Savage Shark attack in Dunedin

MIKE GREENAWAY mike.greenaway@inl.co.za

THE suspicion that something special is brewing at the Sharks became a sparkling reality yesterday in the remote New Zealand city of Dunedin, a farflung location where so many South African teams have perished.

But it was the Highlanders that were buried under an avalanche of spectacular tries from a Durban side that had travelled from the stifling heat of their arm-wrestle win over the Bulls to the southernmost venue in Super Rugby, and in the chillier climes they flexed their attacking muscle.

It was 3-3 after 30 minutes as the teams felt each other out at the breakdown – an area where both were heavily penalised by Aussie ref Angus Gardner – but once the visitors settled down, they raced in three converted tries to suddenly lead 27-3 at the break.

It finished 42-20, which included a comeback from the Highlanders in the middle of the second half to give them cheer at 30-15, but the Sharks simply rolled with the punches and then delivered two more knock-out punches in the final minutes, both of them by the fast-flourishing freak that is Aphelele Fassi.

The fleet-footed fullback showed his potential in last year’s Super Rugby but was never given a chance to settle at fullback by coach Robert du Preez, who was preferring his son at flyhalf, and that meant Fassi and Curwin Bosch shared the No15 jersey.

But since Du Preez’s successor, Sean Everitt, has got his hands on Fassi the youngster is rapidly morphing into a likely superstar of the game. For his second try yesterday, the manner in which he brusquely handed off defenders proved that he is no longer wet behind the ears.

It will surprise nobody that Makazole

Mapimpi – arguably the most lethal assassin in the game – also nailed a brace but perhaps the most significant try that the Sharks scored was their first, by young flanker James Venter.

It was a try that would have had Sharks boss Eduard Coetzee and Everitt nodding with satisfaction in that it showed their pre-season plans are coming to fruition.

The Sharks had worked pre-season on a way of playing that means a massive focus on the breakdown, particularly on snaffling turnover ball to feed a backline feeding frenzy that is constantly threatening to happen – Mapimpi, Sbu Nkosi, Luyhanyo Am and Fassi are predators licking their chops in wait of the ball.

The Sharks in past years did not overly commit to the breakdown when defending. Now they attack it with numbers and savagery, and the turnovers (and tries are coming).

Everitt needed players who can play that way and Coetzee gave him Venter, a schoolboy star at Glenwood in Durban who was lost to the Lions but has now come home.

Everitt also required a link man between forwards and backs and he got it in Sikhumbuzo Notshe, the former Stormers No8. Yesterday, in the try scored by Venter, the latter had initially nailed the turnover then later in the move took a fine pass from Notshe to scamper 50m to the posts, like a low-flying missile.

Notshe had a similarly skilful hand in two of the other tries.

Curwin Bosch, like Fassi criminally under-employed in last year’s Super Rugby, is another growing in stature with each outing. Because he has been around at the Sharks for some time (straight out of school at Grey High in PE) we forget that he is only 22 and with each season he is getting incrementally better.

Yesterday, Bosch’s kicking out of hand and at the posts was outstanding. He nailed three penalties and four conversions, his missed attempt having been from the touchline, and his game management was mostly excellent apart from one injudicious attempt to run from the back that saw him turned over and a Highlanders’ try the result.

The Sharks were also very efficient on defence, with their line speed out wide frustrating a home team that was intent on using the width of the field on attack. They did get the ball to their wings but they were met with suffocating Sharks defence.

The Sharks this week travel up the drag to Wellington to play a Hurricanes team that will be knackered after having travelled back from Argentina (they play the Jaguares today), providing a good opportunity for the Sharks to continue their unbeaten start to the season.

HIGHLANDERS – TRIES: Dillon Hunt, Jona Nareki, Michael Collins. Conversion: Mitch Hunt. Penalty: Mitch Hunt.

SHARKS – TRIES: James Venter, Makazole Mapimpi (2), Aphelele Fassi

(2). Conversions: Curwin Bosch (4). Penalties: Bosch (3).