Welcome to Loftus, where the Sharks look for a second win of the season – and the Bulls a first!
The home side, arguably, have far more to lose going into this match and the question is, quite simply, will that desperation alone be enough to prevail over a Sharks team full of confidence after a good win against the Lions in week 2.
Rain may play a role again this week, as showers are predicted in Pretoria this evening.
Kick-off is at 17h05.
Bulls: 15 Jesse Kriel, 14 Bjorn Basson, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 HandrΓ© Pollard, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Pierre Spies (captain), 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 MornΓ© Mellett.
Replacements: 16 Callie Visagie, 17 Dean Greyling, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Grant Hattingh, 20 Hanro Liebenberg, 21 Tian Schoeman, 22 Travis Ismaiel, 23 Jurgen Visser.
Sharks: 15 SP Marais, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Waylon Murray, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Patrick Lambie, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Renaldo Bothma, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis (captain), 1 Dale Chadwick.
Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Thomas du Toit, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Marco Wentzel, 20 Jean Deysel, 21 Conrad Hoffmann, 22 Fred Zeilinga/Lionel Cronje, 23 Jack Wilson.

Let’s do it Sharkies.
This is a big 1, come on Sharks!
C’mon Bulls! π
Poor start.
@McLovin (Comment 3) : You spelled Lions wrong.
Reinach’s passing and decision making for that entire attacking period was poor.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 5) :
Actually a bit nervous. You never know with those ouens.
Jeez this ref is kak! 3 bullshit penalties already.
Bulls lead 6-3 after 12 minutes…
The Sharks have had some good phases but are being blown to pieces…penalised heavily!
Going to be a long day with this ref
Pollard makes it 9-3…
@Seth101 (Comment 11) : Yeah, the penalty against Marcell Coetzee should have gone the other way…
Good counterruck by the Sharks…lineout just outside the 22…
Not in straight by the Sharks…
Not happy with the ref so far. Not consistent so far.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 8) : If even the commentators say so… π
Jeepers…what is that now…72 penalties to 1?!?!
The ref’s last holiday in Durbs must’ve been really kak.
6 penalties conceded already! π
Yay…a penalty to the Sharks… π―
Matfield wins a lineout against the throw…that’s two lineouts stuffed up!
Nice strong carry by SP…
Let’s see whether we can win this lineout!
Kanko shakes Matfield’s hand… π
Looks like they upped Matfield’s meds.
Penalty Sharks…Lambie will have a shot…
He nails it…9-6…
Sharks surprised at kickoff, but Bothma cleans well…
Forward pass?
Miles forward
Great break by Kriel and he puts Hougaard in…TMO to check…
There was a forward pass, tv ump says check for foot in touch, ref then asks to check for obstruction? π
Forward pass surely!
1 meter forward…
That is absolutely shocking officiating!!!
Oh my word! It has been awarded!!
Pathetic!!!!!
Unbelievable. Only at Loftus!
Bismarck klapping Matfield?
As always absolutely nothing will happen to these awful refs
Just shocking!!! How can that happen?!?!
Handbags… π
Bissie makes Matfield his bitch!
Bismarck going to get life from this ref.
And its over. We can’t chase scores. Because we think 3 points will be enough to overtake a 10 point lead.
Absolutely shocking, shockng, shocking!!
Sharks need to stop kicking the ball away and start playing. Ref decisions all over the place
Even the blind could read Bismarck’s lips there. π
Kanko steals the lineout…great counterattack, brilliant offload by Murray!!
A bulls player breaks the rules “good for experience”
@Seth101 (Comment 51) : “good experience”
Bulls just clear…the kick by SP? Hmmm…
Stupid turnover by the Sharks….ooh…and a big tackle by Coetzee!
Sharks need to hold on to the ball better
Kanko scores!!!!
Kanko is back
Nice offload by Bothma!
Yes! That’s what offloading can get you!
Yes!!!!
Score guys?
Some brilliant counter attacking from both sides!
Great offload by Bothma, good work by SP and Odwa put Kanko in!!
I think kanko is fit guys π
16-13 after 31 mins…
Bulls 16 – 13 Sharks
31 minutes.
Bulls have run out of brandy.
