Sharks survive scare to maul their way to victory over Griffons

CURRIE CUP REPORT: Joey Mongalo started his tenure as the Sharks’ Currie Cup coach on a winning note against the Griffons in Durban on Saturday.

The Sharks recorded a 32-16 bonus-point win, but they certainly didn’t have it all their own way during the 80 minutes.

In fact, the Sharks were down 10-13 at half-time after a scrappy first-half performance.

In total, the Sharks scored five tries with four of those coming from driving mauls.

The Griffons dominated possession in the early stages and they were rewarded in the eighth minute when Carel-Jan Coetzee burst through the Sharks’ defence to run in for the first try of the match.

Scrumhalf Jaywinn Juries was successful with the conversion to make it 7-0.

The visitors then went 10 points in front halfway in the first half after Juries converted a scrum penalty into a three-pointer.

The home side was given a boost in the 31st minute when Griffons wing Granwill Matthys received a yellow card for tripping Yaw Penxe.

From the penalty the Sharks opted for a line-out in the Griffons’ 22 and Fezokuhle Mbatha was on hand to score his team’s first try from a driving maul. Lionel Cronje was off-target with the conversion.

The Griffons made it an eight-point ball game a few minutes later when Juries landed an easy penalty from inside the Sharks’ 22.

However, the Sharks reduced that lead after Mbatha scored his second try after peeling off another driving maul just before half-time.

Cronje was again unsuccessful with conversion, which meant it was 13-10 in favour of the Griffons at the break.

Just like in the first half, the first points of the second half went to the Griffons with Juries kicking a long-range penalty to give his team a six-point lead in the 43rd minute.

The Sharks needed to get some fire in their bellies after that and they did hit back with a try great try from captain and centre Murray Koster.

Cronje had the chance to put his side in the lead with the easy conversion, but he surprisingly could not find the direction.

However, the Sharks eventually found themselves in front in the 50th minute when Damon Royle crossed the whitewash after another powerful maul.

Bradley Davids took over the kicking duties and he finally added the two extra points from the kicking tee.

The Sharks then put some breathing themselves between them and the Griffons with replacement prop Khutha Mchunu going over from yet another driving maul.

David made it a 13-point lead with his excellent conversion from the touchline.

Things got worse for the Griffons when replacement prop Xolani Jacobs was yellow-carded for cynical play in the 68th minute. After that Davids extended the Sharks’ lead to 16 points with the penalty.

Those were the final points added to the tally as the Sharks were comfortable winners. The Griffons also ended the game with 14 men after Ludio Williams was sent off for a dangerous clear-out.

Man of the match: The award goes to Sharks hooker Fezokuhle Mbatha who scored two tries from driving mauls. He also played a big role in a strong scrummaging performance by the home side.

The scorers:

For Sharks:
Tries: Mbatha 2, Koster, Royal, Mchunu
Cons: Davids 2
Pen: Davids

For Griffons:
Try: Coetzee
Con: Juries
Pens: Juries 3

Red card: Ludio Williams (Griffons, 80′ – foul play, dangerous clear-out)

Yellow cards: Granwill Matthys (Griffons, 31′ – foul play, tripping an opponent); Xolani Jacobs (Griffons, 68′ – cynical play, entering the ruck from the side)

Teams:

Sharks: 15 Nevaldo Fleurs, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Marnus Potgieter, 12 Murray Koster (captain), 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Zee Mkhabela, 8 Celimpilo Gumede, 7 Siyambuku Ningiza, 6 Tino Mavesere, 5 Ockie Barnard, 4 Thembelani Bholi, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Fezokuhle Mbatha, 1 Khwezi Mona.
Replacements: 16 Masikane Mazwi, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 Khutha Mchunu, 19 Athenkosi Khetahani, 20 Marco de Wit, 21 Damon Royle, 22 Bradley Davids, 23 Alwayno Visagie.

Griffons: 15 Domenic Smit, 14 Duren Hoffman, 13 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 12 Marquit September, 11 Granwill Matthys, 10 Duan Pretorius, 9 Jaywinn Juries, 8 Soso Xakalashe, 7 Jean-Jacques Pretorius, 6 Thato Mavundla, 5 Michael Benadie, 4 Jaco Willemse, 3 Doctor Booysen, 2 Dandre Delport, 1 Stephan De Jager.
Replacements: 16 HP Van Schoor, 17 Xolani Jacobs, 18 Neo Mohapi, 19 Wikus Nieuwenhuis, 20 Ludio Williams, 21 Ethan Williams, 22 Robbie Petzer, 23 Keanu Vers.

Referee: Christopher Allison
Assistant referees: Local
TMO: Archie Sehlako