Ken Borland

The Bulls are likely to attack the next two weekends of Currie Cup action as hard as player-management allows, but they will be hoping the Lions and Sharks follow suit as they can do the Loftus Versfeld team a massive favour over the next fortnight by beating back the charge of the Free State Cheetahs.

The Bulls are sitting at the top of the Currie Cup log at the moment, but they are just one point ahead of Free State, who have a game in hand.

While the Bulls are hosting Griquas at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, the Cheetahs will be visiting the Lions at Ellis Park on Friday night. The Lions are bottom of the log and, given that they cannot make the URC playoffs anymore, they could well decide to focus on ensuring a better final position in the Currie Cup.

The Sharks then play Free State on May 14 and the Bulls would love them to take a strong team to Bloemfontein. But the Bulls host the Lions on the same weekend, before flying to the UK on the Monday, so that could be a pivotal game in their bid to top the Currie Cup log.

“We don’t know exactly what the other franchises are planning,” Bulls assistant coach Pine Pienaar said on Tuesday. “The Lions did really well in the URC at home, so maybe they want to end that competition on a high.

“They will show their hand with their selection against the Cheetahs this week, and then they could play the same side against us the following weekend. I would guess quite a few URC players would feature.

“I think there will also be URC players here and there in our team, although obviously some guys will be resting and there are a few players at the Springbok training group.

“We still see the Currie Cup as being very important, but all loading of the players has to be managed carefully. In some positions we don’t have as much depth, so we have to manage carefully when those guys rest,” Pienaar said.

Big calls will have to be made by head coaches Jake White and Gert Smal, and it is only going to get more complicated for the Bulls.

If the Bulls do win their URC quarterfinal on June 4 then they will advance to the semi-finals on June 11. That is the same day they are scheduled to play the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein in the final round of Currie Cup action, in a match that could well decide who hosts the final.

The Currie Cup semi-finals then clash with the URC final on June 18, with the local final being played on June 25.

It was only after being told that “actions speak louder than words” that the Sharks managed to put together a focused second half, keeping the ball through several phases, to pile pressure on Connacht and eventually hammer them 41-21 in their United Rugby Championship match at Kings Park.

A messy, error-strewn first half saw the Sharks trailing 10-21 at the break, but they were inspired in the third quarter, scoring three tries in 14 minutes to settle the contest.

“Things didn’t go our way in the first half,” coach Sean Everitt said, “it was strange, there were a lot of penalties and not much ball-in-play. There were a lot of errors by both teams in the first 10 minutes.

“It was difficult for us to get going, but halftime gave us the opportunity to regroup and have a good, honest talk. We said actions are bigger than words.

“The guys settled down then and got the job done. The second forty was much better and we did not want to disappoint the big crowd that came to support us,” Everitt said.

Aphelele Fassi was particularly rampant after the break, starting with a superb 50/22 kick that provided the territory for centre Marius Louw’s try. Just four minutes later, the fullback brilliantly gathered an up-and-under and then roared clear on counter-attack, into the Connacht 22 and again providing the platform for a try, this time by hooker Bongi Mbonambi.

Everitt clearly rates the 24-year-old highly.

“If you kick well then you often get a kick back and then there’s a counter-attacking opportunity. That brings Aphelele into the game and he is really dangerous.

“He has great feet and can really open up the game,” Everitt said.

Connacht coach Andy Friend admitted his frustration at his team’s second-half collapse.

“You could see the Sharks power come through, but unfortunately we also gave them some loose kicks and loose ball and that allows their potent back three to cut you open.

“That allowed them to build pressure and momentum. There have been too many occasions through the year where we’ve had multiple scores against us in quick succession,” Friend said.

The Sharks were a dazzling regiment of powerful ball-players in the third quarter, making up for a messy first half, as they beat Connacht 41-21 in their United Rugby Championship match at Kings Park on Saturday.

Second-half transformation

The Sharks were their own worst enemies in the first half, their mistakes leading to a 10-21 deficit at the break. But whether it was the magic of fullback Aphelele Fassi or a rocket dispensed in the changeroom by some regimental sergeant-major type during the break, the Sharks were inspired when they came out for the second half.

They scored three tries in the first 14 minutes.

Really strong carries by prop Ox Nche and flank Henco Venter were followed by patient phase play and then Grant Williams, playing as a replacement on the wing, stepped and darted through the defensive line, with centre Marius Louw in support to finish well.

