Africa-Press – South-Africa. The person in the top coaching position at the Sharks might have changed from Sean Everitt to Neil Powell but some things remain the same: the Bulls dominate the Durbanites at Loftus.
That fact was emphasised on Sharks director of rugby Powell’s first foray into Pretoria against his direct job title rival – the two directors of rugby facing off – Jake White, whose home team triumphed 40-27.
In the end, the name on the office door mattered little; the Bulls, like they did when they ousted the Sharks from last season’s United Rugby Championship (URC), did a job on the Sharks again on Sunday.
AS IT HAPPENED | URC: Bulls vs Sharks
But the score line was far more emphatic, with the Bulls scoring four tries for a bonus point win.
The first sweet attacking move of the match came in the 11th minute from the Bulls running it on the left, leading to wing Sbu Nkosi linking with outside centre Cornal Hendricks, who spilt the ball just over 5m out.
The Sharks lacked an identifiable attacking game plan. They resorted far too often to ineffectual high kicks or balls in behind the defence that posed little threat in the opening quarter.
Meanwhile, the Bulls threatened again, this time getting over the try line on the right but the score was disallowed after Chris Smith’s final pass to Johan Goosen went forward.
A hard watch of a half, full of attrition and scrappy play, finished with the most eye-pleasing try you’ll see this year.
The Bulls turned the Sharks over in their half and David Kriel, playing at right wing, broke through the middle and teed up his skipper Marcell Coetzee nicely for the loose-forward to score under the sticks with no black jersey in sight.
It seemed the hosts would go into the tunnel with a handsome 16-3 lead after three Smith penalties and that Coetzee touchdown less than three minutes from half-time.
But Marnus Potgieter caught them napping when their former outside back picked the ball up from the base of a ruck and went on a solo run to score under the poles.
It was as if the Bulls saw a ghost, as Potgieter spooked past ashen-faced defenders. At 16-10 at half-time, the Sharks, who hardly laid a finger on the Bulls, suddenly, were in the contest.
The visitors took the impetus into the second period and weaved their passes better. Potgieter might have had a second score but spilled a Ntuthuko Mchunu offload, who himself was put through brilliantly by Hyron Andrews.
Ten minutes of the half hadn’t lapsed when the Sharks took the lead for the first time after Aphelele Fassi scored under the sticks from a well-worked sequence off a 5m lineout.
The Springbok fullback, who was bright throughout the game, seemed hugely motivated to put a performance for the Springbok selectors, who dropped him to the SA A team, to notice.
After Boeta Chamberlain and Smith traded penalties, the game swung on its axis again when Hendricks’ midfield line break created space for substitute halfback Embrose Papier to exploit with his unnerving pace.
Their second converted try gave the Bulls a little scoreboard breathing room at 26-20 with less than 15 minutes on the clock.
It was the perfect scenario for the Bulls: leave the Sharks desperate and then pounce on errors and turnovers.
And that’s exactly what transpired as White’s team picked apart Powell’s after a turnover inside the Bulls half led to Goosen feeding replacement wing Stravino Jacobs to score their third try.
The fourth came courtesy of substitute hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels, who peeled away from a driving maul to bury his burley frame past hapless Sharks defenders to score.
No 8 Phepsi Buthelezi scored a third Sharks try with a minute left but it was scant consolation.
Scorers:
Bulls – (16) 40
Tries: Marcell Coetzee, Embrose Papier, Stravino Jacobs, Jan-Hendrik Wessels
Conversions: Chris Smith (4)
Penalties: Chris Smith (4)
Sharks – (10) 27
Tries: Marnus Potgieter, Aphelele Fassi, Phepsi Buthelezi
Conversions: Boeta Chamberlain (3)
Penalties: Boeta Chamberlain (2)
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