It started off as no more than a stroll in the park for the Sharks at the Absa Stadium in Durban on Saturday. But in the end it became a struggle for the weakened KwaZulu-Natal side to overcome a determined bottom-placed Valke in their final round-robin Absa Currie Cup rugby match.
The Sharks eventually won 43-29 with seven tries to four after they had earned their bonus point as early as the 17th minute.
As it was, both sides secured a bonus point for four tries. And the Valke, though well beaten in the end, showed lots of courage and conviction, especially immediately after half-time when they held a three-point lead.
But they could not last the pace in the second half once Sharks coach John Plumtree had brought on some of his reserves off the bench.
The Sharks were well in front early on at 26-5. That was by way of four quickfire tries to hooker Craig Burden (2), fullback Monty Dumond and flyhalf Bradley Barritt. Three were converted by Dumond.
But before the half had ended the brave Valke had struck back with three scores of their own to hooker Ryno Barnes and flank Roland Bernard, with two converted by flyhalf Leon Olivier, who also kicked a penalty on the verge of half-time that left the Sharks just 26-22 ahead.
And they went one better than that early in the second half when centre Ernie Kruger earned them a bonus-point fourth try and, with Olivier converting, the Valke had gone three points to the good.
That was turned around again when fullback Monty Dumond was on hand on the left wing — totally unmarked — to get his second try after a smart cross-field kick by Adi Jacobs. He missed the conversion attempt.
Jacobs then got on to the score list with the Sharks’ sixth try and again Dumond was wide with the conversion attempt. He was successful with his third after substitute Andries Strauss notched a seventh try for the Sharks.
The Sharks rested a number of first-choice players for this game ahead of their Currie Cup semifinal clash against the Lions in Durban next weekend. — Sapa