Sharks coach JP Pietersen pulled the pin on his own “bomb squad” early in the United Rugby Championship (URC) match against Cardiff at Kings Park on Friday night, replacing his entire front row while his team were down to 14 men.
It was a move that could have backfired. Instead, it turned out to be an inspired decision as the home side surged into a 21-12 halftime lead and, after a scrappy second half, an important win.
They never took their foot off the pedal in the second stanza as they coasted to a comfortable 21-15 victory in humid conditions in the Shark Tank, a result that moved them up one spot to 10th in the standings.
The Sharks scored the first try of the match off a lineout maul, with Phepsi Buthelezi powering over the whitewash in the sixth minute after lock Jason Jenkins had done well to charge down an attempted clearance. Flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse added the extra two points.
The visitors hit back with a try in the corner by Mason Grady in the 17th minute after a period of sustained pressure.
Young fullback Luan Giliomee was forced off early, prompting a backline reshuffle by the Sharks. Hendrikse then earned a yellow card for a deliberate knockdown in the 27th minute, and the Welsh visitors scored almost immediately — a clever Ben Thomas cross-kick pounced on by Grady to make it 12-7.
Pietersen did not hesitate to pull the trigger, bringing on Springbok props Ox Nche and Vincent Koch, as well as hooker Ethan Hooker, in an effort to wrest back control of the match.
The move reaped dividends straight away; Buthelezi bagged his second try with a barnstorming run in the 32nd minute off a powerful lineout maul. Bradley Davids put the Sharks 14-12 ahead with the successful conversion.
Yaw Penxe then showed great individual brilliance with a chip over the top and gather to score in the 38th minute. The returning Hendrikse converted that try to take the Sharks into the break with some breathing room.
They were able to keep Cardiff away from their try line in the second half, which became an arm-wrestle.
A penalty brought the visitors within six points in the closing minutes, but 21-15 was as close as they would come. The result secured back-to-back home wins for Pietersen as the Sharks remain firmly in the race for the top eight.
