The Sharks fell 25-13 to the Bulls in the URC playoffs on Saturday afternoon, as their Springbok-littered squad failed to hit second gear.
Here is how we rated their players:
Backs
15 Aphelele Fassi: Regularly tested under the high ball, but stood up to the pressure. His biggest moment came from the boot, as he thundered the ball down to the Bulls’ 22 metre line from his own, gaining the Sharks the attacking lineout. 6
14 Ethan Hooker: His regular touches of the ball were rewarded in the second half when he found himself in acres of space on the wing to touch down for a try. He was possibly unlucky to have his other try overturned. 6
13 Lukhanyo Am: A forgettable first half, which included a poor tackle attempt on Seb de Klerk, an overcooked cross-kick, and a forward pass that spoiled a great attack. His second half wasn’t much better, regularly making mistakes that no one should expect from the double Rugby World Cup winner. An absolute mare overall. 2
12 Andre Esterhuizen: The former Harlequins man did what he does best, run hard lines. That was, and is always going to be, his game plan. He struggled to turn his hard running lines into points today, however, with the Bulls‘ defence seemingly prepared for his threat. 5
11 Makazole Mapimpi: A reminder to all that the great Springbok winger still has what it takes to play at the top level. He was constantly looking for the ball, and made the biggest impact of the second half when he showed great pace to score the Sharks’ first try. Often spotted charging through defences, it was a combination of his great speed and strength that set the 34-year-old apart. 7
Half Backs
10 Jordan Hendrikse: He looked sharp with the ball in hand, but struggled to find the consistency when his teammates needed it the most. His coach would have been cringing when he threw the ball forward in the dying stages, desperately trying to score, just when a try looked certain. 4
9 Jaden Hendrikse: While many believe his antics during the kicking competition were embarrassing, the real embarrassment was his botched clearance kick from his own line that the Bulls punished as Canan Moodie collected a delicious crosskick to score. The communication between Jaden and his brother looked shaky at times, with neither of them able to stamp their authority on the game. 4
Forwards
8 Siya Kolisi: Despite spending much of his time buried in the ruck, the Springbok captain impressed with ball in hand when he had the chance. His most memorable interaction was an impressive breakthrough the centre, midway through the second half, to put the Bulls on the back foot. The 33-year-old will not want to remember knocking the ball on midway through the first half, however, when his side were just 10 metres short of the Bulls’ line. 5
7 Vincent Tshituka: An impressive display from the giant flanker. He beat six defenders with just six carries, making 45 metres total. An impressive showing. 7
6 James Venter: The Gloucester-bound flanker topped the Sharks tackle count, providing a vital defence that kept the visitors in the game after an extremely disappointing first half from the Sharks. 5
5 Emile van Heerden: The lineout general helped to provide a solid base from which to work off. He also provided a solid carrying option, even if his impacts made little dent in the Bulls’ defence. 5
4 Corne Rahl: More of a defensive display than an attacking one. The young 6 ft 8 inch lock was a brick wall in defence, using his immense size to ensure that the dynamic Bulls attack would struggle to add more points. Only survived the half though, taken off at 40. 5
3 Vincent Koch: Put in reverse at scrum time, tackled when he needed to tackle, and took the ball into contact when required…an okay, but not great performance. He will wish he had made more of an impact in his 50 minutes on the field. 4
2 Bongi Mbonambi: The Sharks’ lineout was expertly run as Bongi used all his experience to ensure that the set piece would be a form of strength in an otherwise shaky squad performance. He was found guilty of illegally contesting a ruck midway through the game, however, which led the Bulls to take an extended 12-point lead. 5
1 Ox Nche: The strong Springbok prop was regularly involved throughout, tackling hard, but Wilco Louw emphatically got the better of him in the scrums. He worked well with his hooker to set Mapimpi up for his try. 4
Replacements: The tempo certainly picked up in the second half for the Sharks, not least because of the bench’s impact. Able to replace almost their entire pack by minute 54, gave the visitors the freshness needed to stage an almost-comeback. 7
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/sharks-player-ratings-springboks-veteran-has-an-absolute-mare-while-hendrikse-brothers-fail-to-connect
