Venientes, viderent, victi
September 24, 2012 in Uncategorized
They came, they saw, they were conquered.
Once again the Sharks found the Sharks nets at the Coke Tin intact. Six times since April 2010 the Sharks came to do battle in Joburg, often as overwhelming favourites, and six times they have been repulsed and to make matters worse, their two junior sides also suffered close losses on Saturday.
No treats for them at the Shark Tank this week. 
In what was the most entertaining match of the weekend the Sharks tried their best to turn around their recent record on the Highveldt and were well positioned at half time having scored after the hooter had gone but a second half turnaround by the Lions meant that the Sharks once again lost at Ellis Park.
The Sharks dominated possession and territory during the first half and only resolute defence by the Lions and Elton Jantjies’s boot kept the score managable at half time. Trailing 6-16 at halftime the Lions took the second half 22-6 to close out the match.
The match had it’s moments of magic and it had it’s moments of madness.
Keegan Daniel made some telling runs for the Sharks as did Cobus Reinach while Andries Coetzee continued his great form for the Lions and bit of magic set up Ruan Combrinck’s try and Jaco Kriel outsprinted everone for a good try.
A moment of madness by the Sharks cost them when Keegan Daniel protested a perceived knockon and they virtually stopped playing. The ref waved the game on and Coetzee put Combrinck away for a try. An extended TMO break resulted in the try being awarded as the TMO felt there wasn’t clear evidence of a knockon, much to the disgust of Daniel & Co.
Afterwards Lions coach Johann Ackerman said that a different camera angle, available in the coaches box, showed it definitively wasn’t a knockon. Surely all camera feeds should be available to the TMO?
Some storming runs by Jaco Taute and great play by ELton Jantjies resulted in them being called up to the Bok squad but a few other players are putting up their hands for recognition as well. Andries Coetzee continues to perform, Lionel Mapoe keeps improving and the Sharks’ Cobus Reinach is building on some good performances and I wouldn’t be surprised if they get a call for the EOYT, even if only as part of an extended group.
Next weekend: WP awaits the Lions at Newlands and the Lions need to work on two issues if they want to win – better possession and breaking through the WP defence.
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