South Africa’s Coastal Sharks maintained their unbeaten record in the Super 14 with an efficient 35-31 four tries to three win over the Auckland Blues yesterday.
The scoreline flattered the Blues, who spent much of the match on the back foot because of a much higher error rate than the visitors.
The Sharks defense was solid against the flair of the Blues, their execution was far superior at the breakdown and they held on to more of their passes.
The match was the first home appearance for Auckland this season after winning two of three away games, but it was not a day for their fans to remember.
Sharks captain Johann Muller praised the performance of his team, but warned better is yet to come.
“All credit to the boys, they were outstanding today, but I still think we can probably play 30 percent better than that,” Muller said.
Playing into the breeze in the first spell, the Sharks’ quality showed as they ran in two tries to one in a tight spell.
Winger J.P. Pietersen scored the first try after eight minutes, following a big break by center Adrian Jacobs, who put the winger into a big gap in the Blues’ 22.
The Blues hit back after 26 minutes through full-back Isaia Toeava, in a set move featuring a pinpoint cutout pass by fly-half Jimmy Gopperth, who scored 21 of his team’s points through a try, two conversions and four penalties.
Jacques Botes broke a 13-13 deadlock after a big bomb from Sharks full-back Stefan Terblanche was spilled by the Blues’ Jerome Kaino.
The big flanker scooped up the loose ball to charge away for a try converted by Rory Kockott, who finished with 15 points from the boot.
The South Africans grabbed the match by the throat in the early minutes of the second spell with Kockott’s second penalty and a try from lock Steven Sykes.
Sykes forced his way over with both packs camped on the Blues try line after the Auckland team again put themselves under pressure because of a loose pass.
The outcome was sealed when Blues winger Joe Rokocoko spilled the ball on the Sharks try line in the 68th minute — after being tackled by a clearly offside Muller — and Sharks replacement John Smit went over at the other end a minute later.
Rokocoko made partial amends with a consolation try right at the end to give the Aucklanders a bonus point.
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