Sharks eclipse Sunwolves to book playoff spot
The Sharks booked their place in next week’s Super Rugby quarter-finals after they beat the Sunwolves 40-29 at Kings Park on Friday night.
The Durban side, who led 21-19 at halftime, had to win the match to ensure they finish above the Bulls to make it into this year’s playoffs.
They scored six tries in a rather topsy-turvy match against the Japanese outfit, with prop Coenie Oosthuizen, wing Lwazi Mvovo, midfielders JP Pietersen and André Esterhuizen and replacement fullback Curwin Bosch crossing the Sunwolves’ tryline. Flyhalf Garth April also scored a wonderful individual try and slotted five conversions from the kicking tee.
The Sharks will know in the early hours of Sunday morning who they will face in next week’s quarter-finals. They could either face the winner of the New Zealand conference or play the Lions, who the play the Jaguares late on Saturday night.
The Sunwolves, who fought until the end, scored four tries of their own through scrumhalf Kaito Shigeno and hooker Takeshi Kizu, while centre Mifiposeti Paea scored a brace. Flyhalf Yu Tamura added three conversions and a penalty.
The Sharks started their last home game of the season brilliantly when they took a 14-0 lead in the eighth minute after tries from Oosthuizen and fellow Springbok Mvovo.
The Sunwolves, though, hit back in the 15th minute when Shigeno ran straight through the Sharks’ defence after a nifty lineout move by the visitors’ forwards. But the Sharks scored their third try six minutes later when a breakout from their own half saw veteran wing Pietersen crash over in his last home match for the Durban outfit.
However, the Sunwolves scored two tries before halftime to make it a two-point game after Paea and Lemalu powered over the line.
The Sharks hit back two minutes after the break to calm some of the nerves around the stadium. Esterhuizen rounded off a great long-range try to give the Durban side a bit of breathing space.
The Sharks then made the game safe in the last 10 minutes when April started and then finished a try with great anticipation and a side step that left the Sunwolves defenders grabbing air. The Sharks No 10 then set up replacement fullback Bosch’s try with a lovely chip over the top.
But the Sunwolves had the last say in the match when Paea burst through the Sharks’ defence after the hooter to deny the home side a bonus-point win.
Scorers
Sharks 40 (21) – Tries: Coenie Oosthuizen, Lwazi Mvovo, JP Pietersen, Andre Esterhuizen, Garth April. Conversions: April (4)
Sunwolves 29 (19) – Tries: Kaito Shigeno, Mifiposeti Paea (2), Takeshi Kizu. Conversions: Yu Tamura (3). Penalty: Tamura.