Sharks feast on hapless Kings
The men from Durban, after a slow start, eased to a 43-8 win over their rivals from Port Elizabeth at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.
The six tries to one victory saw the Sharks move to the top of the South African conference, but they have plenty to work on in the coming weeks.
For the Kings there await a long and painful season if this is the standard they are going to produce.
A moment of brilliance from Sharks fullback Willie le Roux set up the bonus-point triumph.
The Springbok, Le Roux, spotted a midfield gap, cut through and used pace, balance and a swerve to dot down.
The converted try stretched a 15-8 half-time lead to 14 points and there was no stopping Sharks from then as they cruised to success in the expanded 18-team championship.
Beset by pre-season problems that saw unpaid players strike and a coach quit, Kings fought bravely during the opening half in warm, clear conditions.
A penalty from Kings flyhalf Elgar Watts brought the home team level at 8-8 after 28 minutes, but that proved their final score.
Jean-Luc du Preez, a son of Sharks assistant coach Robert du Preez and playing beside twin brother Daniel in the back row, put the visitors ahead again before half-time with a converted try.
After Le Roux scored, the Sharks took territorial control with the enthusiastic but outplayed Kings rarely leaving their half.
Centre Paul Jordaan and wingers Lwazi Mvovo and Odwa Ndungane crossed the try-line to emphasise the superiority of the visitors from Durban.
Flyhalf Joe Pietersen, a close-season signing from fellow Super Rugby franchise Central Cheetahs, kicked five conversions and a penalty from seven shots at goal for a 13-point personal haul.
Veteran Ndungane also scored a first-half try for former runners-up Sharks, whose impressive pre-season build-up included victories in France over Toulon and Toulouse.
Kings, back in the competition after a two-season absence to give South African six representatives, started promisingly with flanker Chris Cloete scoring a pushover try.
But a lack of class and depth gradually told and a long, hard season looms for the team from the Eastern Cape coastal city.
Man of the match: Chris Cloete was often a ray of bright light for the Kings, but mostly they were outclassed – willing, but just not good enough. The Du Preez twins were good value, as was to be expected, with Dan better than brother Jean-Luc. Marcell Coetzee was also impressive, although not flawless. Odwa Ndungane had his moments and Joe Pietersen was steady. Our vote goes to Springbok Willie le Roux, who seems to be revelling in the freedom afforded to him by the Sharks.
The scorers:
For the Southern Kings:
Try: Cloete
Pen: Watts
For the Sharks:
Tries: Ndungane 2, JL du Preez, Le Roux, Jordaan, Mvovo
Cons: Pietersen 5
Pen: Pietersen
Teams.
Southern Kings: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Luzuko Vulindlu, 13 JP du Plessis, 12 Shane Gates, 11 Malcolm Jaer, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Ntando Kebe, 8 Jacques Engelbrecht, 7 Thembelani Bholi, 6 Chris Cloete, 5 John Charles Astle, 4 Steven Sykes (captain), 3 Tom Botha, 2 Martin Ferreira, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Replacements: 16 Edgar Marutlulle, 17 Sithembiso Sithole, 18 Louis Albertse, 19 Schalk Oelofse, 20 Cyril-John Velleman, 21 Leighton Eksteen, 22 Louis Fouché, 23 Charles Radebe.
Sharks: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Joe Pietersen, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Franco Marais, 1 Tendai Mtawarira (captain).
Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Dave McDuling, 20 Philip van der Walt, 21 Michael Claassens, 22 Garth April, 23 Sibusiso Sithole.
Referee: Jaco van Heerden (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Rodney Bonaparte (South Africa), AJ Jacobs (South Africa)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
@rugby365com
