Currie Cup: Sharks lay down a marker at Loftus

The secret to the Sharks’ climb up the Currie Cup standings might just be their superb defence as they held out the Blue Bulls for a 28-20 victory in their Currie Cup match at Loftus Versfeld on Wednesday evening.

Defence was certainly the difference on the night as the Sharks scored three of their four tries through a backline player slicing straight through on a run from deep, while they restricted the Bulls to just two tries.

The bonus point win for the Sharks takes them to 15 points, just behind the log-leading Free State Cheetahs on points difference.

Who was the star in this match?

Jacques Vermeulen might not have the flair of other more highly-rated loose forwards, but he is a flank that plays hard and gets through an enormous amount of work. Vermeulen was a major figure in the stout defensive effort of the Sharks.

Key moments and themes

• An attacking revolution for the Bulls has been predicted after John Mitchell’s arrival in Pretoria, but the home side turned over far too much of their own possession. It mostly boiled down to poor decision-making, leading to numerous 50/50 passes which were unnecessary when just hanging on to the ball and ensuring continuity would have been the better option.
• You would think with the transformation pressure Springbok coach Allister Coetzee is under, a gem like Lukhanyo Am would be rushed into his squad for the Rugby Championship. But the Sharks centre, who was named in the original national squad for the France incoming tour in June before getting injured the weekend before going into camp, was a strange absentee from Coetzee’s chosen 34. Am showed how poor that decision was with a stellar display against the Bulls. Strong in defence, he showed his pace and power by slicing through a clump of Bulls defenders for the first try of the second half.
• While Innocent Radebe did not live up to all expectations in a loose display at flyhalf, marked by some poor decision-making, Garth April showed that he might just realise his potential with a mature display at fullback.
• Sharks wing S’bu Nkosi once again showed that he is a player for the future as he opened the scoring with a tremendous solo try in the third minute. An offload off the deck by the Bulls that was totally unnecessary gifted the visitors possession and Nkosi burst through from 30 metres out, with a strong hand-off that brushed aside eighthman Nic de Jager and then the pace to get around the defence and score.

Other results:

Griquas 44 – Western Province 34 (Kimberley)

Pumas 34 – Free State Cheetahs 45 (Mbombela)

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