Mvovo slickly sidesteps to fullback
Besides a few counter-attacking breaks, including one scintillating 30m run by prop Beast Mtawarira from within his own 22m area, the first half could be erased from Super Rugby records and few would notice.
Although the first half went without even the whiff of a try, the Sharks slipped into the Cheetahs’ ways and it was not pretty to watch.
Perhaps they thought the Cheetahs would be loose and leak tries with gay abandon — not an unreasonable assumption considering the men from Bloemfontein had let in a tournament-worst 35 tries before the game.
As the combined log leaders, the Sharks regarded this game as an opportunity to free their arms and stretch their legs on attack, while the Cheetahs just wanted to plug gaps in their defensive system. It led to a tiresome impasse. The Sharks kept themselves ahead through Frans Steyn’s goal kicks, but the Cheetahs looked like the side more likely to score a try as the rigidness of the tie began to loosen halfway through the second half.
Sure enough, with 15 minutes left on the clock, Hennie Daniller charged down Steyn’s clearance kick and Ryno Benjamin dotted down in the corner.
That meant the Cheetahs trailed 12-8 with just over 10 minutes remaining in the tie.
The Sharks had to respond and quickly did so.
The introduction of a genuine fullback, SP Marais, for Chavhanga in the second half, restored some solidity to the somewhat scrambled backline, with Lwazi Mvovo returning to the familiar left wing.
They advanced up the pitch straight away and, following Swiel’s midfield break, drove the ball close to the Cheetahs try line.
Jean Deysel forced his way in between the pile of bodies to score an ugly but decisive try. LWAZI Mvovo’s move from left wing to fullback for the Sharks had some observers musing, but his performance against the Lions at Ellis Park last week left little doubt about his potency in that position.
“Lwazi has the skills,” insisted former Sharks backline coach Grant Bashford. “In the modern game, fullback and wing are almost the same. I like him there. He’s explosive and dangerous.”
Former Springbok coach Rudolf Straeuli, who as erstwhile commercial manager at the Sharks also helped in Mvovo’s development, said: “He has an athletics background and he’s had to acquire the know-how and the skills quickly. But he’s a hard worker.
“The big advantage he has is his speed, because that allows him to run himself out of trouble.”
Straeuli and another former Bok coach, Carel du Plessis, believe Mvovo’s kicking game can be improved.
“How he kicks from both sides, and how he performs in the wet, we still have to see,” said Straeuli.
Bashford said it had been the subject of much revision. “He is left-footed, which is an asset if you have a right-footed flyhalf. His kicking game has improved.
“Certainly, when I was there it is something he worked on really hard.”
Overall, Du Plessis believed the transition should not be too difficult. “It’s about the way you position yourself for potential threats. He’s instinctive. He’s good from broken play and will now be in an even better position to counter.”
Du Plessis, however, drew attention to detail that may invite closer scrutiny. “Sometimes he runs with the ball in the wrong hand and, on the wing, he perhaps lacked the ability to put those around him into space. He’ll work out the angles. That’s where playing 15 will be valuable.”
Mvovo has a lot going for him, but is he as effective when called to battle stations?
“He’s a good defender. There is no problem there. Positioning is something he will learn,” said Bashford.
Lwazi has the skills. In the modern game, fullback and wing are almost the same. I like him there. He’s explosive and dangerous. His kicking game has improved
The Lions failed to test Mvovo’s aerial game last week. Coach Johan Ackermann admitted it is an area they wanted to explore, but found themselves too engaged in the trenches.
“Sterner tests will come,” cautioned Du Plessis. “You have to create the impression that you are comfortable under the high ball.”
Said Straeuli: “Australian teams like the Brumbies are very technical and they may test him in that area.”
Sharks director of rugby Jake White believed Mvovo had been “a sensation at fullback”. He compared Mvovo’s versatility to that of Corey Jane, Ben Smith, Gio Aplon and Willie le Roux.
“He is one of the quickest players in my team,” said White. “I don’t know why people are so amazed that Lwazi slotted into fullback. He’s got feel, he loves broken play. He is definitely a guy who is going to get better the more opportunities he gets to play.”