the question is irrelevant 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 10) : Seriously, even the official Sharks site has Esterhuizen scoring (file picture and all), :shock:. Makes one wonder.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 12) : it was a late chance.
I’ve alerted the Sharks website to the problem.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 12) : @robdylan (Comment 13) : That’s nothing, Gavin Rich has Paul Jordaan playing against the Lions
@robdylan (Comment 13) : @vanmartin (Comment 14) Poor all round, especially from the Sharks site – photo and all.
Make this the official site already.
@robdylan (Comment 11) : glad to hear did know.
Sharks website has been poor for a long time now,often have the wrong fixture displayed.One i can remember was the sharks u19 playing Boland that wasn’t even in that league, in that year,sent them a email and was told sorry the person responsible was moving house :oops:WTF
It’s because of the Sharks rugby sites’ poor quality that I discovered this great site! I felt that they were flat and 1 dimensional and needed interactive thought. I found a happy house!
@bobby 26 (Comment 17) : @KILLER SHARK (Comment 18) : only times I go to Sharks website is to check the Shark cage, for any other news I come to Sharksworld.