Gelant hat-trick helps Bulls shock Sharks

It was the first away win this season for the Pretoria-based Bulls and the first home loss for the Sharks, who have already secured a quarter-finals place.

Bulls, playing only for pride as they cannot make the knockout stage, dominated possession in their best performance of the year and led 17-10 at half-time.

While Gelant deservedly won the man-of-the-match award, centre Jan Serfontein also starred following three excellent Test performances for South Africa against France this month.

Sharks rested Springboks prop Tendai "The Beast" Mtawarira and loose forward Jean-Luc du Preez after a 3-0 whitewash of Les Bleus and the gamble backfired.

Statistics sure to concern Sharks coach Robert du Prezz before a possible last-eight clash with Canterbury Crusaders in New Zealand include 17 handling errors and 21 missed tackles against the Bulls.

"We wore our hearts on our sleeves," said Bulls skipper and hooker Adriaan Strauss after the three-time champions ended a run of six consecutive away losses this season.

"There were mistakes from us, but they resulted from over-eagerness more than anything else. Our younger players did extremely well and showed passion."

Sharks skipper and loose forward Philip van der Walt said: "We committed too many handling errors and could not retain possession long enough to threaten the Bulls.

"The team battled to get over the advantage line and perhaps there was an element of rustiness after the month-long break for the Test series.

"We need to take a long, hard look at ourselves and come back with a bang when we host Golden Lions in two weeks."

Bulls opened the scoring on eight minutes with a gift-wrapped try as loose forward Nic de Jager dotted down after snatching a ball thrown too far at a line-out by the Sharks. 

Another forward, Sharks prop Thomas "The Tank" du Toit equalised by barging over from close range and full-back Curwin Bosch converted for a 7-5 lead.

When Bulls dispossessed Sharks fly-half Garth April in midfield it set in motion a move that ended with Gelant scoring and fly-half Tian Schoeman converting.

A Bosch penalty cut the deficit to two points before Gelant struck again after being sent clear by Serfontein to complete the first-half scoring.

Schoeman slotted a penalty five minutes into the second half when Sharks winger Sibusiso Nkosi was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle.

Despite being a man short, Sharks trimmed the gap to three points when a powerful surge by Du Toit led to Bosch scoring a try and kicking the conversion.

Bulls got back on top and Gelant completed his hat-trick with Serfontein again the provider. Schoeman kicked the conversion and a penalty.