RABBITS COP
SOUTH Sydney must have wished they took up an option from the NRL to postpone last night’s Round 7 closer at a wet and windy Cronulla.
In dire conditions in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire, the Sharks dug in for a 18- 10 win over the premiers.
The NRL approached both teams before the match and asked them if they had any concerns about the conditions.
There were 87km/ h winds from the south and surface water at one end of Remondis Stadium.
The press box was flooded and some fans spotted in the 3978- strong crowd were decked out in full- length wetsuits.
Cronulla boss Lyall Gorman was standing alongside Souths counterpart John Lee when the NRL’s Nathan McGuirk asked for their thoughts.
“They asked us if we had any concerns, which we said we didn’t,’’ Gorman said.
“It was up to the match officials, and the rules and regulations are clear they can pause a game or indeed postpone the game if they had concerns around player welfare, match officials’ welfare, or spectator welfare.
“We felt the ground was OK, we had just watched the ( under- 20s) play, and there were no injuries there.’’
Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan praised both sides for the way they completed their sets in the conditions, and jokingly said he had ‘‘ checked everyone could “swim’’ before kick- off.
So powerful were the southerly winds that Sharks hooker Michael Ennis said he ‘‘ hit one that nearly went to Botany’’ in the first half.
Cronulla’s third straight win after four losses to start their season was made extra special because they were without skipper Paul Gallen – he will return from a hip injury on Sunday against Penrith – as well as suspended prop Andrew Fifita.
Luke Lewis’
hit on
Luke Keary with 15 minutes left arguably inspired a late defensive effort from Cronulla to shut down Souths.
The Sharks went into the break 10- 4 up after tries to Michael Gordon and Lewis, but it almost did not seem enough at the time because of the wind Souths would benefit from.
When Souths backrower Chris McQueen crossed for a soft try off a Keary grubber, it felt like a matter of time before the Rabbitohs pulled in front.
They never got there, despite McQueen crossing for what he thought was his second try of the night, only for Keary’s final pass to be ruled forward.
Souths missed injured Adam Reynolds not calling the shots on the fifth tackle.
At least they welcomed the return of Dylan Walker.
It was the third loss in four games for the Bunnies.
Their only win in the last month came in the Good Friday clash against Canterbury.
They now have to cope with a road trip to Cairns, where conditions could be 25C warmer on Sunday where the inform Canberra Raiders await.
Souths skipper Greg Inglis said afterwards: “Cronulla just turned up to play, and we left our ( game) at training.’’
Ennis said: “It’s probably the bravest win I’ve been involved in given the conditions and the side we played against.
“Both sides turned up to play, and given the conditions, it was a bloody good game to be involved in.’’