Sharks show teeth with crucial win in Bloemfontein
MATCH REPORT: The Sharks have got their bite back after a great victory in the Currie Cup with a 24-17 win over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Friday.
The visitors were organised and meticulous in their endeavour while their defence more than stood up to the challenges the home side threw at them, a testament to the hard work of Sharks coach Joey Mongalo, who is widely regarded as a defence guru.
Tinotenda Mavesere opened the scoring for the Sharks in the ninth minute after a brilliant break by captain James Venter, who popped the ball to his hooker Fez Mbatha who sent the flank over to score.
It was a perfect start for the Sharks as they carried hard, defended well and sent some accurate kicks the way of the Cheetahs.
Another try, by Mbatha, followed just as the clock struck 30 minutes and Lionel Cronje was on point with his conversion kicks and one penalty kick for the Sharks to go into half-time leading 17-0.
The Cheetahs came out blazing in the second half and within four minutes Siba Qoma forced his way over, coming around the corner from a line-out to catch the Cheetahs off guard.
Only ten minutes later it was the turn of the hard man Gideon van der Merwe to dive over after a brilliant touch finder by Ruan Pienaar put the home side on the attack.
The Sharks responded immediately with a try of their own when Yaw Penxe yet again contested the ball in the air and fed his replacement lock Marco de Wit, who scored his first try of the Currie Cup.
The last ten minutes saw the men from Bloemfontein fight back and they tested the Sharks’ defence to the maximum. This paid off and Louis van der Westhuizen scored to edge closer to the Sharks, trailing by 17-24.
As the clock wind down the last movement of the game, the Sharks just needed to win their own line-out and get the ball into touch for an astonishing win, which Tiaan Fourie did.
It was a crucial away win for the Sharks, who sported some great young talent on display.
The Cheetahs moved up one point to 26 and the Sharks are at 19 as the log stood after their game.
The scorers
For the Cheetahs:
Tries: Qoma, Van der Merwe, Van der Westhuizen
Con: Ruan Pienaar
For the Sharks:
Tries: Mavesere, Mbatha, De Witt
Con: Lionel Cronje 3
Pens: Lionel Cronje
Yellow cards: Jeandre Rudolph (Cheetahs, 42’ for cynical play), Khwezi Mona (Sharks, 61’ for cynical play)
Cheetahs: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Reinhardt Fortuin, 11 Munier Hartzenberg, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Jeandré Rudolph,
7 Sibabalo Qomo, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (captain), 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Arnanos Coetzee, 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Replacements: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Mzwanele Zito, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Rewan Kruger, 22 David Brits, 23 Cohen Jasper
Sharks: 15 Nevaldo Fleurs, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Joshua Jonas, 12 Alwayno Visagie, 11 Marnus Potgieter, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Bradley Davids, 8 Henco Venter, 7 James Venter (captain), 6 Tinotenda Mavesere, 5 Ockie Barnard, 4 Corne Rahl, 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Khwezi Mona
Replacements: 16 Dan Jooste, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Marco de Witt, 20 Dylan Richardson, 21 Tiaan Fourie, 22 Murray Koster, 23 Phikolomzi Sobahle
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron
Assistant Referees: Local
TMO: Griffin Colby
