The Coastal Sharks scored 20 unanswered points in the final quarter here against the Auckland Blues on Saturday to romp to a thrilling 34-18 win in a Super 14 semifinal clash to qualify for the final next weekend.
The Sharks led 14-6 at the break and will now host the southern hemisphere inter-provincial rugby competition final for the first time.
They will face either the Northern Bulls or Canterbury Crusaders, who were to play later Saturday.
Dick Muir’s Sharks went into a 14-3 lead after 35 minutes, but 13 minutes after the restart the Blues had fought their way back in a tight contest to lead 18-14.
Two penalties by Percy Montgomery and tries by Butch James and Waylon Murray put the result beyond the Blues’ reach.
”It could have gone any way today, the Blues showed they are a class act, but I’m very happy we’re through to the final,” said Sharks captain John Smit.
Muir called the result ”fantastic”.
”I was a bit worried in the first 20 minutes after the change-over when they got into the lead, but my guys came back well and ground out a fantastic win. Now we can look forward to the
final – it’s going to be another great challenge.”
Losing skipper Troy Flavell was understandably disappointed in missing out on a place in the final, especially after leading the competition in the early rounds.
”We kicked off with a bang, but it didn’t work out for us in the end. Hats off to the Sharks. They’ve been relentless all season and were again on top of their game today.”
The men from New Zealand enjoyed the majority of possession in the early exchanges and asked the home side to make plenty of tackles — no less than 22 inside the first quarter — but the Sharks defence stood up to the onslaught.
By the 30 minute mark it was the home side doing all the attacking. Montgomery opened the scoring with a penalty after four minutes, but that score was cancelled out by Isa Nacewa in the 14th minute, but a further penalty by Montgomery and a 40m drop-goal by James saw the Sharks into a 9-3 lead after 25 minutes.
With the Sharks scrum now dominating their opponents and the likes of Anthony Tuituvake and Isaia Toeva seeing far less ball than they did in the first quarter of the clash, the home side slowly started getting the upperhand.
Lock Johann Muller and loose forwards AJ Venter and particularly young Ryan Kankowski were strong in taking the ball forward for the home side, but they were equally effective in defence, halting a number of bursts by the Blues.
The first real indication of the Sharks starting to dominate came in the 32nd minute when flanker Jacques Botes crashed over in the right-hand corner, but referee Stuart Dickinson adjudged the pass from Frans Steyn to have been forward.
Muller, however, scored the match’s first try three minutes later after some brilliant inter-play between the Sharks’ backs and forwards, but on the stroke of half-time Nacewa’s second penalty left the home side 14-6 up at the break.
The Blues though hit back in style after the restart with tries to Rudi Wulf and Nacewa, after Toeava had made the initial play, to edge ahead 18-14, but the Sharks finished the stronger outfit, with their replacements making a massive contribution.
Montgomery struck two penalties and then James crossed over after some brilliant driving work by his pack before Murray stepped his way past the Blues defenders after picking up a loose ball, dropped by David Holwell. ‒ Sapa-AFP