Four minutes later, hooker Bongi Mbonambi muscled over from a ruck following a lineout maul, and then some magnificent running and handling by the Sharks earned a 54^th-minute penalty. The lineout and maul were set and, after a series of pick-and-goes, lock Gerbrandt Grobler burrowed over from close range to put the Sharks 31-21 up.

Get Fassi on the international stage

If there was one player who provided the urgency for the spectacular Sharks’ turnaround, then it was Fassi.

It started with his brilliant 50/22 kick that gave the Sharks the territory for their first try after halftime.

Fassi also played a key role in the next try through his brilliant up-and-under take and then searing break that took him clear into the Connacht 22.

Fassi also produced two probing kicks into the corner that could well have led to tries with kinder bounces of the ball.

The 24-year-old should definitely be in the Springbok squad, if not to be played on the wing then to be groomed as Willie le Roux’s successor.

Hellish first half

The Sharks were horribly untidy in the first half against a Connacht team that were clinical and highly combative in the collisions and breakdown. But they made life more difficult for themselves through poor kicking options, bad handling and slack discipline which saw them concede seven penalties. The halftime score of 21-10 certainly did not lie when it came to who had been the better team, Connacht scoring two tries and flyhalf Conor Fitzgerald kicking three penalties.

Two of those penalties came after the Sharks were caught with their hands in the cookie jar at ruck time and  if coach Sean Everitt tells no fibs then he will acknowledge that the home team did not learn from their mistakes in the first 40 minutes.

Williams and Kok at 13 boosted the Sharks attack

Lukhanyo Am will be back for their next match, but the Sharks’ midfield has been a problem for a while. It is probably no coincidence that their second-half resurgence came with Werner Kok having moved to outside centre to replace the injured Ben Tapuai and livewire scrumhalf Grant Williams coming on at right wing.

Kok just brings more attacking thrust and is wholehearted in defence, if not necessarily a mastermind. Williams has the pace for the wing and a very dangerous step as well.

Hooker Mbonambi and lock Grobler were the other standout players for the Sharks.

Scorers

Sharks – Tries: Gerbrandt Grobler (2), Marius Louw, Bongi Mbonambi, Le Roux Roets. Conversions: Curwin Bosch (5). Penalties: Bosch (2).

Connacht – Tries: Gavin Thornbury, Caolin Blade. Conversion: Conor Fitzgerald. Penalties: Fitzgerald (3).

Having done all the hard work to get themselves into the top four of the United Rugby Championship, Sharks coach Sean Everitt says it is vital his unchanged team don’t miss the chance to move further up the log when they host Connacht at Kings Park on Saturday.

Connacht are out of the running for a quarterfinal place, but they have shown they will be a tough proposition who never miss a chance to slow down and frustrate their opposition.

“Like the other South African teams, we were under the pump right from the start in this competition because we dropped points away,” Everitt said. “We’ve had to build our performance.

“The guys know winning every game is important, but this is a really big game and it’s very important for us to go up the log. We don’t want to get on the plane for our last match under pressure to qualify.

“Connacht are a difficult side to play against, as they showed in beating the other three South African teams. They are certainly gutsy and they have a good defence that flies off the line.

“One of their main attributes is the way they attack the breakdown, they tend to spoil at the breakdown and set-piece and try not to let you get into any rhythm. They come with unbelievable speed and energy,” Everitt said.

With the URC now at the sharp end of the season, Everitt says it is the soft moments, the errors that often come after a period of good rugby, that you cannot afford against the likes of Connacht.

“Things are coming together nicely for us, but what has let us down is our alertness on the field and you can’t afford to give away soft opportunities.

“Against Leinster it was two moments we lacked concentration on defence, not closing down the space, and the top teams are ready for any opportunity like that – around the ruck or a quick tap on the 22 or a crosskick.

“Connacht are also a massive threat on the floor, so you obviously have to focus on that. But our breakdown has improved a lot, both in defence and attack.

“We have a good blend of attack and kicking and we had some very good counter-attacks against Leinster, with Aphelele Fassi having a wonderful game. Hopefully it’s dry and we’ll have more time on the ball to get it to the edge where our dangermen are,” Everitt said.

Sharks: Aphelele Fassi, Werner Kok, Ben Tapuai, Marius Louw, Makazole Mapimpi, Curwin Bosch, Jaden Hendrikse, Phepsi Buthelezi, Henco Venter, Siya Kolisi, Gerbrandt Grobler, Le Roux Roets, Thomas du Toit (CAPT), Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche. Replacements – Kerron van Vuuren, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Khutha Mchunu, Reniel Hugo, Jeandre Labuschagne, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Grant Williams, Boeta Chamberlain.