South Africa’s Cell C Sharks have got their debut Champions Cup season off to a flying start with back-to-back wins in the first two rounds.
Round one saw the Springbok laden side see off a plucky Harlequins side 39 – 31 in Durban and with it picked up five log points to sit amongst the biggest winners of the weekend.
Last night they backed up that performance with a gutsy away win to French Top14 side Bordeaux-Begles 19 – 16 to prove that they can mix it up on the heavy European winter pitches.
In both fixtures’ winger Werner Kok was one of the star performers as he crossed for a try in each fixture both of which came at rather crucial moments.
A former Blitzbokke 7s specialist, Kok has taken incredible strides forward over the past two seasons with the Sharks.
This form may well have Kok on the precipice of an international call up ahead of next year’s World Cup. Kok is very much an old school Bok winger who goes looking for work and brings an immensely physical presence to the Sharks backline.
This physicality was on full display in Bordeaux and was by an large a hugely positive area of Kok’s game as he helped his side get over the line for the important victory.
Unfortunately for the winger there was a particular moment where he would’ve been better off parking that physicality.
Just ten minutes into the fixture, the Sharks were on the attack as the ball went into the breakdown.
Immediately latching onto the ball was the Bordeaux centre Jean-Baptiste Dubié who in a strong jackaling position when Kok hit the ruck.
Kok then proceeded to grab Dubie around the hips before flipping him over in an awkward looking fashion before slamming him to the ground in a move that looked straight out the WWE.
Fortunately, Dubie was able to get up onto his own two feet following some medical check-ups.
For Kok however the incident was ugly, and the player knew it as he put his hands up to apologise.
Clearly Kok felt remorse for what had happened and appeared to have no malice behind what ultimately could’ve transpired to be a very ugly incident.
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