Sharks carve Bulls on New Year’s Eve

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The Sharks feasted on two yellow cards against the Vodacom Bulls in the first half to clinch a comprehensive victory in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship at Kings Park on Saturday.

The home team produced a dominant performance to end off the year with a 47-20 bonus-point victory over the Bulls.

The Bulls powered into a 13-6 lead at the end of the first quarter, but yellow cards to wing Canan Moodie and flank Cyle Brink sparked a 40-minute drought for the visitors during which the Sharks scored 21 unanswered points.

The opening exchanges were fiercely contested, fitting the occasion of a South African derby, and it was 6-6 after Bulls flyhalf Chris Smith and his Sharks counterpart Curwin Bosch traded kicks.

With the first quarter drawing to a close, Moodie sparked the game to life with a chip-and-chase that bounced favourably for the Springbok to collect and finish under the poles.

But it would take all of 14 minutes for Moodie to go from hero to villain as referee Marius van der Westhuizen and TMO Quinton Immelman adjudged the Bulls finisher to have deliberately knocked down a pass in defending a try-scoring opportunity, with a penalty try awarded to the Sharks and Moodie sent to the bin.

Capitulating under pressure from the home side, the Bulls were soon playing with 13 men as repeated team infringements saw Brink sent to the bin and Sharks scrumhalf Grant Williams darted over for the score minutes later.

Already seven minutes into first-half overtime, the hosts did not let up as Bongi Mbonambi scored their third try before Bosch added the extras to make it 30-13 in favour of the home side heading into the break.

Riding high on confidence, the Sharks scored first after the restart, centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg finishing a superb team effort to extend the Sharks’ lead to 37-13.

Johan Goosen gave the visitors a glimmer of hope when the Bulls fullback dived over in the corner following a brilliant offload from Moodie.

The Sharks remained parked in the Bulls’ half for the remainder of the game, with opportunities at regular intervals, but were denied a possible fifth try through replacement scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse after it was ruled that Siya Kolisi had illegally cleared a defender away from the ruck.

The Bulls were valiant in trying to exit their half in the final minutes, but it was not to be and Moodie found himself on the receiving end of another yellow card, and a subsequent red, this time for a high tackle.

Adding insult to injury, Van Rensburg scored a brilliant intercept try in overtime to complete a 47-20 victory over the Bulls.

Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images

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Rienk De Beer