Harlequins on-loan centre Joe Marchant scores twice for Blues
QUEENSLAND Reds head coach Brad Thorn admitted his side were not up to their ‘usual standard’ as the Sharks made it three wins from four to complete their Australasian tour.
The greatest frustration for Thorn in the 33-23 defeat was the Reds’ inability to produce the rugby they had done in their 64-5 demolition job of the Sunwolves a week ago.
Having last week said ‘excuses are for losers’, Thorn offered nothing of the sort after watching the Sharks strip the Reds of their short-lived confidence.
“It was a long way removed from our previous weekend,” Thorn said. “It was not our usual standard, so it’s pretty disappointing.
“We had plenty of opportunities but weren’t executing and they built into that at the business end of the game. The Sharks were very good, they deserved to win.”
Both sides kicked penalties before hooker Kerron van Vuuren pounced with the first try of the match from a lineout maul to get the Sharks in front.
For the first hour the Reds responded to what the Sharks were able to put on the scoreboard. Henry Speight dotted down for his 48th try in Super Rugby after being sent clear by James O’Connor.
Despite grave concerns in the lineout and scrum, a Jock Campbell penalty meant the Reds held the upper hand 11-8 at half-time.
The Sharks, having grown in their belief to rival the Stormers at the top of the South Africa Conference with wins at the Highlanders and Rebels in recent weeks, came back with a first Super Rugby try for former South Africa U20 captain Dylan Richardson five minutes after the restart.
Scrum-half Tate McDermott responded to nip over from a scrum but the boot of Curwin Bosch then came to the fore as two penalties were followed up by winning scores courtesy of centre Lukhanyo Am and wing Madosh Tambwe.
The Sharks were aided in their duel with the Stormers for the SA Conference summit by the Blues, who ran out 33-14 victors at Newlands.
Joe Marchant was at the heart of the Blues’ efforts, with the on-loan Quins centre scoring two tries in the first half, both converted by Otere Black.
Juarno Augustus and Sergeal Petersen kept the previously unbeaten Stormers in the fight after Blues flanker Dalton Papili’i barged his way over on 20 minutes, but the visitors locked up their defence to wrap up the win.
The Jaguares remain close challengers to the Stormers after beating the Bulls 39-24. With dire defending on display by both sides, Emiliano Boffelli, Rodrigo Brune, Guido Petti, Matias Moroni, Santi Socino all scored to keep the Argentinians two points off the Stormers.
Cornal Hendricks, Marco van Standen and Warrick Gelant scored for the Bulls.
Kobus van Wyk scored a hat-trick in the Hurricanes ten-try rout of the Sunwolves. All Blacks TJ Perenara and Ngani Laumape also contributed in the one-sided 62-15 win.
The Melbourne Rebels survived a second-half fightback from the Highlanders to earn a 28-22 win. Rebels wing Andrew Kellaway proved the difference in punishing the hosts , with two intercept triesm nullifying scores by Josh McKay, Aaron Smith and Scott Gregory.
And on another good note for Australian rugby, the Waratahs beat the Lions 29-17. Quickfire tries from Gus Bell, Lachlan Swinton and Jack Dempsey marched the hosts into an early lead, which James Ramm and Tetera Faulkner added to with scores in the second half.