Sharks stand firm
RIAAN Viljoen’s last-minute try helped the Sharks complete a late Super Rugby fightback to secure a narrow victory over the Blues in Durban yesterday.
First-half tries by Marcell Coetzee and Charl McLeod put the Sharks in control with a 17-5 lead at the interval, but an off-colour afternoon from flyhalf Patrick Lambie allowed the Blues back into the game.
Frank Halai scored two tries, adding to one from Rene Ranger, to give the Blues a three-point lead with a minute to play, before Viljoen completed a patient attack to hand the Sharks victory.
Ranger was involved in a bizarre incident in the second half when he tackled Jean Deysel, who lost his jersey. The game carried on and shirtless Deysel was involved in several recycles before support staff could get him another jersey, No 24.
The opening quarter was largely dominated by the hosts. Lambie, who landed three out of eight attempts, squandered a fairly routine fourth-minute penalty, while the Sharks were also denied a try by a TMO decision as the Aucklanders faced some heavy early pressure.
That resistance finally broke in the 23rd minute when Coetzee charged in on the left, following another marauding drive by the pack.
Six minutes later the Springbok flanker was at it again and opened up some space for McLeod to score.
That gave the Sharks a 14-0 lead, but seven minutes before the break, the Blues finally conjured up a response. The gap was 12 points at the break
Bismarck du Plessis finally made his anticipated return after over 10 months on the sidelines due to injury
Lambie should have drawn the scores level with 12 minutes to play, but his woeful afternoon continued. He was saved by Viljoen’s try.