DAVID SHAPSHAK, Durban | Saturday 5.00pm.
DEFENDING champions the Canterbury Crusaders shot to the top of the Super 12 log with a 32-24 win over the Sharks at Absa Stadium in Durban on Saturday.
Durban-borne Andrew Merhtens slotted 12 points as his New Zealand side, who led 15-10 at half-time, gave the Sharks their second home defeat in two weeks. They are now second last on the log.
The vistors started early, with Caleb Ralph scoring after seven minutes, converted by Mehrtens.
Sharks midfield hardman Pieter Muller replied, and fullback Gaffie Du Toit converted, then edged them into a 10-7 lead with a penalty.
After Merhtens drew the scores level with a penalty of his own, his half back Justin Marshall burst up the field, gaining 30 metres. From a ruck, off the resulting line-out, Crusader’s fullback Leon MacDonald powered through two tackles down the blindside for a 15-10 half-time lead.
But two minutes after the break, Muller, named man of the match, scored again. The Springbok veteran completing a break begun by flyhalf Clinton van Rensburg 20 metres inside his own half. The ball moved down through the hands, when. Deon Kayser ran through several defenders before offloading to Muller. Du Toit converted.
Mehrtens regained the lead with a penalty but moments later the Sharks were unlucky to have a try disallowed for obstruction.
Going into the last quarter, Mark Mayerhofler scored and replacement number eight Ron Cribb broke from the base of a five metre scrum for the bonus point. Merhtens converted both.
Replacement lock Jacques Greeff managed a full time consolation try, but, as former coach Ian MacIntosh now a commentator, said, it was “another sad day for the Sharks.
Although both team made numerous knock ons, the home team suffered most. They became sloppy and lost possession through a series of poor plays and failed to use their superior territorial advantage.
The Sharks can only blame themselves for handing the Crusaders many opportunities, innumerably losing possession from their own line-outs. Two certain tries were penalised for forward passes.