Crucial fortnight for Sharks
A Lions ‘kill’ as Dyantyi dazzles
THE Sharks showed plenty of promise against the Lions in round one of Super Rugby in a game they could well have won but can they rally to make a decent fist of the unfolding competition?
So much depends on their next two games, both at home and against the Waratahs and Sunwolves respectively. Having picked up a bonus point from the defeat in Johannesburg, the Sharks simply have to bank as close to 10 points as possible over the next fortnight before they head overseas on tour.
And it is as much about the log points as it is about morale-boosting form. The Sharks had a very good pre-season in terms of training and warm-up games, and apart from the set scrums and the driving mauls, were good against the Lions.
There are so many good signs that the Sharks backline could end up the most lethal in the competition. Cameron Wright has been a revelation at scrumhalf since his return from Montpellier, flyhalf Robert du Preez showed against the Lions that he is willing to hit the advantage line with pace, the way Henry Honiball used to do. And that brings into action a seriously talented backline, from the power game at inside centre of André Esterhuizen and (Marius Louw) to the deft skills of Lukhanyo Am (and Jeremy Ward) at outside centre and then the potent back three of the fleet-footed Makazole Mapimpi, Lwazi Mvovo and Sbu Nkosi, with the robust Kobus van Wyk covering virtually the whole backline. And let’s not forget the outrageously talented Curiwn Bosch who can cover virtually every position in the backline.
The set scrums were an obvious problem against the Lions but they will be better with Tendai Mtwriria starting at loosehead once more against the Waratahs and Thomas du Toit will get increasingly better the more he plays in his new position of tighthead.
He was always going to be targeted against the Lions although the Sharks’ coaching staff did not anticipate that it would go quite so badly. Well, Thomas has doubtless been no stranger to the scrumming machine since the Lions game, and Springbok scrum coach Pieter de Villiers is adding his 10 cents worth. He is a former tighthead himself (for France), and he is working closely with The Tank.
After the home game against the Sunwolves, the Sharks hit the road for tricky fixtures against the Brumbies, Rebels, Blues and Hurricanes. No gimmees there.
Then follows a succession of mostly home games and some massive derbies away from Durban. But by that time the Sharks will be hoping to be sitting comfortably on the log, and if that is going to be the case, winning the next fortnight of home games is non-negotiable. Lions (19) 47
Jaguares (10) 27
IF HE announced himself on the Super Rugby stage with a two-try debut and man of the match showing against the Sharks last week, Aphiwe Dyantyi wrote his name in bright neon colours at Ellis Park yesterday, with an even better – and fully mesmerising – showing on the left wing.
The 23-year-old, who a few years ago was considered too small to make rugby his career, lit up his home ground in another blistering performance that had Springbok written all over it. If he wasn’t scoring tries, he was taking high balls out the air and he was tackling like a seasoned pro.
In the end it was Dyantyi’s two-try bonanza that sparked the Lions into life as they ran away with a contest that in the early stages looked like it may be a difficult one to get the better of for the two-time competition runners-up.
It was a scrappy performance all-round and perhaps the lack of anything special from the Jaguares led to the home team’s forgettable first 28 minutes. The Jaguares, as expected, camped on the offside line and looked to play a big spoiling game, leading the Lions to over-eagerness at times and not protecting the ball as well as they should have.
After being rocked early by a try to wing Emeliano Boffelli, who also knocked over a 50m penalty after 18 minutes, the Lions found their mojo when Dyantyi took a long skip pass by Harold Vorster and stepped inside his opposite number to go over and get his team into the game.
Not long after that, referee Jaco Peyper awarded the home team a penalty try after Jaguares wing Bautista Delguy – who was yellow-carded for preventing the home team from scoring a probable try when he knocked down a pass by Warren Whiteley.
Andries Coetzee then went over on the stroke of half-time and after the resumption, the Lions upped the tempo and showed greater patience and they were duly rewarded. First wing Sylvian Mahuza showed great pace to outstrip the visitors’ defence to score his first try of the season after being put away by Dyantyi in midfield and then Dyantyi himself got his second of the match – a try that will be remembered for a long time by the faithful fans.
The Lions attacked from deep in their own half and after receiving the ball on his own 10 metre line Dyantyi showed great pace to initially beat the first line of defence and then he stepped brilliantly off his left foot to leave Jaguares fullback Joachin Tuculet for dead; the try ending the visitors’ challenge and turning him into an instant hero.