Sharks by 15.
The tide, she’s turning…
Bothma did really well to offload there
Sharks are back in this…
Victor steals the lineout, but Bulls penalised…
Lambie will take a shot…
Matfield is giving PSDT a torrid time in the lineouts
He nails it…the scores are level at 16-16 after 33 minutes!!
All square.
Great kick Lambie.
Good kickoff take by Giant and the Sharks exit well…
Flip guys. Didn’t think this would be close. Let’s keep pushing. Bet a bottle of Gold label that Sharks would win by at least 10.
Great tackle by PSdT…but Sharks penalised…
Kak defense!
Ultimately a good try by the Bulls…Stegmann!
Bulls score another try
Marcell very lucky to not get a yellow there.
Coetzee lucky to escape a yellow. How can the ref say, “If it wasn’t for the try it would have been yellow?!?” Yellow is yellow…
No ways.
23-16 after 37 mins…
Should have held onto that ball
Lambie misses a drop attempt…
Reinach gets a kick charged down just about every game!
@pastorshark (Comment 88) : no need to go for one, still a few minutes and in a good position.
Let’s do something before halftime…
Another lineout lost! π
The old man is still ruling the lineouts
Or not…Matfield steals another lineout!!
Half Time
Bulls 23 – 16 Sharks
@Here be dragons (Comment 90) : Absolutely!
Good bits and bad bits all in one half for the Sharks!
I thought this ref is unbiased?
But for a super crap TMO call scores would be level…
Biggest issues are the focus on territory and not possession and really poor play from Reinach so far.
We are not being patient in building phases.
We need to up the intensity and stop kicking!
@JarsonX (Comment 98) : Me too, but he’s clearly a Sharks fan. π
@pastorshark (Comment 99) : Change that bloody rule to: if the ball goes forward…it’s forward!! That would take out all this subjective crap…and not conclusive rubbish!!
On the replay that pass in the first try was clearly forward
@pastorshark (Comment 103) : Then almost all passes will be forward. Unfortunately not as simple as that.
@pastorshark (Comment 103) : @Bokhoring (Comment 104) : Cobus should have kicked the ball into the stands. So frustrating.
@Big Fish (Comment 100) : Reinach is having a poor game on attack and defence
@Ben (Comment 101) : Although, to be fair, much of our kicking has been effective…
All the criticism in the press this week has certainly stung old Matfield into action. He is having a very good game today.
@McLovin (Comment 105) : Surely not…players have to adjust! Either way…that was a poor decision!
@pastorshark (Comment 103) : We don’t need a rule change. We need TMO’s who aren’t morons.
@Ben (Comment 106) : Fair enough…that doesn’t take away the frustration of a kak decision though!
@pastorshark (Comment 108) : It’s the drop goal that rubbed me up the wrong way.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 111) : π This is true!
@pastorshark (Comment 110) : It’s not the players it’s physics. Like I said, not as simple as you think.
Come on. Officials aside, we are to blame for being behind. Let’s focus on what we actually can control.
@pastorshark (Comment 110) : Watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=box08lq9ylg
Hope it helps.
We still have the problem of just keeping the ball when on attack. We need to have more patience with ball in hand
Penalty Sharks straight away. Bothma has played very well…
@McLovin (Comment 117) : I understand physics…I am just very frustrated…
Same kak defense!
Useless
Bulls teaching the Sharks how to attack. Patience and then strike
Lambie nails a penalty to make it 23-19…but we bloody cock up the exit from the kick off and the Bulls score! Ag kak…
This ref is a joke, how was that a fair steal
Concentrate men!!
Rudy Paige is streets better than Reinach.
Nobody runs through fresh air like Spies.
This could get ugly
30-19 after 45 minutes…
@McLovin (Comment 128) : π
We see this yet again. Our backs weren’t to the wall before the game so we seem disinterested in the game. Bunch of mental midgets!
Bulls are playing good rugby now
Brilliant play by the Bulls for countless phases and the gain 70m before a knock spoils it…
That’s two tries now to Reinach’s inside… What’s wrong with his defence today?
Bothma down…
…and back up…
Lets keep on kicking penalties. Way to win π
Why don’t we take the free kick quickly?
