Teenager ensures Sharks remain unbeaten
THE SHARKS continued with their unblemished start to this year’s Currie Cup with a hard fought 26-19 win over the Blue Bulls to remain on top of the domestic competition log.
After an indifferent Super Rugby campaign, the Sharks have found a spring in their step by winning all four of their matches so far this season and even though they failed to get the all-important bonus point against the Bulls, they managed to open up a four-point cushion over the secondplaced Free State Cheetahs.
It was their mercurial 19-year-old fullback Curwin Bosch, pictured, who stole the show with a near flawless performance that saw the former Grey High School pupil score in all ways possible to finish the game with an impressive 21-point haul.
Bosch scored a second half try, kicked over two conversions, three penalties and a cheeky drop-goal on the cusp of half-time that gave his team scoreboard ascendency at a crucial time.
Blue Bulls coach Nollis Marais showered Bosch with praise for his performance but lamented his side’s loss of possession and control of the breakdown as the main reason as to why they lost the game.
“He is a good rugby player and he is only 19 years old and he will get better every year. The more he plays in top level rugby he will get better and better,” said Marais.
“I don’t think we played badly, there was just too many turnovers towards the end.
“I think we got penalised and there was turnover ball we didn’t get rewarded for but at the end of the day the Sharks used their opportunities well and we can see why they are unbeaten so far.
“We should have been better but we put ourselves under pressure by giving possession to them.
In the last few minutes we conceded too many turnovers even though we were attacking with the ball.”
The win will give the Sharks plenty of confidence ahead of their coastal derby against Western Province in Cape Town while the Bulls face another tough encounter against the Lions at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.
Western Province were powered to a 36-6 win over the Eastern Province Kings by a hat-trick of tries from centre Huw Jones with Leolin Zas and Sikhumbuzo Notshe also scoring a try apiece to seal a much needed victory for the visitors in Port Elizabeth.
The win was vital for Western Province who had already lost to the Bulls and Cheetahs and they will believe that they have turned the corner ahead of their sternest test of the season.
On Friday, it was Griquas and the Lions who made strong statements of intent by recording wins over the Pumas and Cavaliers, respectively.
The Lions ran in an impressive nine tries to emerge 60-12 winners, a result that would certainly ease the disappointment of their loss to Griquas in Kimberley a week earlier and they are only a point behind the Bulls on the log.
Griquas continued to make inroads in the Currie Cup with a valuable 41-35 win over the Pumas at the Mbombela Stadium with Griquas’ Clinton Swart getting his team over the line with a 21-point haul. Swart’s near flawless kicking display was enough to put the boot into the Pumas who had matched Griquas all over the park except for the five penalties and three conversions Swart slotted over with only one attempt at goal going astray.