Lukhanyo Am scored an 81st-minute try to hand the Sharks a well deserved 27-22 win against the Brumbies in Canberra. SIMON BORCHARDT reports.
It seemed like both teams would have to settle for a draw when the clock ticked past 80 minutes, but the Sharks had one last crack from the halfway line.
The ball went wide to replacement fullback Curwin Bosch on the Brumbies' 10m line and he took play up to the 22 before kicking inside off his right boot. The ball bounced away from the Brumbies defence and into the path of Am, who picked it up and scored, before being mobbed by his teammates.
It was a deserved win for the Sharks, who fought back from 15-3 down after 31 minutes to lead 22-15 with 12 to go. The Brumbies levelled the scores with their third try, and had a couple of chances to snatch victory in the closing minutes, but it was the tourists who would leave with four valuable log points to add to the point they earned against the Reds in Brisbane.
The Brumbies will be bitterly disappointed with the result, considering how well they started.
It took them only one minute and 43 seconds to open the scoring when a brilliant skip pass from Kyle Godwin took out three Sharks defenders and sent Henry Speight over in the right-hand corner. The attack had come from a clever short lineout, which saw winger James Dargaville throw the ball in and then get it back before gaining 15m.
The Sharks came close to levelling the scores in the 10th minute when Lwazi Mvovo went for the corner, but he was held up in the tackle and driven into touch. Soon after, the TMO ruled out a possible try to Tera Mtembu when replays showed the ball went forward to him from Mvovo's hand, but the referee had been playing advantage and Pat Lambie slotted the penalty.
The Brumbies appeared to have hit back immediately when Scott Fardy charged over from close range to score under the crossbar, but an assistant referee had spotted a knock-on in the build-up.
The hosts did extend their lead in the 24th minute when, from a third lineout in quick succession, they set up a driving maul from which Josh Mann-Rea scored. Wharenui Hawera slotted the conversion and then added a penalty.
But it was the Sharks who finished the first half strongly. Mvovo came within inches of scoring after taking an inside ball, before Beast Mtawarira barged his way over. Lambie's conversion and two penalties either side of the break gave the visitors a 16-15 lead.
The spark had gone from the Brumbies backs and their scrum was battling too, with the Sharks pack forcing a crucial tighthead inside the opposition 22. Godwin then went offside in the red zone to help prevent the visitors from scoring a try and was sent to the sin bin.
Another big scrum from the Sharks soon after resulted in a penalty and while Lambie missed the shot at goal, he made no mistake when the Brumbies went offside yet again minutes later.
The hosts, though, would have been pleased to have only conceded six points while Godwin was off, and they came storming back into the game when quick hands saw Tevita Kurindrani score under the posts to level the scores at 22-22.
The Brumbies pushed hard for the win, kicking a penalty into touch that set up a 5m attacking lineout, but Ruan Botha made a crucial steal and the Sharks survived.
Isaac Thompson then attempted an optimistic drop-goal attempt from 40m out, which went well wide, and it looked like being a draw. The Sharks, though, had other ideas.
Brumbies – Tries: Henry Speight, Josh Mann-Rea, Tevita Kuridrani. Conversions: Wharenui Hawera (2). Penalty: Hawera.
Sharks – Tries: Beast Mtawarira, Lukhanyo Am. Conversion: Pat Lambie. Penalties: Lambie (5).
Brumbies – 15 Aidan Toua, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Kyle Godwin, 11 James Dargaville, 10 Wharenui Hawera, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Jordan Smiler, 7 Chris Alcock, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Josh Mann-Rea, 1 Nic Mayhew.
Subs: 16 Robbie Abel, 17 Ben Alexander, 18 Leslie Leulua’iali’i-Makin, 19 Tom Staniforth, 20 Lolo Fakaosilea, 21 De Wet Roos, 22 Andrew Smith, 23 Isaac Thompson.
Sharks – 15 Clément Poitrenaud, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Tera Mtembu, 7 Jean- Luc du Preez, 6 Philip van der Walt, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Stephan Lewies, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Franco Marais, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Thomas du Toit, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Jean Droste, 20 Jacques Vermeulen, 21 Michael Claassens, 22 Jeremy Ward, 23 Curwin Bosch.
Photo: Mark Nolan/Getty Images
