Depleted Sharks edge imploding Bulls
MATCH REPORT: The Sharks, despite a rash of injuries and late changes, managed to edge the Bulls 20-17 in a United Rugby Championship Round Eight encounter at Kings Park, in Durban, on Saturday.
Starting the game without Springboks like Eben Etzebeth and Bongi Mbonambi, the home team was forced into some more late changes - captain Siya Kolisi ruled out Nick Hatton starting at No.8.
Corne Rahl started at lock in place of Emile van Heerden and Ethan Bester was the starting hooker in place of Dylan Richardson. Bester left the field by the end of the first quarter, after suffering a concussion.
Kolisi suffered an injury at training on Thursday, but the call to replacement was made only on Saturday.
The others are reported related to a stomach bug in Durban.
Despite all the disruptions and buoyed by 34,000-odd spectators in the Shark Rank, they hung on to win and cement their spot in the top eight of the competition.
For the Bulls, it was another game where they were their own worst enemies - a rash of silly errors and poor decisions.
Bulls Director of Rugby put it in a nutshell when he said: "For the third week in a row we shot ourselves in the foot."
* To recap all the drama, CLICK HERE!
* Article continues below ...
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Jordan Hendrikse opened the scoring with a penalty for the home team, after Johan Goosen's brain fade - kicking the ball from an offside position, 3-0.
Johan Goosen missed a penalty attempt, with Jaden Hendrikse the next to score - bursting over from close range after some strong phase-play by the home team. His brother, Jordan Hendrikse, made it 10-0 with the conversion.
The Bulls got themselves back into the game with a try by flank Cobus Wiese - coming after a couple of penalties allowed them to get a line-out deep inside the Sharks 22. Goosen added the conversion - 7-10.
Another line-out deep in Sharks territory saw a sublime backline move and centre Harold Vorster barging over. Goosen's conversion made it 14-10.
The Bulls were now on a roll, winning a couple of penalties inside the Sharks 22 and opting for scrums - a set piece they were dominating.
However, they were not clinical enough and allowed the home team to escape from what was a perilous position and go into the half-time break still just four points (10-14) down.
A scrum penalty saw Goosen stretch the visitors' lead to seven points - 17-10, after 48 minutes.
Minutes later it was all square - Bulls wing Sebastian de Klerk was yellow-carded for cynically slapping the ball over the deadball line and the Sharks were awarded a penalty try.
Jordan Hendrikse pushed the penalty, from almost 50 metres out, wide to the right as the hour mark came up.
The Bulls' discipline now let them down, with a number of penalties giving the Sharks an easy entry into the Bulls' territory, but Hendrikse again pushed it wide and then slotted one, minutes later, for the home team to reclaim the lead - 20-17.
A maul penalty against the Sharks saw Goosen push a shot wide to the right, as the arm wrestle continued into the final 10 minutes.
Five minutes from time Goosen had another shot, from just inside his half, hitting the upright.
It resulted in another penalty, this time the Bulls opting for a line-out inside the Sharks' 22. Another penalty followed and a warning to the Sharks for repeated infringements.
However, the Bulls butchered the match-winning opportunity and the Sharks hung on for a crucial (20-17) win.
The scorers
For the Sharks
Tries: Jaden Hendrikse, Penalty try
Cons: Jordan Hendrikse, a penalty try does nt require a conversion
Pens: Jordan Hendrikse 2
For the Bulls
Tries: Wiese, Vorster
Cons: Goosen 2
Pen: Goosen
Yellow card: Sebastian de Klerk (Bulls, 52 - cynical foul, slapping the ball over the deadball line)
Teams
Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Ethan Hooker, 12 Andre Esterhuizen (captain), 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Nick Hatton, 7 Emmanuel Tshituka, 6 Phepsi Buthelezi, 5 Jason Jenkins, 4 Corne Rahl, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Ethan Bester, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Bryce Calvert, 17 Ruan Dreyer, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Corne Rahl, 20 Tino Mavesere, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Siya Masuku, 23 Jurenzo Julius.
Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Canan Moodie, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Elrigh Louw (captain), 7 Cobus Wiese, 6 Cameron Hanekom, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Sergeal Petersen, 23 Devon Williams.
Referee: Morné Ferreira (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa), Griffin Colby (South Africa)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (South Africa)
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