Mvovo powers Sharks to victory

Lwazi Mvovo © Gallo Images

The Sharks bounced back from their defeat last weekend at the hands of Griquas to record a comprehensive bonus-point 34-28 victory over the Vodacom Blue Bulls in their Absa Currie Cup game on Saturday.

While the scoreline suggests the game was close, the Bulls dotted down in the last minute and flyhalf Jacques-Louis Potgieter stroked through the conversion from the sideline to give them a bonus point.

The Sharks had the better of the exchanges throughout and should have closed the game long before the final whistle with their winger Lwazi Mvovo starring with a superb finishing display on the night.

The Bulls side, missing 12 Springboks on Tri-Nations duty, were competitive throughout, and it is testament to their spirit that they continued fighting for points until the end.

But the night belonged to the Sharks, who could have put many more points on the board, and were forced over the touchline four times for what could have been tries.

Good news for the Springboks is that JP Pietersen came through his return unscathed and looked hungry for action while his winger teammate Mvovo showed he has a wicked turn of pace and the power to match.

There were also good performances for the likes of Craig Burden, Jacques Botes and in particular Patrick Lambie, who is growing with every game.

The Bulls, however, will have to return to Loftus Versfeld and consider how their normally strong defensive game let them down at crucial times with missed tackles that turned the game in the Sharks favour.

The Bulls had started off perfectly, as a great build-up and a deft pass in the midfield by Stefan Watermeyer sent Stefan Dippenaar through a gap and eventually led to the opening try by No8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze.

But the Bulls were quickly on the defensive thereafter. Keegan Daniel looked to have scored but the TMO ruled he was out over the touchline when he dotted down and Lambie had the same fate minutes later.

Inbetween Burden, who exploited space at the front of the line-out with short throws, danced his way through the Bulls defence as the visitors seemed to stop and wait for a ref call for a knock on which never came.

A penalty by Jacques-Louis Potgieter on the half hour regained the lead, but it was the last the Bulls were to see of it.

Burden should have scored again shortly afterwards, but a great tackle by Gerhard van den Heever saw his hip touch the touchline before he dotted down and for the third time, the TMO said no try.

Lambie took back the lead four minutes before the break, and the Sharks were robbed of a try again when Mvovo kicked and chased, only for the bounce to elude him with no defence in front of him.

The winger did get his try early in the second half as the Sharks exploited the left hand wing, and Mvovo continued Van der Westhuyzen’s nightmare day when he bumped him off with ease on the way to the tryline.

A Potgieter penalty kept the Bulls in touch, before Burden again was denied by the TMO as he stepped out on his way to the tryline.

The Sharks then turned the game in their favour as Keegan Daniel bounced through a bad tackle by Van Velze after a Lambie break to score.

At this stage, and with the score 24-11 the game should have been done and dusted, but the Bulls picked themselves up and were rewarded almost straight away when Dean Greyling, who had an excellent all-round game, burst over the tryline, carrying three Sharks on his back.

Potgieter converted and added another penalty to bring the Bulls within three points, but the lifeblood was ripped out of the comeback as Mvovo got the ball after quick hands by Terblanche to score his second in the corner.

The Bulls became desperate, and a turnover ball was taken blind by Daniel, who chipped and collected to put the game beyond any doubt.

The visitors did manage to attack to get a late bonus point, but five points were all for the Sharks in a victory that they both deserved and earned through their play.

Scorers

Sharks – tries: Lwazi Mvovo (2), Keegan Daniel (2), Craig Burden. Conversions: Patrick Lambie (3). Penalty: Lambie
Vodacom Blue Bulls – tries: Gerrit-Jan van Velze, Dean Greyling, Gerhard van den Heever. Conversions: Jacques-Louis Potgieter (2). Penalties: Potgieter (3).

Read more on the Currie Cup page.

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