Tahs sink spirited Sharks

[pieter blackie]

Despite a battling display by the Sharks, the Waratahs held on for the win 25-21 in their Super 14 match in Sydney.

New South Wales handed the Sharks their fourth straight loss to open the Super 14 season.

The Waratahs improved to 2-2.

New South Wales took the lead in the first minute without the Sharks having touched the ball. New South Wales won the kickoff and then a penalty, and Barnes slotted it over.

Two minutes later, the Sharks leveled on England flyhalf Andy Goode's dropped goal in his first Super 14 start. Barnes and Goode trade further penalties to leave the scores level after 20 minutes.

The Sharks were reduced to 14 men a minute later when Jannie du Plessis was sent to the sinbin for 10 minutes for tripping Daniel Halangahu. Then Goode was sent off for five minutes for being deliberately offside, leaving the Sharks two men down.

Ryan Kankowski scored an intercept try five minutes later against the run of play, giving the South African side the only points with two men off the field and an 11-6 lead. The Waratahs weren't helped at that point by six turnovers, and none by the Sharks.

The Sharks increased their lead to 14-6 when Ruan Pienaar kicked a penalty with 10 minutes left in the half, and Halangahu scored the first Waratahs try two minutes later, converted by Barnes, to make it 14-13.

Tom Carter gave New South Wales the lead with a minute left in the half with an unconverted try to give the Waratahs an 18-14 lead at halftime.

Scores:

New South Wales 25 (Tom Carter, Daniel Halangahu, Tatafu Polota-Nau tries; Berrick Barnes 2 conversions, 2 penalties), Sharks 21 (Adrian Jacobs, Ryan Kankowski tries; Andy Goode conversion, penalty, dropped goal, Ruan Pienaar penalty), HT: 18-14.

http://www.sport24.co.za/Content/Rug...pirited_Sharks

[slomo]

interesting finish to the game with beale getting a yellow card but no penalty try was awarded?....... If beale hadn't of interfered it was a certain score !!!...
Posted via Mobile Device

[GIGS20]

Atrocious game, I fell asleep about halftime, lulled by the ineptitude of the Tah attack....Sharks were brave (but dumb I guess) It was really something to watch with them going up by 8 points with 2 in the bin.

I liked Kearnsey's comment after the Halangahu try......send Jannie off again, they're better without him.

[brokendown gunfighter]

the yellow card for the knock down was wrong,beales hands were facing up;having given the decision though,the Ref HAD to award a penalty try,as there was an open try line.

[blueandblack]

Atrocious game, I fell asleep about halftime, lulled by the ineptitude of the Tah attack....Sharks were brave (but dumb I guess) It was really something to watch with them going up by 8 points with 2 in the bin.

I liked Kearnsey's comment after the Halangahu try......send Jannie off again, they're better without him.

So another Tahd game to not bother watching on iiNet's freezone. Awesome.

[GIGS20]

You'll like the way the Sharks played with 13!

[JediKnight]

Sharks were robbed by more than one dodgy referee (Aussie) decision.

[zimeric]

that was SO a penalty try.. 2 on 1.. 20m's out and the pass knocked up and away. Gotta feel for the sharks but seriously they do look toothless this year.. whats surprising is that they have mostly an unchanged team from yast year... could Steyn leaving have made that much of a difference?

[pieter blackie]

that was SO a penalty try.. 2 on 1.. 20m's out and the pass knocked up and away. Gotta feel for the sharks but seriously they do look toothless this year.. whats surprising is that they have mostly an unchanged team from yast year... could Steyn leaving have made that much of a difference?

coaching staff

[James]

that was SO a penalty try.. 2 on 1.. 20m's out and the pass knocked up and away. Gotta feel for the sharks but seriously they do look toothless this year.. whats surprising is that they have mostly an unchanged team from yast year... could Steyn leaving have made that much of a difference?

I don't know Zimeric, 20m out someone might have come across and bungled him into touch. Who was the closest Tahs player? Drew Mitchell? Ohh forget what I'm saying penalty try.

[robyn <3]

Drew is so fat now. Seriously. I think he's replacing Dunning on the chubby stakes

I really regret staying up to watch the recorded version. Was really not worth it. The Sharks have guts though - down two men scoring points. Respect.

[travelling_gerry]

Waratahs beat Sharks in controversial Super 14 clash as home fans boo

* By Iain Payten at the SFS
* From: The Sunday Telegraph
* March 07, 2010 12:00AM
* 45 comments




* WARATAHS 25 SHARKS 21

THEY lost their nerve in attack and a few home fans to boot, but the tired Waratahs did just enough to escape with a lucky and controversial win over the Sharks last night.

