The Sharks won the Absa Currie Cup for the first time since 1996 when they beat the Blue Bulls in an uncompromising final in Durban on Saturday, after leading 7-3 at halftime.
Trailing 9-14 with 30 seconds to go, the Blue Bulls were attacking in a wave reminiscent of their unlikely win last year when they beat the Sharks well after the hooter had gone. However, an accidental offside ruling put paid to their comeback hopes.
Despite both sides playing it safe in the first half, the spectators were never starved of action in a match where the Sharks’ forwards were just too good for the Blue Bulls.
There were 23 minutes of thrust and counter-thrust, with the Sharks slightly the better because of their greater urgency to the point of breakdown.
It followed a run by JP Pietersen after an aborted intercept attempt by the Bulls, with Ruan Pienaar dummying from the ensuing ruck to break through and stretch for the line after the tackle.
At 7-0, the Sharks were deservedly ahead but an immediate penalty by Morne Steyn made it 7-3.
The Sharks had a very narrow escape in the 20th minute when a pass by Francois Steyn was intercepted by Bryan Habana who set off on an 80-metre run. An ankle tap from Frederic Michalak slowed him down and enabled Steyn to run him down metres from the tryline.
The Sharks looked more dangerous because of the Bulls’ habit to go for the inside man rather than their direct opponent, and Pietersen and Odwa Ndungane were given good leeway.
Pienaar, never the surest of goal kickers, missed three of his four attempts at the posts in the first half — which cost his side nine points. Steyn missed one of his two kicks but would have been pleased with his second strike after his nightmare at the Absa Stadium a month ago.
The scrums were even and the only turnover at a lineout was through a skew throw-in by the Blue Bulls. The breakdowns belonged to the Sharks and both sides tested their opposing back triangles with high kicks.
The Sharks turned 7-3 ahead, but this lasted two minutes after the break when Steyn put over a drop from 46m.
The Sharks had the Bulls on the rack on one or two occasions, and broke the deadlock after 20 minutes in Michalak’s fancy footwork. It went wide for Frans Steyn to eventually round off. Michalak converted (14-6).
Steyn pulled three points back immediately after the restart and at 14-9 the Blue Bulls were still very much in it — but the Sharks had full control.
Some hasty, inaccurate passing on their own line underlined the pressure on the visitors.
The Bulls ran the ball more often in the last quarter as they tried to narrow the gap, but seldom looked as if they would score.
Francois Steyn was awarded the man of the match award, but if could well have gone to a number of other players. The two fullbacks did very well in such a tight match while the Sharks’ forwards were outstanding as a unit. – Sapa