It was meant to be the feature game of the weekend Absa Currie Cup rugby fixtures but in fact the confrontation between the Sharks and the Golden Lions was almost a slow motion affair until a semi-power failure with 25 minutes to go sparked the Sharks into action for their first try in an important 21-3 victory.
It was 9-0 to the Sharks at halftime thanks to three penalty goals by scrumhalf Rory Kockott. In contrast, Lions flyhalf Louis Strydom, was not as accurate.
But it could have been much more than that as the Natalians dominated a lacklustre Golden Lions side, especially after their forwards had secured much good ball.
The Sharks scored two tries but a succession of knock-ons and forward passes saw them miss out on at least three try-scoring opportunities.
The Sharks were again on the wrong end of the penalty count and they also had replacement lock Nikolai Blignaut yellow-carded and sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes, barely two minutes after he had come onto the field as a replacement for Johan Ackerman in the second half.
The try that set the Sharks on the way followed a pattern of forward domination at the maul and when possession was gained at a breakdown in the Lions defensive zone, wing Odwa Ndungane was put in the clear for a run at the line. Rory Kockott obliged with the conversion. However, he missed the conversion of Ryan Kankowski’s late try. – Sapa