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Sharks take top spot on Super Rugby ladder
The Sharks climbed to the top of the overall Super Rugby standings when they beat the Jaguares 33-19 in Durban on Saturday.
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The home side dominated the game for large periods and they outscored their opponents by four tries to three in hot and humid conditions at Kings Park.
The Sharks opened the scoring in the fourth minute when lock Hyron Andrews collected a neat tap-pass from Andre Esterhuizen to run in and evade a couple of defenders for a fantastic try.
Flyhalf Curwin Bosch was unable to convert from a difficult angle.
The home side thought they were in again three minutes later when wing Makazole Mapimpi collected a pin-point cross-kick from Bosch before running a for a score. However, play was brought back for a knock-on by a Sharks player in the build-up.
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Despite that setback, there was just no stopping the Sharks in open play and they soon got that second try when No.8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe was put into space from a quick-tap penalty to sprint in for the score. Bosch added the extra two points and the Sharks were 12-0 ahead after 10 minutes.
The Jaguares got their first points in the 18th minute after wing Santiago Carreras did well to collect Joaquin Diaz Bonilla’s cross-kick in the Sharks’22 before diving over for the try.
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Bosch made it a 10-point ball game in the 23rd minute with a penalty before a moment of brilliance from Aphelele Fassi helped set up the Sharks’ third try.
The fullback split the Jaguares’ defence into two in the midfield and then chipped and gathered the ball before being tackled in the Jaguares’ 22. The ball then went wide to centre Andre Esterhuizen, who went over in the corner for a fantastic try.
Bosch converted the try for a 17-point lead.
However, the Jaguares stayed in touch in the 36th minute when fullback Joaquin Tuculet ran in for his team’s third try after a patient build-up in the Sharks’ 22.
At half-time it was 22-12 in favour of the Sharks.
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It was the perfect start to the second half for the Sharks with Bosch converting two penalties into six points for a 16-point lead after 48 minutes.
And a few minutes later they gave the Jaguares a taste of their own medicine when hooker Kerron van Vuuren scored the Sharks’ fourth try after a powerful driving maul deep in the Jaguares’ 22.
Things went from bad to worse for the Jaguares in the 61st minute when scrumhalf Gonzalo Bertranou was yellow carded for some cynical play.
The Sharks also had a man in the bin in 74th minute when Aphelele Fassi was yellow carded for a late hit with no arms.
It was the visitors who had a final say in the match when Sebastian Cancelliere powered his way over the tryline after sustained pressure in the Sharks’ half.
– Rugby365
WATCH: Wallabies and Waratahs utility Kurtley Beale could be heading overseas.
Comments on RugbyPass
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments