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Pietermaritzburg - The Sharks XV did their chances of reaching the Vodacom Cup playoffs no end of good with a 35-20 victory against a game Boland Cavaliers in their South section match played at the Woodburn Rugby Stadium in Pietermaritzburg on Friday night.
The Sharks XV led 18-15 at half-time.
The hot and humid day brought lukewarm rugby in the first 40 minutes of the evening in front of a disappointing crowd.
Five penalties from five attempts and a neat drop goal gave Sharks XV flyhalf Monty Dumond all 18 first-half points while Boland fullback Danré Gerber's kicking boots were not on song but nevertheless were accountable for all 13 of his team's points in the opening stanza.
Apart from an incisive break from 45 metres out by Sharks scrumhalf Charl McLeod and a couple of surges for the tryline engineered by their pack, the Sharks didn't threaten in any way via their pacy backline in the first 40.
But Boland wings Cornal Hendricks on the right and Jeremy Plaatjies on the left both had exciting runs from just inside the Sharks’ half, the second culminating in Gerber waltzing over untouched for the first try of the evening in the 39th minute.
Midway through a far more enterprising second half Dumond and skipper Andries Strauss opted to kick for a lineout instead of going for three points and it paid off as flanker Justin Downey eventually muscled over with the pack on his back, for Dumond to convert.
Strauss went over next for the Sharks as concerted pressure carved open space on the outside right and Dumond unsurprising added the extra points.
Boland came back in hurry and a superb break by scrumhalf Neill Papier led to his pass inside to fellow halfback Willie le Roux and Dean Grant slotted the resultant conversion from in front of the posts.
For the Sharks, it was a welcome return to form after their disappointing 16-10 away defeat to South Western Districts, while for Boland, who went into this match in second place to the Sharks' fourth, defeat was a setback after a 26-13 defeat of the Pampas XV in Wellington.
With this win the Sharks moved to the top of the log with 16 points, two ahead of Free State, while Boland remained in second place.
However, Free State meet Border in East London on Saturday afternoon and Western Province host the Pampas XV at Newlands, so their lead might not even last 24 hours.
Scorers:
Sharks XV:
Tries: Justin Downey, Andries Strauss
Conversions: Monty Dumond (2)
Penalties: Dumond (6)
Drop goal: Dumond
Boland Cavaliers:
Tries: Danré Gerber, Willie le Roux
Conversions: Gerber, Dean Grant
Penalties: Gerber (2)
The Sharks XV led 18-15 at half-time.
The hot and humid day brought lukewarm rugby in the first 40 minutes of the evening in front of a disappointing crowd.
Five penalties from five attempts and a neat drop goal gave Sharks XV flyhalf Monty Dumond all 18 first-half points while Boland fullback Danré Gerber's kicking boots were not on song but nevertheless were accountable for all 13 of his team's points in the opening stanza.
Apart from an incisive break from 45 metres out by Sharks scrumhalf Charl McLeod and a couple of surges for the tryline engineered by their pack, the Sharks didn't threaten in any way via their pacy backline in the first 40.
But Boland wings Cornal Hendricks on the right and Jeremy Plaatjies on the left both had exciting runs from just inside the Sharks’ half, the second culminating in Gerber waltzing over untouched for the first try of the evening in the 39th minute.
Midway through a far more enterprising second half Dumond and skipper Andries Strauss opted to kick for a lineout instead of going for three points and it paid off as flanker Justin Downey eventually muscled over with the pack on his back, for Dumond to convert.
Strauss went over next for the Sharks as concerted pressure carved open space on the outside right and Dumond unsurprising added the extra points.
Boland came back in hurry and a superb break by scrumhalf Neill Papier led to his pass inside to fellow halfback Willie le Roux and Dean Grant slotted the resultant conversion from in front of the posts.
For the Sharks, it was a welcome return to form after their disappointing 16-10 away defeat to South Western Districts, while for Boland, who went into this match in second place to the Sharks' fourth, defeat was a setback after a 26-13 defeat of the Pampas XV in Wellington.
With this win the Sharks moved to the top of the log with 16 points, two ahead of Free State, while Boland remained in second place.
However, Free State meet Border in East London on Saturday afternoon and Western Province host the Pampas XV at Newlands, so their lead might not even last 24 hours.
Scorers:
Sharks XV:
Tries: Justin Downey, Andries Strauss
Conversions: Monty Dumond (2)
Penalties: Dumond (6)
Drop goal: Dumond
Boland Cavaliers:
Tries: Danré Gerber, Willie le Roux
Conversions: Gerber, Dean Grant
Penalties: Gerber (2)
