05-09-2005, 09:26 AM
Durban - In a tough, bruising and uncompromising Absa Currie Cup rugby encounter in Durban on Saturday, the Free State Cheetahs muscled their way to a 29-18 victory to end the unbeaten run of the Sharks.
Yet in the final analysis it was the Sharks who scored three tries to two, but were blown away by the accurate goal kicking of Free State flyhalf Willem de Waal. De Waal slotted two conversions and five penalty goals - two of them from long range - for a tally of 19 points.
In contrast Shark flyhalf Ruan Pienaar succeeded with only one out of his four shots at the posts.
But with the Lions having also lost a cross-section game to Western Province earlier in the day, the Sharks remain as contenders for one of the two top places in the Currie Cup log heading for the semi-finals.
High penalty count cause for concern
Pienaar and Deon Carstens scored two tries inside of three minutes early in the second half to put the home side into the lead 13-9, but in the end the Cheetahs replied with two of their own.
The first went to Ryno van der Merwe who took advantage of some slack defence on the part of the Sharks.
The second was the result of an extraordinary piece of soccer dribbling skill by wing Eddie Fredericks, that probably would have had him being offered a Bafana Bafana contract on the spot.
Thereafter it was De Waal who settled the issue.
In between there was some rugged defence on the part of both sides and some massive hits. Substitute forward Loutjie Louw got the Sharks third try on the whistle but it was too late.
A cause for concern though in the Sharks camp must be the high penalty count against them and too few in their favour on the day.
Scorers:
Cheetahs 29 (9)
Tries Van der Merwe, Fredericks, Conversions De Waal (2) Penalties De Waal (5)
Sharks 18 (3)
Tries: Pienaar, Carstens, Louw. Penalties Pienaar (1) - Sapa
Yet in the final analysis it was the Sharks who scored three tries to two, but were blown away by the accurate goal kicking of Free State flyhalf Willem de Waal. De Waal slotted two conversions and five penalty goals - two of them from long range - for a tally of 19 points.
In contrast Shark flyhalf Ruan Pienaar succeeded with only one out of his four shots at the posts.
But with the Lions having also lost a cross-section game to Western Province earlier in the day, the Sharks remain as contenders for one of the two top places in the Currie Cup log heading for the semi-finals.
High penalty count cause for concern
Pienaar and Deon Carstens scored two tries inside of three minutes early in the second half to put the home side into the lead 13-9, but in the end the Cheetahs replied with two of their own.
The first went to Ryno van der Merwe who took advantage of some slack defence on the part of the Sharks.
The second was the result of an extraordinary piece of soccer dribbling skill by wing Eddie Fredericks, that probably would have had him being offered a Bafana Bafana contract on the spot.
Thereafter it was De Waal who settled the issue.
In between there was some rugged defence on the part of both sides and some massive hits. Substitute forward Loutjie Louw got the Sharks third try on the whistle but it was too late.
A cause for concern though in the Sharks camp must be the high penalty count against them and too few in their favour on the day.
Scorers:
Cheetahs 29 (9)
Tries Van der Merwe, Fredericks, Conversions De Waal (2) Penalties De Waal (5)
Sharks 18 (3)
Tries: Pienaar, Carstens, Louw. Penalties Pienaar (1) - Sapa