Impressive ending to overseas tour
MIKE GREENAWAY mike,greenaway@inl.co.za
THE good feeling in South African rugby engendered by the joys of Japan not that long ago continue in the sprightly form of the Sharks, who have come from nowhere to win three out of four away matches in New Zealand and Australia, their latest win being in Brisbane yesterday, 33-23 against their bogey side, the Reds.
The Sharks have a new coach, captain and team and were not expected to shoot Super Rugby’s lights out this year, especially when touring so early in the competition, but the Highlanders, Rebels and Reds have been vanquished and the Hurricanes given a scare in Wellington.
The Sharks also beat the Bulls in Durban way back in round one and now return from their travels three priceless overseas wins to unpack from their suitcases, and with their bubbling bonhomie they are good value to kick on and beat the Jaguares in Durban this coming Saturday.
The Sharks went into their match at the Suncorp Stadium facing a Reds side that had pasted the Sunwolves by 65 points the week before but the locals were soon realising that they were in for a reality check from a much stronger side.
The Sunwolves are disappearing from Super Rugby at the end of this year’s competition while a young Sharks team under splendid new construction are progressing in the other direction.
The Sharks continue to score tries almost at will. In all five of their games so far this season they have been the first team to score.
If there is one thing the Sharks need to address with immediacy on their return home, it is their overzealousness at the breakdown in terms of giving away penalty after penalty.
We know that the Sharks have targeted the breakdowns for the turnover opportunities on offer but they are not getting the balance right between securing those valuable counter-attacking opportunities and flirting with the wrath of the referees.
The staggeringly high penalty account against the Sharks is keeping the opposition in the game, yet the Sharks have still lost only once in five outings, so when they do brush up on those illegalities, they are going to be very difficult to stop.
The Sharks are clearly a side comfortable and confident in how they want to play the game and when they do get lengthy passages of play underway, they almost inevitably score.
In Sikhumbuzo Notshe at No 8, they have a playmaker that has burst into life upon his move from the Stormers to the Sharks.
He is relishing the style of play introduced by Sean Everitt and has been the inventive creator in so many tries this season.
Yesterday’s match had niggled along to a half-time lead of 11-8 to Reds, with the home side surviving in the fight mostly because they were allowed to by the sloppy Sharks.
Young flanker Dylan Richardson had powered over for a try before his team conceded a score to a quick tap by the Queensland scrumhalf following a scrum indiscretion, but then two excellent long range penalties by Curwin Bosch stretched the Sharks in front.
But it was in the last 15 minutes or so that we saw what this Sharks side can do when the opposition defence is beginning to flag.
In the 70th minute, captain Lukhanyo Am brilliantly read play to intercept on his 22 and sprint all the way to the Reds posts.
Five minutes later, right wing Madosh Tambwe scored after an excellent Notshe break that came from a Richardson steal for the Sharks, also on their own 22. Bang, bang and it was all over at the Suncorp Stadium... the Sharks’ third tour win was in the bag and they now return home with Super Rugby 2020 at their feet.