And the South Africans were left fuming over a controversial finish to the game, claiming they should have been awarded a match-winning penalty try.

Sharks fullback Stefan Terblanche found space out wide with three minutes to go and only had to pass to Ryan Kankowski to score.

Kurtley Beale knocked down the ball, and although he was sin-binned, Sharks pleas for a penalty try were ignored by referee Paul Marks.

FORMER WALLABY BRENDAN CANNON'S LIVE BLOG: THE WARATAH, SHARKS WASH UP

The Sharks will ask SANZAR to review the performance of Marks after claiming Phil Waugh "got away with murder" at the breakdown.


"That was a cynical decision right at the end there (by Beale). That should have been a penalty try. Ryan Kankowski runs quicker than a winger: he would have skated in there and that was the game," Sharks coach John Plumtree said.

Visiting skipper John Smit suggested Marks, an Australian, had refereed to the home crowd.

"He obviously thought there was cynical intent," Smit said. "We can cry about spilt milk all day, but that's what happens when you play away from home. When you lose three in a row, referees don't go with the team who have lost three in a row."

NSW coach Chris Hickey claimed Beale "had gone for the intercept, rather than knocking the ball down".

Whatever the truth, only the guidance of classy pivot Daniel Halangahu and tireless hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau helped keep the Waratahs' season alive.

Halangahu scored one try and looked threatening, but he didn't have much company wearing blue. A glut of errors and turnovers in the first half saw the Waratahs pack away their expansive intent in the second, and the crowd responded to constant kicking with a chorus of boos.

Still, the tactic worked as the jet-lagged Waratahs battled their way to a three-tries-to- two victory.

"They have plenty of experience came here to play and win. They were 0-3 and us 1-2, it was a pretty important game for both teams," Waugh said.

"At times, maybe the anxiety came into it because of the importance of the result.

"The intent from us was to play up-tempo and create a spectacle, but at times our skill execution let us down and that probably contributed to not the greatest spectacle."

The Waratahs led 18-14 at halftime but it could have been greater after the Sharks were reduced to 13 men at one stage, with Jannie Du Plessis and Andy Goode sin-binned.

Despite being undermanned, the Sharks scored first when Kankowski intercepted a pass from halfback Luke Burgess and raced 40 metres.

Halangahu steadied the ship with a try in the 31st minute and Tom Carter barged over in the 38th. When Polota-Nau scored in the 51st minute it looked like the Waratahs had built a match-winning lead.

WARATAHS 25 (T Carter, D Halangahu, T Polota-Nau tries; B Barnes 2 con, 2 pen) SHARKS 21 (A Jacobs, R Kankowski tries; A Goode con, Goode pen, R Pienaar pen, Goode drop goal). Referee: P Marks (AUS). Crowd: 20,651.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1225837770510

[sandgroperrugby]

Drew is so fat now. Seriously. I think he's replacing Dunning on the chubby stakes

I really regret staying up to watch the recorded version. Was really not worth it. The Sharks have guts though - down two men scoring points. Respect.

They scored because Ryan Kankowski was so far off side it wasn’t funny.


On another note to the Tahs get rid of Tom Carter the bloke is useless and doesn’t know how to pass. Time and again he stifled the attacking motions as well as being seriously out of position and having brain farts. Expect him to be benched next week for Horne who if he can sort his hamstrings out will take a long term lease on the 13 jumper. Beale played lotto and won the boys will be buying him with a beer for winning them the game.

Tatafu Polota-Nau is awesome to watch, the guy runs around in attack and defence like a back rower and steamrolls people.

[welshrugbyfan]

Looked more like a try at an intercept rather than a deliberate knock down. Did the ref award a penalty for it?

I know Beale got carded so surely there was a penalty awarded as well.

If Beale struck at the ball in a downward motion it should have been a penalty try and seeing that the ref stopped the game and carded Beale then he should have awarded the penalty try.

Aussie team Aussie ref. Hmmm Brumbies game?

[James]

Drew is so fat now. Seriously. I think he's replacing Dunning on the chubby stakes

I really regret staying up to watch the recorded version. Was really not worth it. The Sharks have guts though - down two men scoring points. Respect.

Does that mean you've given up on the love affair for Drew, Robyn? Or do you like chubby lovin'?