Courageous Sharks Gave it their All:
The Cell C Sharks fought to the bitter end and were denied victory by a dramatic 55m penalty by the Lions to snatch a 23-21 victory at Emirates Airline Park.
It was never supposed to unravel for the Lions as it did, but the Cell C Sharks had clearly not read the script that was written for the home side, the definitive favourites in this match.
It wasn’t quite the start the Cell C Sharks wanted, failing to secure the Lions’ kick-off, but the home side, despite spending almost five minutes camped in our 22, could not penetrate some determined defence.
It was hallmark of our play that we smashed the Lions every time they had attacking possession, and the game could so easily have finished the other way, if it were not for a late long distance penalty.
The Lions are no dummies on attack, but they could not undo the pressure they were under. After kicking penalties to touch rather than at posts given their belief in their own attack – which had proved unsuccessful – a third kickable penalty was sent to posts. It hit the upright though and once again, the Lions’ desire to add early points was thwarted.
However, the discipline on defence was undone by indiscipline in open play, with Jantjies adding the three top open the scoring. But in a dramatic turn-about, the Lions fluffed their lines from the resultant kick-off and possession in their half (for the first time in the game) led to Kobus van Wyk going over in the corner.
The second time we worked our way into the Lions 22, points came again, this time when Curwin Bosch had an age to kick a drop-goal – the tactics clearly to score points whenever the opportunity to do so presented itself. That mini battle was certainly being won by the visitors in the first quarter of the match.
The Lions had enjoyed nearly 70% of the possession, yet had a solitary penalty to account for all their advantage. Perhaps the pressure of being overwhelming favourites was a factor? Jantjies too was out of sorts with the boot, missing two shots at goal that he would normally convert without any effort.
The Lions, to their credit, kept hammering away, they just kept coming, but the courageous defence from the Cell C Sharks just wouldn’t break. Frequent incursions from the home side came to nothing as they simply couldn’t make it count.
With five minutes of the half remaining, the Lions botched up an attempt to run out of their 22, outstanding pressure forcing an error then a penalty, with Bosch making no mistake, pushing us into an 11-3 lead.
The Lions were back on attack, but on the brink of half-time, they conceded another penalty and Bosch was again on target, this time from 45m out. There was no more time for the home side and the psychological blow of scoring just before the break had been struck. We went into half-time leading 14-3 in a pulsating contest.
But the Lions clearly had a venomous changeroom talk and came out breathing fire. It took seven minutes and a yellow card for the Cell C Sharks for the home side to finally come good, scoring following pressure at a scrum. But Jantjies missed again and the Lions were now six points behind.
They cut that to just one when Jaco Kriel smashed his way over for a second try not five minutes later. Jantjies failed again, but the Lions had their tails in the air (and a one man advantage) and were making it count.
Sadly, there had been a huge shift in momentum right back in the home side’s favour. It took 10 minutes for the Lions to strike back this time, but again it was trytime as their second half dominance was paying dividends.
But then the game was once more turned on its head as the Lions lost a man for repeated infringements on defence (just like the Cell C Sharks earlier) and opting for a scrum, and this time enjoying the one man advantage, scrummed the Lions backwards, allowing Dan du Preez the space and momentum to dive over. Bosch’s conversion took us back in the lead.
With 10 minutes of the game remaining, Ruan Combrinck took over the kicking duties from the now departed Jantjies, but he too missed a relatively easy penalty and the chance to again retake the lead.
With barely two minutes of the game remaining, the Lions were awarded a penalty, which Combrinck converted for a two point lead.
It was a heart-breaking end to a game in which they could so easily have been called deserved winners.
The post Courageous Sharks Gave it their All appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
Courageous Sharks Gave it their All:
The Cell C Sharks fought to the bitter end and were denied victory by a dramatic 55m penalty by the Lions to snatch a 23-21 victory at Emirates Airline Park.
It was never supposed to unravel for the Lions as it did, but the Cell C Sharks had clearly not read the script that was written for the home side, the definitive favourites in this match.
It wasn’t quite the start the Cell C Sharks wanted, failing to secure the Lions’ kick-off, but the home side, despite spending almost five minutes camped in our 22, could not penetrate some determined defence.
It was hallmark of our play that we smashed the Lions every time they had attacking possession, and the game could so easily have finished the other way, if it were not for a late long distance penalty.
The Lions are no dummies on attack, but they could not undo the pressure they were under. After kicking penalties to touch rather than at posts given their belief in their own attack – which had proved unsuccessful – a third kickable penalty was sent to posts. It hit the upright though and once again, the Lions’ desire to add early points was thwarted.
However, the discipline on defence was undone by indiscipline in open play, with Jantjies adding the three top open the scoring. But in a dramatic turn-about, the Lions fluffed their lines from the resultant kick-off and possession in their half (for the first time in the game) led to Kobus van Wyk going over in the corner.
The second time we worked our way into the Lions 22, points came again, this time when Curwin Bosch had an age to kick a drop-goal – the tactics clearly to score points whenever the opportunity to do so presented itself. That mini battle was certainly being won by the visitors in the first quarter of the match.
The Lions had enjoyed nearly 70% of the possession, yet had a solitary penalty to account for all their advantage. Perhaps the pressure of being overwhelming favourites was a factor? Jantjies too was out of sorts with the boot, missing two shots at goal that he would normally convert without any effort.
The Lions, to their credit, kept hammering away, they just kept coming, but the courageous defence from the Cell C Sharks just wouldn’t break. Frequent incursions from the home side came to nothing as they simply couldn’t make it count.
With five minutes of the half remaining, the Lions botched up an attempt to run out of their 22, outstanding pressure forcing an error then a penalty, with Bosch making no mistake, pushing us into an 11-3 lead.
The Lions were back on attack, but on the brink of half-time, they conceded another penalty and Bosch was again on target, this time from 45m out. There was no more time for the home side and the psychological blow of scoring just before the break had been struck. We went into half-time leading 14-3 in a pulsating contest.
But the Lions clearly had a venomous changeroom talk and came out breathing fire. It took seven minutes and a yellow card for the Cell C Sharks for the home side to finally come good, scoring following pressure at a scrum. But Jantjies missed again and the Lions were now six points behind.
They cut that to just one when Jaco Kriel smashed his way over for a second try not five minutes later. Jantjies failed again, but the Lions had their tails in the air (and a one man advantage) and were making it count.
Sadly, there had been a huge shift in momentum right back in the home side’s favour. It took 10 minutes for the Lions to strike back this time, but again it was trytime as their second half dominance was paying dividends.
But then the game was once more turned on its head as the Lions lost a man for repeated infringements on defence (just like the Cell C Sharks earlier) and opting for a scrum, and this time enjoying the one man advantage, scrummed the Lions backwards, allowing Dan du Preez the space and momentum to dive over. Bosch’s conversion took us back in the lead.
With 10 minutes of the game remaining, Ruan Combrinck took over the kicking duties from the now departed Jantjies, but he too missed a relatively easy penalty and the chance to again retake the lead.
With barely two minutes of the game remaining, the Lions were awarded a penalty, which Combrinck converted for a two point lead.
It was a heart-breaking end to a game in which they could so easily have been called deserved winners.
The post Courageous Sharks Gave it their All appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
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