Cardiff blank hapless Sharks

Published on

Cardiff was clinical in logging four tries while keeping the Sharks scoreless in an impressive Vodacom United Rugby Championship victory at Kings Park on Sunday.

Slippery conditions and an early yellow card to flanker and captain Josh Turnbull for a high tackle did little to deter a motivated Cardiff side as two penalties from flyhalf Jarrod Evans established an early 6-0 lead for the visitors.

Mounting pressure from Cardiff resulted in Sharks winger Marnus Potgieter being sent to the bin at the start of the second quarter, adjudged to have deliberately knocked the ball over the dead-ball line in an attempt to snuff out a try-scoring opportunity for Cardiff, and he instead conceded a penalty try.

Squeezing the Sharks in defence and on attack, the visitors’ continued efforts were rewarded with a second try after Sharks fullback Anthony Volmink fumbled the ball before flanker Thomas Young gathered to cross the whitewash, handing Cardiff a 23-0 lead at half time.

There was no holding back from Cardiff in the second half as Young finished a rumbling driving maul for his second of the evening before fullback Ben Thomas scored his first of the season and the bonus-point try to extend the visitors’ lead to 35-0.

The Sharks gained territory and possession in the last quarter, but inaccuracy in execution and resolute defence from the visitors ensured there would be no further scores as Cardiff walked away with a deserved 35-0 victory.

Photo: Twitter/@Cardiff_Rugby

Post by

Rienk De Beer