Four from four for Sharks
The Sharks maintained their impressive start to the Super 14 season with a 35-31 bonus-point victory over the Blues.
Last Updated: 09/03/09 9:58am
The Sharks maintained their impressive start to the Super 14 season with a 35-31 bonus-point victory over the Blues.
The visitors notched up their fourth consecutive win over a spirited but tired Blues side in a thrilling contest, played at a frantic pace, that saw six tries.
Jimmy Gopperth landed a first-minute penalty for an offside at a knock-on to give the hosts a 3-0 lead.
But the opening score came when Adi Jacobs picked up from a turnover, opening up the entire field before switching with JP Pietersen, who sauntered in under the posts.
Rory Kockott's conversion made it 7-3 to the Sharks before Gopperth closed the gap by three on 15 minutes.
Kockott replied with a penalty of his own three minutes later to take the score to 10-3.
Terrible mess
But when the Sharks lost some free-kick tap ball on their own 22 the Blues swung the ball quickly to the left for Toeava to cross.
Almost immediately Kockott was handed the opportunity to tie the game at 13-13 but missed his penalty attempt.
He made amends soon after though, dropping a goal after Taniela Moa made a terrible mess of a short 22 drop-out.
The Blues cleared long from their next one, but this proved even more costly when the returning kick was spilled by Jerome Kaino and Jacques Botes nicked in for the score.
Before the break Botes intercepted off the fringe of a ruck and motored half the length of the field before his offload was spilled by Ryan Kankowski.
Toeava, however, picked up the loose ball and set off on a brilliant counter attack, culminating in a penalty for offside.
Gopperth kicked to give his side a 20-16 lead at the half way point.
Late rally
After the break the game turned though, the Sharks taking full advantage of the drop in pace from a tired-looking Blues.
Kockott added three with a penalty before Steven Sykes wormed his way over the try-line from the back of a ruck.
The Blues did stage a late rally with the help of replacements, Gopperth darting through a gap after turning the Highlanders' defence this way and that.
And with ten minutes left Joe Rokocoko made his way to the line but saw the ball slip from his grasp.
A lurking Stefan Terblanche, who had clearly been offside in the preceding phase, picked up the ball and smashed it downfield into the Blues' 22.
A minute later, Smit made his way over the line with Blues fans left fuming at the injustice.
Gopperth landed his fourth penalty to make it 35-24 but a last-gasp lunge from Rokocoko gave his side a hard-earned bonus point.
