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Mon 17 Feb 2014 | 11:14
Sharks start Super Rugby with bonus point victory over the Bulls

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Comments

Pat Lambie scored a try after the hooter to give the Sharks a 31-16 bonus point victory over the Bulls in Durban on Saturday evening. There was controversy surrounding one of the tries though, and it has since been confirmed that it shouldn't have been allowed.

Impressive centre Paul Jordaan scored the Sharks' first try after an excellent break by winger Lwazi Mvovo. Ten minutes later Jaco Reinach crossed following a lineout and the intervention of the TMO.

It was ruled that lock Anton Bresler had not knocked the ball forward, or played his opponent in the air, but SANZAR referees boss Lyndon Bray has admitted that the try shouldn't have been awarded.

"We unfortunately got the TMO decision wrong," said Bray. "The Sharks forward did knock the ball forward out of the Bulls player's hands. Also, there was consideration to the fact that the Sharks player obstructed the Bulls player in the air."

Reinach was involved again on the stroke of halftime as he ripped the ball from number eight Pierre Spies before Francois Steyn's crosskick set up Odwa Ndungane for a great try in the corner.

Victor Matfield made his return to rugby after retiring in 2011, but he didn't have much of an affect on the outcome. Coach Frans Ludeke believes that he is a classy player and he'll continue to improve as the tournament goes on. 

On fulltime the Sharks were searching for a bonus-point try, and they got it following multiple phases after the hooter. Lambie took the try well, ending on a personal haul of 16 points.

Posted By: Grant Constable

10 Comments

  • rugbydump
    8:37 AM 24/02/2014

    Good feedback, thanks guys. In the past there were definitely many more comments but we've tightened things up so the trolls are few and far between. We are aiming to increase member interactivity this year though.

  • eddie-g
    12:41 PM 21/02/2014

    As a general rule, everyone on the internet is a dog. Expectations on any given site should be very low.

    But this is definitely one of the best sites for commenting, the trolls that do come up get a decent and legal rucking by true fans, with RD ready to intervene if things get out of hand.

  • drg
    11:41 AM 21/02/2014

    Actually RD has cleaned up quite a bit, in the past there was a far worse ethos of 'can't appreciate any rugby that doesn't involve MY team doing it!'. Seems to be less commenter's these days but a better quality comments overall.

  • danknapp
    8:15 PM 20/02/2014

    I am ever grateful for RD. It is literally the only website where I ever bother to read the comments and add my own. Virtually everyone who posts takes the time to write properly, read the other comments, and add something to the debate. The contrast with the rubbish which gets spouted on the Facebook links is pretty stark.

  • eddie-g
    3:35 PM 20/02/2014

    @DanKnapp

    Sorry about your flooded pitch, can quite understand how the dry SA conditions look so appealing!

    I'm a Saffer now living in the USA. Still trying to figure out how to get my rugby fix, RD is however a godsend...

  • danknapp
    11:04 AM 20/02/2014

    Joking aside, thanks for the info. You South African?

  • danknapp
    11:03 AM 20/02/2014

    The rugby pitch near me is under four feet of water. I'd go for the humidity any time.

  • eddie-g
    6:23 PM 19/02/2014

    @DanKnapp - I hear you... but I am also of the view that rugby in Durban in February is not right. You need to give it at least a month till it becomes ok.

    The humidity is oppressive, and not conducive to the best rugby. However, there's been some interesting stories coming out of SA on the Sharks preparations; they start the competition with a large chunk of home fixtures, so Jake White and John Smit decided they should practice generally during the hottest parts of the day.

    I'm sure it makes sense for the competition, to be acclimated like this, but the Sharks are testing new frontiers of endurance for their players. I hope it doesn't cost them, or later, the Springbok team.

  • breakaway
    9:06 AM 19/02/2014

    I'm a 100% neutral, so I'm only going by what I can see in the vid. But it seems to me that SANZAR is wrong and the TMO was correct. The Sharks player reaches around the Bulls player and knocks the ball straight up in the air so that it comes down right above the next Bulls player in the lineout, who reaches up and taps it back to the halfback. As the TMO says, "no clear and obvious knock forward" and no interference. But I'm sure others may see it differently.

  • danknapp
    8:11 AM 18/02/2014

    Words cannot describe how much I would prefer to be there than here, in a wet and windy England. Super Rugby starting again, lots of people with tans, probably plenty of BBQs and cold beers.... AAAAARGH!

    Enjoying the highlights RD, even if you must torture me.

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