@JarsonX (Comment 138) : Drop goals are a better way! π
Why is an Afrikaans ref speaking English to Afrikaans players.
And please don’t say it’s for the international audience. French refs certainly don’t speak to French players in English. Or Italian refs etc.
Ndungane almost through…
@McLovin (Comment 141) : Because it’s the French league. This isn’t the Currie Cup.
PSDT not giving up. Good run there
Nice break by PSdT comes to nothing…penalty Sharks…
@Ben (Comment 144) : Pay attention next time you watch six nations.
@McLovin (Comment 147) : Or Euro cup…
How does a lock break the line and there’s not ONE back running support?
Lambie will go for posts…and kicks a beauty…30-22…
Kicking at goal. Wtf! Seriously!
Nice work by SP…
Reinach you dunce!
Reinach kicks the ball dead from inside his 22
Nice Reinach.
Ag kak…from in his 22 kicks it touch in goal…
Wentzel and Thomas the Tank on…
Bulls on the attack…
Who are our centres today? Hardly seen them!!!
30-22 after 54 minutes…
Great defence Shark and Coetzee wins the penalty…
That’s better Marcell
Marcell saves our bacon
Sharks lose the ball…knock…
Rubbish by the Sharks!
Pollard having a good game too
@Ben (Comment 150) : Well, look…there wer 28 minutes left at the time…I back that decision…
I reckon that Reinach needs a break now…
Sharks giving away advantage after advantage at that mall…
Sharks have no idea how to defend mauls
We look like idiots. Bulls been dire this season so far, yet they are toying with us.
@Bokhoring (Comment 165) : The flyhalf battle is about equal…
Sharks don’t look like they know how to win this game.
Pollard nails it and makes it 33-22 after 59 minutes…
Game on. π
Reinach makes up for all his rubbish play so far
Lucky try. Back in it!
Hahaha and then Reinach goes and scores! π
Reinaaaaaach!!
π
And yet again Reinach turns from kak to gold. This boy must be a sorcerer.
Charge down, collect, score…
Reinach makes up for one of the tries he let through today
@Ben (Comment 176) : Give the man some credit…a lot was crap, but he is good at that!
33-29 after 61 mins…
Italy beat Scotland.
Kickathon
572 kicks in a row!!
Make that 575…
Guess the Sharks won that kickathon.
Adriaanse on…
Sharks kicked 41 times so far
SP scores…
Knock?
Like I said. Walk in the park for the Shorks.
Odwa did really well there
Oh yes!
TMO to check…
Ooohhh…tough to tell…not conclusive?
O hell. Might be a knock. But with these refs it might be something completely different.
Looks like a knock there. Hope the TMO is as forgiving now
That should be inconclusive too. Try should be given.
Apparently not
Ag kak…now he can see the knock!!!
Come on TMO, you owe us one!
Hometown decisions
Lambie nails the penalty though!! 33-32 after 66 minutes…
Good decision by TMO. Clear cut.
Bismark wins the turnover penalty…
Bissie.
@McLovin (Comment 206) : π
Mvovo, where were you?!?!
Lambie overdoing the high kick a bit
Why kick???
Penalty Sharks!
Heartstopper coming up. π
Deysel no!!
Wait, hang on… Getting overexcited here
Smart from Deysel!
My nerves…!!
A quick tap wins 10m and Lambie will take the shot…
Lambie nails it and the Sharks lead!!!
Lambie for president.
Lambie!!!
Let’s go score a try now.
Lambie you biscuit!
Gold calling for back-up on his walkie.
Defence boys.
O koek!
Awful kick from Reinach
Nooooo…Sharks give away a penalty…
How daft.
Thank Reinach and his 15 metre clearances… The Peter Grant school of touch-kicking…
Miss Blondie
All the Bulls need to do every time they get into our half is maul. Penalty’s sure to follow.
Schoeman for president.
Bulls ahead by 1
Shit!
5 minutes left.
@Big Fish (Comment 231) : 15m with the wind at his back. π
36-35 with 5 mins to go…
And SP kicks an up and under to where 7 Bulls players are standing. π
3 minutes left.
