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SUPER 14: Sharks score late to beat the Bulls

Bulls captain Fourie du Preez, center, is tackled by J.P. Pietersen of the Sharks, left, with teammate J.P. Nel in support during their Super 14 match at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, South Africa, on Saturday. PHOTO: EPA

The Coastal Sharks scored three tries in seven minutes late in the game to earn a thrilling 29-15 Super 14 victory over the Northern Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

French international flyhalf Frederic Michalak sparked a remarkable turnaround for last year's runners-up when he scored the first of three tries inside the final 10 minutes to ensure the Sharks earned a bonus point from a brutal outing.

The men from Durban remain the only unbeaten South African side in the competition.

In a repeat of last year's southern hemisphere inter-provincial championship final match, the Bulls enjoyed the majority of possession and also spent large chunks of the match camped in Sharks territory, but they were never able to breach the visitors' strong defense.

The Bulls had to settle for 15 points via the boot of flyhalf Morne Steyn, who kicked four penalties and a second half drop-goal.

But the home side had their fair share of chances to score a few tries.

Winger Danwell Demas knocked the ball on while going over the tryline midway through the first period and then late in the game, before the Sharks hit back with three tries, he again failed to collect a pass with the tryline beckoning after his skipper Fourie du Preez had made a wonderful break.

A try by prop Rayno Gerber was also ruled out in the opening 40 minutes after he had taken a forward pass from Danie Rossouw.

It was a pulsating, if at times dirty, encounter between the two South African franchises, with yellow cards handed out to the Sharks' Johann Ackermann, and the Bulls' Danie Rossouw and J.P. Nel.

A punch by replacement prop Jaco Engels on Sharks skipper Johan Muller went unseen, which would have resulted in a further sin-binning.

But the yellow-carding of Nel, late in the game, for a spear tackle on Francois Steyn, ensured the Sharks an opportunity to hit back late.

The Bulls were 6-0 up moments after the half-hour mark thanks to two penalties by Steyn, but the Sharks hit back on the stroke of halftime through Odwa Ndungane, who went over for a converted try to give the visitors a surprising 7-6 lead at the change-over.

Three further penalties by Steyn at the start of the second half to one by Rory Kockott of the Sharks saw the Bulls lead 15-10 going into the final seven minutes of the match.

Nel's yellow carding, together with Demas' blunder with the line wide open, allowed the Sharks to launch their final assault.

First Michalak crossed the line. He was soon followed by flanker Keegan Daniel and then replacement Jacques Botes went over under the uprights. Kockott converted two of them to help his side pick up the five points on offer.
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