The young Sharks earned their spurs in no uncertain manner at the Absa Stadium in Durban on Saturday evening.
They attacked with gusto in a rousing first half and defended like demons in the second to secure a valuable bonus point in an emphatic, 29-10 Absa Currie Cup rugby victory over the Blue Bulls after leading 15-10 at the break.
The Sharks scored two tries in each half for their bonus point in a match of great excitement for the 27 000 spectators. If anything, the match was spoiled in the second half for a short period with the instant red card given to Bulls flyhalf Morne Steyn by referee Mark Lawrence for a spear tackle on flanker Jacques Botes and then a yellow card a few minutes later to the Sharks man.
The Bulls only managed one try at the end of the night, but they were desperately unlucky at times as the Sharks defenders held them at bay and Shaun Veldsman twice ruled against them when they had got the ball down behind the Sharks’ line. Both decisions were correctly given.
The game opened with a flurry of Sharks attacks and for the first 20 minutes the Bulls hardly saw the ball — in contrast to their efforts in the second spell.
The game turned against the Bulls in the space of five minutes when Springbok reserve hooker Bismarck du Plessis showed his power and skill to score twice between the eighth and 13th minutes.
Although the Sharks surrendered their customary try just before the half-time whistle to JP Nel and were muscled into a stirring defensive effort for the first 20 minutes of the second, they always had that edge in reserve.
Indeed, almost against the run of play they got two valuable tries in the second half to lock Steven Sykes and prop Patric Cilliers, who scored his first try in Sharks colours.
The Sharks were well served by scrumhalf Rory Kockott, who made some great breaks, as well as a highly committed forward pack in which prop Beast Mtawarira was a tower of strength.
Kockott kicked a penalty and two conversions and when he was replaced with 20 minutes to go, flyhalf Bradley Barritt got a third conversion.
The Bulls tried hard for a breakthrough, but were restricted to a single try with Morne Steyn getting a penalty and a conversion before being sent off by Mark Lawrence. — Sapa