Hungry Sharks boost play-off hopes

Updated July 07, 2012 09:11:37

The Sharks are one bonus-point victory away from the Super Rugby play-offs after defeating fellow South Africans Northern Bulls 32-10 at Kings Park.

They host Central Cheetahs next Saturday in another South African derby and another bonus-point triumph will assure them of place in the knockout phase, possibly at the expense of title holders Queensland Reds from Australia.

Bulls can also qualify with a bonus-point home win over bottom-of-the-table Golden Lions while Western Stormers are set to top the South African conference and secure a bye into the semi-finals.

Sharks had to win the penultimate-round match to have any hope of finishing among the top six after the league phase of the southern hemisphere provincial championship and laid their victory foundations during the opening half.

Gaining the upper hand from the kick-off through their rampant pack, the Durban franchise scored two tries via Springboks Bismarck du Plessis (hooker) and JP Pietersen (right wing) to turn over 20-3 ahead.

A further try from flank and captain Keegan Daniel four minutes into the second half stretched the advantage to 22 points before three-time champions Bulls hit back with a try from full-back Zane Kirchner.

Fly half Morne Steyn converted to cut the deficit to 25-10 and the home team had to withstand wave after wave of attacks from the Pretoria franchise before breaking out to score the bonus-point fourth try two minutes from time.

Sharks won a line-out deep in Bulls territory and after several attempts to score were repulsed, scrum-half Charl McLeod threw a long pass to full-back Louis Ludik and he dived over for a try replacement back Meyer Bosman converted.

France fly half Frederic Michalak kicked two conversions and a penalty before retiring with an injured right shoulder on 73 minutes and inside centre Francois Steyn planted a 55-metre first-half penalty between the posts.

Sharks showed no ill effects of not having played since June 2 with the Durban team having a bye last weekend after a three-week break for the traditional mid-year Tests.

They won without several injured stars, including fly half Patrick Lambie, lock Steven Sykes and tearaway flank Willem Alberts, one of the stars when South Africa defeated England 2-0 in a three-Test series last month.

Daniel heaped special praise on Japan-bound number eight Ryan Kankowski, whose herculean efforts in a brutal physical battle earned him the the man of the match award.

"I am so proud of the boys - especially Ryan - and we are going to miss him when he goes overseas. This performance demonstrated that we have strength in depth," said an exhausted but smiling skipper.

Bulls captain and number eight Pierre Spies had no excuses: "We could never get going and the better team won. The Sharks were hungrier than us and we battled to get out of our half during the opening 40 minutes."

Sharks: 32 - Tries: B du Plessis, JP Pietersen, K Daniel, L Ludik. Cons: F Michalak 2, M Bosman. Pens: F Steyn, Michalak

Bulls: 10 - Try: Z Kirchner. Cons: M Steyn. Pen: Steyn

AFP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-rugby, south-africa

First posted July 07, 2012 09:07:17

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Reds hungry to avenge Tahs rout

Updated February 01, 2012 17:59:21

The Queensland Reds are wary about a Waratahs uprising but the Super Rugby champions will kick off their title defence further motivated to make New South Wales pay for their 2011 "embarrassment".

The Reds lost only three matches in their 15-victory charge to last season's Super trophy but the record round two 30-6 hammering at the Olympic stadium still stings.

The traditional rivals meet at Homebush again on February 25 and Queensland has not forgotten the painful four-try lesson which sent the franchise back to the drawing board.

"We were very poor that night and it was a bit embarrassing," coach Ewen McKenzie said.

"That was our worst performance of the year and now we've got the challenge to go back there and do something about that."

As a former Waratahs coach, McKenzie knows it will not be easy.

He likes what he sees in the 2012 New South Wales squad which bookmakers have already installed as favourite for the season opener.

McKenzie lauded former Wallabies front-row team-mate Michael Foley as a meticulous planner as head coach, and new assistant Alan Gaffney, his first Randwick mentor, as a canny attack guru.

That is on top of a Wallabies-laden forward pack and a backline that features Berrick Barnes, Drew Mitchell, Adam Ashley-Cooper and new half-back recruit Sarel Pretorius.

"There's a bit to worry about for us," he said.

"They'll have a good set piece and they'll have a good set play off that and good moves and good players to execute."

While retired former skipper Phil Waugh must be replaced, McKenzie noted Melbourne Rebels signing Kurtley Beale and France-based Luke Burgess were New South Wales' two "key" losses, and their absence could well force a change of style.

"It was only two guys but they had a lot to do with their performances so how they replace them will be interesting," he said.

The nippy Pretorius is renowned for his flair and spontaneous attacking ability but does not possess the tough defence around the ruck that was a feature of Wallabies half Burgess's game.

"Luke Burgess gave them that sort of X-factor and starch and that's why the Waratahs were one of the best defensive teams last year," McKenzie said.

"It will be interesting to see how that comes together."

AAP

Tags: super-14, rugby-union, sport, brisbane-4000, qld, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted February 01, 2012 17:59:21

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