Sharks secure home Currie Cup final
The Cell C Sharks secured a home final in the Currie Cup with a 37-27 win over the Bulls in their semi-final clash on Saturday.
Fans were treated to an entertaining afternoon of running rugby at Growthpoint Kings Park, as both teams looked to play running rugby in the clear, warm conditions.
The Sharks were gifted an early opportunity on the Bulls 5 metre line after fullback Warrick Gelant knocked the ball on trying to exit from their own half. The Sharks backline shaped up for a narrow attacking move off the resulting scrum, but Curwin Bosch floated a long pass out wide to Lukhanyo Am on the drift, and the outside centre dotted down for the opening try of the match.
Two minutes later, the Sharks extended their lead from an attacking lineout just inside the Bulls half. Inside centre Marius Louw took the ball to the line, then popped it up off his shoulder to a flying Kobus van Wyk who cut through the Bulls line to score underneath the posts – making it 14-0 before the ten minute mark.
The Bulls did well to answer back to the Sharks early brace as Pierre Schoemann wrestled his way over the line after a couple of phases camped on the hosts try-line.
Bulls flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff reduced the deficit further, slotting a penalty after the Sharks’ overeager defensive line crept offsides before the 20 minute mark.
Another penalty saw the Bulls go within one point of the Sharks, as Boshoff slotted his second penalty of the match.
The Sharks spent a good period of time camped deep in the Bulls 22, but they were continually denied scoring opportunities by referee Quinton Immelman. Eventually, the pressure paid off as Bulls centre JT Jackson dropped a pass and Sharks scumhalf Louis Schreuder pounced on the loose ball to score.
As the clocked ticked towards the 40 minute mark, the Sharks extended their lead courtesy of a charge down by skipper Ruan Botha. The big lock did well to canter all the way to the try line, despite the best efforts from a scrambling Jackson. With that, the Sharks opened up a 28-13 lead at the break.
The visitors couldn’t have asked for a better start to the second half. Bulls openside Franco van Staden stole the ball off the kickoff and scrumhalf Ivan van Zyl made amends for his 1st half charge down, as he streaked away to score.
For fifteen minutes, boths teams jostled for territory and possession before Bosch made it 31-20 with a long range penalty of his own.
Underdetered by the constant deficit, the Bulls went on the attack again and some strong, flat running eventually saw skipper Burger Odendaal power his way over the line, making it 31-27 to the Sharks with 20 minutes left to play.
The hosts went on the attack after conceding but some stout defence from the visitors saw Bosch drop into the pocket and slot a well-taken drop goal to open up a 7-point lead.
A change in the front row paid dividends for the Sharks, as the visitors conceded a scrum penalty with a little over ten minutes left to play. Bosch’s radar was on target yet again, giving his team a 10-point buffer.
Despite a quieter second half, the Sharks did enough to hold onto their lead in the last ten minutes – securing a home final in Durban next week.
They will face either Western Province or the Lions.