Sharks need to stop kicking the ball away
That’s surely not that okes natural hair colour? π―
It boils down to this…time to stop kicking now…
Good night nurse.
Did they retreat outside the 10m?!?!
Game over
@pastorshark (Comment 246) : No. π
@pastorshark (Comment 245) : Ref is a joke.
How can we give possession away and expect to win?
@pastorshark (Comment 246) : Shocking decision.
Deysel you dumbass!
Sharks let in a late try and loose the bonus point
Just kak, kak,kak reffing!!
Shit we gonna lose the bonus point now
And now we leave without a bonus point. Fuck you ref.
That is a knock on
Maybe not!
Lost forward!
Yes it was bad reffing, no point in complaining because nothing will be done about it, sigh
Johan Greef is in pay of the Bulls – sorry
How did he not see that the Bulls were all within the 10m radius!!!! Lambie would have had a kick to win the game!!!
Useless officials!!
Shitty reffing, but an equally poor game from us. Does our backline only practise catching and kicking now?
That is absolute kak
Wow that’s just bloody terrible.
great. Give them a BP and we get nothing. Up against it rest of the season, knockout rounds looking unlikely.
That was slightly frustrating…
How is that last try any different to cotzee against cheetas …
Bulls deserved to win – at least they tried to play the game. Sharks were shocking. But two home town decisions not good for tge game
Robbed by the ref and tmo
Bulls deserved to win as at least they tried to play and not kick every ball away. However two hometown decisions by the TMO ????
Let’s be honest though. We didn’t really deserve to win.
@bokhoring … just 2?
That frigging biased twat of a TMO should never be allowed to officiate a serious rugby game again!!!!!
How the fuck can rugby ever be called a fair game again with blind biased fucks like Johan Greef walking away without punishment after s shocking, embarrassing display of officiating like that. Him and the TMO, whatever his name was, handed this game to the Liefling of SA on a platter, because ag siestog how can they be allowed to lose 3 in a row at Loftus
I know we weren’t at our best, but we were still better than the Bulls today, and would have won by miles if it wasn’t for the officials
Fucking PATHETIC
/rant
@Ben (Comment 272) : Correct. A win would plaster over the cracks, we still have a long way to go.
Sharks need to make an official complaint
Crap…
For how long are these useless bastards going to get away with it game after game?
We should have won. The bulls were negative and were ‘supposed’ to win. Bad refereeing by the ref and TMO. We was robbed
Did Lambie ever once pass the ball to Esterhuyzen today? We are overdoing the kicking game. Backline play is still non-existant
Jaco and his home town decisions were the difference. That was a bad refereeing performance but it wont change the result. Victor was a pathetic old man who played dirty. Thanks to him I’m pulling for Ireland to win the world cup
FULL TIME
BULLS 43 – 35 SHARKS
To everyone saying we deserved to lose, just go count how many penalties we got unfairly against us, that gave the Bulls the platform to play their attacking game, while we were constantly pinned back.
How many times did the Bulls get away with foul play, slowing our attackers/defenders down (I’m looking at you Matfield), opening gaps where there normally wouldn’t have been.
Add to that the 10 points that were gifted to the Bulls and you get the picture
And we complain about that quarter final in 2011. SA has no leg to stand on after this shocking display. Consistency is all we want.TMO was pathetic ref is from blue country
@Bokhoring (Comment 281) : The kicking tactics worked…
If only there was a cup for whinging. π
I am too much of angry!!! So I’m going to leave this thread now before I say something I’ll regret…I’ll wait until I can make some calmer comments later!!!
@pastorshark (Comment 288) : Wise man.
Down with the bulls, and down with stormers thanks to their arrogant fans
@SeanJeff (Comment 291) : Tell me about it. Can’t stand those arrogant Stormers fans. π
@pastorshark (Comment 286) : Some kicks worked and some just handed over possession. I am starting to get the feeling the coaches and Lambie do not rate our centres and believe the only way to get the ball to the wings is by kicking it to them. Perhaps they are correct
Funny I don’t see anyone moaning about Bismarck not being carded.
Saw many bad decisions going the other way too, and the Sharks were miles offside at some rucks.
Swings and roundabouts.
Bismark carded? For what?