Scrappy Sharks have to share the spoils

IN the final chance for the Sharks to shake off the rust before Super Rugby, they shared the spoils with the Bulls 7-7 in Ballito. The game was not too much of a spectacle with both sides looking to get as much game time under the belts of over 30 players per side.

As is often the nature of a pre-season game, the action in the first half was scrappy with handling errors the order of the day; this did allow the forwards to get a full test run in the scrums though.

The first bit of action came from the Bulls. Springbok Jesse Kriel was released with a great chip by Handre Pollard but as he looked to gather over the line he spilled the ball forward, wasting a prime chance.

Scrums were prevalent, but they were also fair and balanced with the Bulls making the most of the territory and possession. The deadlock was finally broken when the Bulls decided to go back to basics, forming a solid maul from a few metres out and rumbling it over with Schalk Britz the man accredited with the score.

The Sharks were able to strike back before the half was over when, with their first real extended passage of attacking play, they broke the line through flanker Jacques Vermeulen who offloaded to scrumhalf Cameron Wright to canter over.

The second half proved equally difficult to score in, although, the attacking intention certainly shifted towards the Sharks after they, and the Bulls, made changes en masse.

However, even with the attacking intent from the Sharks, they struggled to breach the Bulls line with the visitors turning the ball over, and clearing their line at vital times.

That is how the score remained when the final whistle went, with the spoils shared in a game where the result matters little. The Sharks will now prepare to travel east to Singapore for their opening clash against the Sunwolves.