Sharks stay perfect
The Sharks maintained their 100 percent record in the Super 14 with a hard-earned 22-10 victory over the Reds in Durban.
Last Updated: 29/03/08 6:23pm
The Sharks maintained their 100 percent record in the Super 14 with a hard-earned 22-10 victory over the Reds in Durban on Saturday.
The game was locked at 10-10 after an hour before the hosts' pressure finally told in the final quarter with tries from Stefan Terblanche and Bismarck du Plessis.
But it was never a game they could relax in as an enterprising Reds side made them work hard from start to finish.
In fact the Sharks spent the bulk of the first-half in defence as the Reds threw everything at their hosts.
Quade Cooper eased his side around the field impressively, and Chris Latham was a constant threat with ball in hand.
Despite their early promise it was the Sharks who drew first blood, thanks to a Terblanche drop goal, although it did little to dampen the Reds' spirit.
David Croft and Ben Lucas were at the heart of the Reds' best rugby, but try as they may they could not get the finishing touch they needed to score.
Ndungane try
But it was the Sharks who got the opening try after JP Pietersen kicked long, John Roe made a hash of the clearance, and Pietersen was able to gather and send Odwa Ndungane under the posts.
With only a Clinton Schifcofske penalty to show for their efforts the Reds were in danger of losing sight of their hosts, although Croft's try on the stroke of half-time changed all of that.
Croft took the ball and sent it wide to Cooper, two quick phases later and Croft was on hand to finish in the corner. Schifcofske added a fine conversion and the Reds went into half-time on level terms.
The second-half was an arm wrestle as the Sharks looked to wear the Reds down. It took 20 minutes but eventually the visitors could not hold out any more as Terblanche added a try to his earlier drop goal.
Rory Kockott snipped down the blindside where he found Ndungane in support, who in turn sent the ball back inside to Terblanche for an easy finish.
One sensed that score knocked the life out of the Reds, and even if it had not Bismarck du Plessis' effort five minutes later did.
Three tight drives for the line yielded nothing, that was until du Plessis spotted a gap and nudged over for the score that sealed the game.
