The Vodacom Bulls may have won their Vodacom SuperFan Saturday match 49-28 against the Cell C Sharks, but a young a talented Durban side showed courage and guts to push the victors to the end.
In a first hit-out in six months, this was never going to be a seamless transition from the Vodacom Super Rugby we last saw half a year ago, but on the balance of the determination and character shown, only good things can be expected from this young but exciting side.
The match, played in perfect conditions at Loftus Versveld, saw the Bulls dominating the first half but were pushed hard in the second by a Cell C Sharks side filled with talent and depth.
The Cell C Sharks, missing more than a handful of players, struggled with their rhythm and not getting their game going as they would have loved to, with the Bulls reverting to type with their physically dominating forwards mixed up with some pacey outside backs.
The opening score came after six minutes of hammering away at each other, the Bulls looking to use their huge forwards to good effect off an attacking lineout and getting the reward as bodies were driven over for an early seven-pointer.
A couple of minutes later a high kick was regathered by the Bulls in our half for a second try, with veteran flyhalf Morne Steyn adding the extras.
With the Cell C Sharks looking to exploit a good opportunity close to the Bulls’ tryline, the home side managed to spoil the rolling maul and turnover possession to race the 90m up field for the third try.
Try number four came when the Bulls pounced on a loose ball from the line-out and sent the ball out wide to find enough space to score in the corner. Steyn converted for a 28 point haul for the home side inside the first half hour.
A good, effective first phase attack off a scrum saw the Bulls scoring their fifth a few minutes later in what was proving to be a particularly frustrating afternoon for the Durbanites, with the Bulls capitalising on turn-over ball.
The Bulls, under pressure in the final few minutes, conceded a much-deserved try, just the tonic needed before half-time as the home side conceded a yellow card for repeated infringements and then some magic from scrumhalf Grant Williams who showed heart and serious speed as he broke through the middle after a quick tap penalty for the converted try in the last passage of play.
Having conceded tries against the run of play had not helped our first half cause, but the Bulls didn’t have things go all their way in the second half as they battled to maintain any fluid continuity. Instead, the Cell C Sharks looked to impart some speed into the game and a few times looked dangerous.
It took until the final quarter before a long passage of attack finally paid off – although it very nearly didn’t. Some excellent play followed a strong build-up and we were within 10m of the Bulls’ tryline before the ball was stolen, but Marius Louw unceremoniously stole the ball back to score our second try.
Five minutes into the final quarter the Bulls finally managed their first score of the half as they took the ball wide from a lineout and into the corner for a 42-14 lead with 15 minutes remaining.
But this young Sharks side continued to show great guts as they hammered away at the line with the home side continuing to concede penalties, before replacement hooker Dan Jooste scored an important try.
Some more indiscipline from the Bulls saved a certain try but meant a second yellow card for cynical play on defence and the continuity they had shown wasn’t to be stopped as Jaden Hendrikse added the fourth try with Jordan Chait converting to make it a 14 point game.
With just two minutes remaining the Bulls scored their second try of a half dominated by the Cell C Sharks.
Captain Lukhanyo Am admitted afterwards that, “It wasn’t the start we wanted and the Bulls managed to capitalise on our mistakes, slowing our ball down and that cost us on attack.”
The post Brave Performance appeared first on The Sharks.
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Quick Durban KwaZulu-Natal Fact: Durban was originally called Rio de Natal by Vasco da Gama when he visited in 1497. Natal in Portuguese means “Christmas.” Durban later received its name from a somewhat controversial governor from the Cape colony, Sir Benjamin D’Urban)
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