Sharks edge Bordeaux at Moses
THE Sharks’ first-ever match at the Moses Mabhida Stadium will unfortunately be remembered just about as much for the trying weather conditions as for the gems unearthed by the KZN team in overpowering the Bordeaux Begles 19-17 last night.
Conditions were extreme, and it was a pity for co-hosts Durban Tourism and the Sharks that the game was never going to be allowed to become an exhibition of skilful rugby. For the kickers and the hookers in particular, the gusting wind and rain were exacting, with some kicks going comically backwards and throwins curving like boomerangs.
Curiously, the Frenchmen seemed to struggle even more in the wet than the Sharks, who have had bone dry weather for so long that last night’s rain was a novelty. Bordeaux, in fact, were generally disappointing in this warm-up for them before they start the Top 14 competition next week.
Similarly, the Sharks were using the match to tune up for their home Currie Cup match next week against the Bulls, and coach Robert du Preez will have taken some good things out of the match, the Sharks’ first action since their Super Rugby quarter-final against the Crusaders.
For the sparse crowd, there was a revelation in the form of 21-yearold wing Aphelele Fassi, who looked dangerous each time he touched the ball and his 50m try was a thrilling solo effort in which he showed blistering pace and stepping.
The Sharks seem to have knack for unearthing lethal wingers. Fassi, a King Williams Town product, comes from the same neck of the woods as Lwazi Mvovo, Odwa Ndungane and Makazole Mapimpi.
Another former Eastern Cape man, Jeremy Ward, scored the first try of the game after Du Preez took a flat pass from Schreuder and stabbed through a grubber for the centre to gather and dive over.
On half-time, substitute scrumhalf Grant Williams took a half chance superbly to run 40m for a try and a 19-3 half time lead for his team.
The score stayed unchanged for most of the second half until a late two-try burst for the visitors closed the gap.