Sharks sign off with a win
The Sharks were pushed hard but held on for a 27-22 victory over the Western Force to end their Super 14 campaign in winning style.
Last Updated: 17/05/10 11:41am
The Sharks were pushed hard but held on for a 27-22 victory over the Western Force to end their Super 14 campaign in winning style in Durban.
Tries from Lwazi Mvovo, Ryan Kankowski and Jacques Botes, along with a couple of penalties from Ruan Pienaar who ended with 12 points in total, secured the hosts a narrow triumph.
However, they were forced to battle for their success with the boots of Brett Sheehan and James O'Connor keeping the visitors in the game and Nick Cummins try setting up a tight finish.
But the Sharks held on for a seventh victory in eight games to cap a remarkable turnaround to their season that had begun with five straight losses.
After dominating the opening seven minutes of play, the Force then found themselves slip behind when quick hands by Jannie du Plessis and Patrick Lambie allowed extra time for Mvovo to race away down the left for his first Super 14 try.
Pienaar added the extras, but the gap was reduced 10 minutes later when Sheehan sent over a 50-metre penalty after Alistair Hargreaves was penalised for a deliberate knock-down.
Another needless mistake by the Sharks lock, this time for playing the man without the ball, allowed Sheehan to send over another three points, before two O'Connor penalties from right in front put the Force ahead after half an hour.
But the hosts were back in front before half-time thanks to Kankowski's clever thinking five metres out - the South Africa number eight taking full advantage of the Force's struggles at the scrum when he picked up quickly and dived in.
Pienaar converted and then added a penalty to extend the lead, but Hargreaves' third error in front of the posts then allowed O'Connor to send over another three pointer to leave the visitors trailing by two at the break.
After a sluggish restart to the game, the Sharks eventually grabbed their third try via Botes' powerful pushover from the back of a maul - Pienaar easily slotting over the extras.
O'Connor's strong run from his own try-line help set up the try of the night - Mitch Inman also heavily involved - before the ball was spread wide for Cummins to slide in.
Full-back O'Connor added the conversion, but a silly offside in front of goal handed Pienaar another simple chance for three points which he gladly took.
With two minutes remaining, the Springbok utility back missed his first kick of the game, but it proved inconsequential as Plumtree's side held on.
