Sunwolves feel bite of Sharks
The Cell C Sharks started off their Vodacom Super Rugby campaign with a rousing 45-10 win over the Sunwolves in Singapore on Saturday.
The Sharks picked up a tryscoring bonus point as they scored six tries to one in a match that they took physical control of from the outset. It was a sharp start from the Sharks after being a little slow out of the blocks in some past seasons.
The ease with which they outplayed the Sunwolves was an indication that the Durban franchise did the right thing in opting for physical warm-up matches against the Lions and the Bulls in their build-up.
They looked ready for the game, whereas the Sunwolves at times looked rusty, something they can never afford to be as the weight they give away to many opponents means they have to be innovative with their attacking game and make full use of every scrap of possession that comes their way.
There were some scraps that the Sunwolves picked up in the early stages, and they scored the first try of the game. It was scored by South African-born centre Shane Gates as he ran on to a fortunate bounce following a clever kick from flyhalf Hayden Parker.
The Japanese team, led 7-3 after seven minutes as they made an early fist of their attempts to move the bigger Sharks around. They increased their lead to seven points (10-3) when Parker kicked a penalty after another impressive Sunwolves attack had given the hosts good field possession.
The Sunwolves were threatening to be competitive. It didn’t continue and the Sharks managed to achieve exactly what they set out to do – they dominated possession and set up camp in the Sunwolves half. But the Sharks’ win was not just built on their physical and territorial dominance.
Perhaps the most pleasing thing to come from the game for Sharks fans was the excellent attacks they put together from set-pieces, and the way they blended brute force with skill. –