DURBAN – The Sharks are back in business after a vastly improved performance in Nelspruit but my word did the plucky Pumas make them sweat.
There were six polished tries for the determined visitors but, make no mistake, their defence was severely tested by a Pumas side that once again proved they can more than mix it with the big boys of Super Rugby Unlocked, and that they are well-coached by the charismatic Jimmy Stonehouse.
Given the Sharks’ emphatic intent from the outset, they clearly hadn’t enjoyed the bloody nose they received the week before from the Bulls.
This was a different, far more energised Sharks side and in the first quarter they scored a point a minute to lead 21-0 before the Pumas fought their way into the match, scoring a well-worked line-out drive try by Sharks old boy Francois Kleinhans, only for the half to end with a flourish from Springbok wing Sbu Nkosi, who went over in the corner thanks to a hand-off that would have made a WWE wrestler proud.
The Sharks’ first try had been scored by Manie Libbok, who finished off a good team effort in which the ever-busy centre Marious Louw was omnipresent. Louw is making a decent fist of the intimidating job of replacing Andre Esterhuizen and his industrious performances are keeping former SA Under-20 captain Jeremy Ward on the bench.
There was a fine solo try by Madosh Tambwe in his first game in the competition following a hamstring injury, and Dan Jooste, the young hooker recruited from the Stormers, completed a lineout drive for a try.
The Pumas continued attacking vigorously after the break, and the Sharks’ defence had to be outstanding to hold firm for 15 minutes until it gave way to a well-worked try from a set-piece for centre Erich Cronje, who late in the game would score a second to give his side a little hope with 10 minutes to go.
The Sharks were under pressure and that was exacerbated when scrumhalf Sanele Nohamba deliberately went offside to prevent a try being scored, and he was sin-binned for his transgression.
But the Sharks did not panic and replacement hooker Kerron van Vuuren scored two composed tries off the back of lineout mauls to shut out the hosts.
Stonehouse’s opposite number, Sean Everitt, would have been pleased at his team’s great improvement in the set pieces but an area of concern once again was the turnovers conceded at the breakdowns, where Pumas loosies Juandre Rudolph and Willie Engelbrecht were excellent.
Scorers
Pumas: Tries: Francois Kleinhans, Erich Cronje (2). Conversions: Theo Boshoff (2)
Sharks: Tries: Manie Libbok, Madosh Tambwe, Dan Jooste, Sbu Nkosi, Kerron van Vuuren (2) Conversions: Curwin Bosch (6).
IOL Sport