Sharks teach Stormers lesson in playing odds

at Kings Park IN an audition for Springbok places for the series against France, the Sharks dished out a percentage rugby lesson.

With both sides in the playoffs, there was no need to go beyond the call of duty with an important series on the horizon. The game was never a spectacle. The Sharks have tended to make heavy weather of matches they are expected to win and the Stormers had the look of a side who can’t wait for the international break.

The Sharks’ superior conditioning and physicality means they’d be a better bet to combat the New Zealand threat in the playoffs.

After the battering by New Zealand sides, the Stormers haven’t been the same. The panache, guile and confidence gained from their early season wins have vanished. They are a young side whose game will evolve with experience but a departure from the forward-based game that made them a feared South African side is proving to be costly.

The Stormers seemingly struggle against teams who write them physical cheques and the Sharks made sure they cashed theirs when they got into the 22.

Their first-half tries by Johan Deysel and Stephan Lewies came from grinding down the Stormers’ defence. Shoddy lineout work by the Stormers on their 5m line contributed to the latter try, something that should worry Allister Coetzee as both Stormers locks will be on Bok duty, if not starting the first test at Loftus Versfeld on June 10.

While the class of Pieter-Steph du Toit and Eben Etzebeth should not be doubted, the ease with which their fires were doused by their Sharks counterparts was worrying.

Lewies and the hard-working Ruan Botha also seriously examined their lineout credentials. Seemingly inspired by his call-up, Jean-Luc du Preez also had an excellent outing.

Only Siya Kolisi put up his hand as the Stormers scrum wilted with tighthead Frans Malherbe having a forgettable night. Worryingly, Kolisi and Lukhanyo Am came off injured.

However, there was a puzzling move by Sharks coach Robert du Preez to substitute Mahlatse “Chiliboy” Ralepelle early in the first half.

With the veteran hooker being a surprise addition to the Bok setup, a decent first-half run would have given further indication of his test readiness after a three-year hiatus.

The Stormers’ phase construction markedly improved in the second half with the centrepiece being SP Marais’s 56th-minute try, but their inexcusable defence was exposed seven minutes later when Sibusiso Nkosi floated through a gap and raced through for a try.

The game predictably petered out into an arm-wrestle the Stormers had no response for.

They were thoroughly beaten.