Sharks land knock-out blow
The Sharks' victory over the Cheetahs kept them in the hunt for a spot in the play-offs, but the character they showed to perform under considerable pressure was perhaps even more significant.
It was the third consecutive victory for the Durban side who seem to have found some crucial consistency at the right stage of the season, and their coach John Plumtree would have been especially encouraged by the composure his team showed to claim the valuable bonus-point try late in the game against a Cheetahs team that remained a threat thoughout.
Hooker Bismarck du Plessis was at the forefront of his team's efforts, making some bullocking runs and big tackles, although his performance was tainted somewhat when he was shown a yellow card for not using his arms in the tackle.
His duel with Cheetahs captain Adriaan Strauss typified the intensity of the contest, with both hookers producing some breathtaking passages of play to make their respective cases for Springbok selection, but Du Plessis said that the most satisfying element of the victory was the determined attitude that his team showed, as defeat would have been a major blow for their play-off hopes.
"We are under a lot of pressure to perform and keep ourselves in contention, this was a game we had to win and we pulled it through," said Du Plessis.
The Sharks had to make do without young flyhalf Patrick Lambie, but his French replacement, Frederic Michalak, scored 19 points to pave the way to victory, although the highlight came when replacement Meyer Bosman touched down in the corner for the fourth try that secured the bonus point.
Captain Keegan Daniel said that taking five points from Bloemfontein was vital for his team who face two more brutal derbies against the Stormers and the Lions before the June Test window.
"We are really happy with the victory and even more so with the bonus point. These South African derbies are always tough and we knew the Cheetahs would take the game to us so I am proud of the way the boys handled themselves," said Daniel.
Despite the loss, there were some positives for Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske, with flyhalf Riaan Smit and captain Strauss producing solid all-round performances.
Their lacklustre defence, however, was still a major area of concern for the coach.
"We gave them way too much possession, especially at the breakdowns. Our defence was never really up to scratch," Drotske admitted.
Strauss gave no excuses for his team's defeat and acknowledged that they had been outplayed by the Sharks who made a fast start to force them to chase the game.
"It was a tough game, as we knew it would be," Strauss said.
"It didn't ever feel like we were really in contention. We never took charge of our attack and also defended pretty poorly at times. The Sharks deserved the victory," he added.
Strauss, however, said the Cheetahs could take some positives into their next game against the Waratahs.
"Our discipline was very good. It is one of few positives," he said. There is a tough week ahead of us. We have to work hard in order to rectify what went wrong against the Sharks."
