The Sharks secured a comfortable 35-14 bonus-point win over the Brumbies in Durban on Saturday to move to the top of the Super 14 standings.

The five tries to two win was by no means a flawless performance, but the Sharks were full value for the margin of the victory.

If sharks can do that sort of thing for they are not noted for subtlety, the Sharks played cat and mouse with the Brumbies in the first half while they were playing with the wind and then got down to the serious business of devouring them in the second half.

The first half belonged mainly to the Brumbies except that the Sharks did the scoring that mattered. The second half belonged to the Sharks and the Brumbies' scrap of scoring at the end did not matter.

In the first half the Sharks scored two splendid tries — both when they used turnovers brilliantly — but their defence, usually so secure, was in disarray and the Brumbies had several good runs, which could well have been more profitable had they not lost Stirling Mortlock just before the match. Gene Fairbanks came off the bench in his place and did remarkably well, a strong man who had a good run which led to a try and then a great break which almost resulted in a try. His defence, too, was sure.

It was not a lovely day in Durban with a strong wind which was behind the Sharks in the first half. The Brumbies kicked off and the Sharks nearly scored. Bismarck du Plessis got the ball and ran down the touch-line on his right till he booted ahead for Ryan Kankowski who was on his inside but not a pass away. The ball rolled into the in-goal where scrumhalf Josh Holmes just beat Kankowski to the touchdown.

The Sharks had another chance to score when Ben Alexander was penalised at the first scrum which collapsed four times. The kick was straight in front but Rory Kockott missed it — which was not the sign of things to come as he then kicked the next five. Mind you that was the only penalty kick at goal that Kockott had, because it was the only time the Brumbies were penalised in the match.

In fact the Sharks' kicking with the wind was not good. Twice they kicked into touch-in-goal and once Steyn was well wide with a drop goal attempt as indeed he was again in the second half. Their kicking downfield was too long. This was better into the wind which made chasing more worthwhile.

The Sharks were close to scoring a try when they attacked through many phases. Steyn was close and then JP Pietersen was over but Christian Lealiifano clung under him and eventually the television match official, after much scrutiny, decided it was inconclusive and so the Sharks had a five-metre scrum. They bashed and Kankowski was close but the Brumbies won a turnover.

The tackle situation in this match allowed for a good contest. That saved the Brumbies on this occasion and gave the Sharks scoring chances.

The ball was coming back to the Brumbies at a tackle/ruck, but Keegan Daniel counterrucked. The referee called No hands and Daniël heeled the ball back with his feet. Kockott chose the short side and sent Pietersen racing through empty territory to score far out. Kockott converted. 7-0 after 14 minutes.

The Brumbies hit back with a brilliant try soon afterwards. They went left from a scrum. Fairbanks took them over the advantage line and they won quick ball off him, going left again and Lealiifano cut back and with magic footwork got past Steyn and then Pietersen who was rushing across in cover. Lealiifano completed his run of some 30 metres with a try under the posts. He converted. 7-all after 18 minutes.

When Kockott kicked Tyrone Smith countered brilliantly and gave to Holmes who headed for the line but Odwa Ndungane rode him down from behind. Then Fairbanks broke past Steyn and seemed about to score but Ndungane saved with an excellent tackle.

At this stage it was all Brumbies. They dominated possession and territory and provided a severe test to the shambles that was sometimes the Sharks' defence.

The Brumbies attacked down the left but again the Sharks counterrucked and won a turnover just outside their 22. Stefan Terblanche was at scrumhalf and gave to Adi Jacobs on his right. The centre beat a man in no space and gave inside to Jacques Botes who fed Ndungane. The big wing gave inside to Kankowski who flew down the field and swerved inside Lealiifano, the last defender. Kankowski had a short run to the line but gave instead to Terblanche on his left for a try at the posts. 14-7 after 33 minutes.

The Sharks had one more attack after Mark Gerrard knocked on a meaningless kick downfield by Steyn. Botes and Tendai Mtawarira were close but a poor clearance by Kockott allowed the staunch Brumbies to survive.

The Sharks attacked through many phases early in the second half. They countered and then took a scrum instead of a free kick. They battered and bashed and then Kockott was over. He converted. 21-7 after 44 minutes.

Tyrone Smith had a good run but then the Sharks came back and Steyn was tackled near the corner with Ndungane on his inside. Ndungane was over but the ball was forward and the Brumbies had a scrum five metres from their line. The feed into the scrum was skew, giving the Sharks a free kick. Kockott tapped and gave to Bismarck du Plessis. Botes took the ball from him and the pack drove them over for a try credited to Botes. 28-7 and a bonus point. There were 25 minutes to play.

Daniel was penalised for obstruction at the kick-off and the Brumbies attacked but the Sharks won a turnover and Terblanche cleared.

The crowd were now in a festive mood and the Mediterranean sounds of Olé and the paso double sounded.

The Brumbies were under pressure and tried to run from near their own line but knocked on. Bismarck du Plessis gave the ball to Ndungane on an overlap and the wing scored an easy try. There were 7 minutes to go.

The Sharks were silly in this seven minutes. Bismarck du Plessis was penalised for a dangerous tackle and sent to the sin bin, Steyn was penalised for no discernable reason when there was an emotional outburst and, after much bashing, prop Salesi Ma'afu scored. a try with two minutes to go.

Man of the Match: Our Man of the Match is evergreen, exciting, never-put-a-foot-wrong Stefan Terblanche at fullback.

The scorers:

For the Sharks:
Tries: Pietersen, Terblanche, Kockott, Botes, Kankowski
Cons: Kockott 5

For the Brumbies:
Tries: Lealiifano, Maafu
Cons: Gerrard 2

Yellow card: Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks, 79 — foul play, dangerous tackle)

Teams:

Sharks: 15 Stefan Terblanche, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Adrian Jacobs, 12 Riaan Swanepoel, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Francois Steyn, 9 Rory Kockott, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Keegan Daniel, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Johann Muller (c), 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 John Smit, 17 Deon Carstens, 18 Albert van den Berg, 19 Skholiwe Ndlovu, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Monty Dumond, 22 Luzuko Vulindlu.

Brumbies: 15 Mark Gerrard, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Tyrone Smith, 12 Gene Fairbanks, 11 Clyde Rathbone, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Joshua Holmes, 8 Julian Salvi, 7 George Smith (captain), 6 Mitchell Chapman, 5 Mark Chisholm, 4 Ben Hand, 3 Guy Shepherdson, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Ben Alexander.
Replacements: 16 Huia Edmonds, 17 Salesi Maafu, 18 Shawn Mackay, 19 Peter Kimlin, 20 Patrick Phibbs, 21 Alfi Mafi, 22 Matt Toomua.

Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Marius Jonker (South Africa), Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

365