Toothless Sharks run ragged by Stormers in sweltering Durban

Durban — And to think Sharks fans thought 35-0 to Cardiff was bad. Well, a 46-19 hammering at the hands of arch-rivals the Stormers will hurt the American owners at the Sharks even more, and the fact they must face is that their second-stringers are just not very good.

Here is the bottom line at the Shark Tank. Take away nine Springboks and you get 35-0 and 43-19, whether the coach is Sean Everitt or Neil Powell, and until the recruitment gets better in Durban, these humiliations will continue.

And coaches cannot continue to be made the scapegoat because the truth is they are only as good as the tools at their disposal.

Yes, there was a heroic defensive effort in Edinburgh the week before but that was against a home team missing 10 internationals and when three more Boks were taken from the Sharks for this game, it made a significant difference.

The set scrum — such a weapon in the Heineken Cup — became a weakness on Saturday, although applause must be given to the magnificent scrumming performances of Neethliing Fouche and Brok Harris.

Who else? 😎

Manie Libbok is your @Vodacom URC Player of the Match!#URC | #SHAvSTO pic.twitter.com/8WiVTcOVMj

— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) February 4, 2023

The Sharks played like chumps, the Stormers like champs, and the way they ruthlessly cashed in on Sharks' mistakes was beautiful to behold.

As early as the second minute, the Stormers made the Sharks pay dearly for a double mistake by Thaakir Abrahams. The wing first missed touch and when Clayton Blommetjies counter-attacked, he missed the tackle, and the fullback set up Manie Libbok, who sped through to make a try-making pass to Herschel Jantjies.

There was a telling moment on 15 minutes when the Sharks had a great scoring opportunity. Curwin Bosch had deftly chipped towards the goal-line and Blommetjies had no choice but to carry over, meaning the Sharks had an attacking five-metre scrum, only to be showed off the ball.

Soon after there was another shocking error when the ball was passed back into the 22 to Aphelele Fassi and his kick to touch meant a lineout to the Stormers from where he kicked it, and from that possession Sharks old boy Ruben van Heerden ploughed over.

It was an opening quarter in which the Sharks looked bereft of energy and ideas.

Another Fassi mistake, a knock-on from an up and under, culminated in the Sharks going offside at the scrum, and Libbok made it 17-0 to leave the Sharks dazed and confused

There was a moment on the half-hour mark that should have given the Sharks a lift when Curwin Bosch — for so long maligned for his defence but not anymore— showed great determination to haul in Libbok as he was about to score.

But the Sharks’ set scrum again imploded and from the penalty kicked to the corner, Joseph Dweba powered over.

At last, the Sharks exploded out of their apathy and some urgent phases in the Stormers’ 22 opened a gap for Gerbrandt Grobler to cruise through to score under the crossbar, a minute before half-time.

But it was a false dawn. Just a minute into the second half, the Stormers swept onto the attack and wing Seabelo Senatla cruised home in the corner, and the rout was complete a few minutes later when a promising Sharks attack broke down near the Stormers’ line and the loose ball was scooped up and 80m later, Senatla had scored at the other end of the field.

And it became downright embarrassing when Libbok preyed on a midfield mistake and scampered to the posts to put the 50 within reach at 43-7 with a quarter of the game remaining.

Hooker sub Dan Jooste crashed over at the corner flag and a touch more respectability was added when never-say-die Grobler nailed his second.

Scorers

Sharks 19 — Tries: Gerbrandt Grobler (2), Dan Jooste. Conversions: Curwin Bosch (2).

Stormers 46 — Tries: Herschel Jantjies, Ruben van Heerden, Joseph Dweba, Seabelo Senatla (2), Manie Libbok. Conversions: Clayton Blommetjies, Manie Libbok (4). Penalties: Libbok (2).

@MikeGreenaway