Toulouse's Australian lock Emmanuel Meafou (left) fights for the ball with Sharks' South African flanker Siya Kolisi (right). File Picture: Valentine CHAPUIS, AFP
Mike Greenaway
This match was billed as the clash of champions but the gulf between the Challenge Cup holders and the Champions Cup defenders was plain to see as Toulouse comfortably beat the Sharks 20-8 at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday afternoon.
We won’t say they did it without raising a sweat because that could not have been further from the truth as both teams withered in the rank humidity of Durban at its most deadly as summer hit its zenith.
The Sharks had little answer to six-time Champions Cup winners Toulouse and had the steamy conditions not been so constrictive, Toulouse would have won by more. The stickiness would have been foreign to the Frenchmen and they made handling errors due to the sweaty ball that would never have happened in chilly Europe.
Toulouse showed the composure of champions in coolly withstanding the Sharks’ impressive early attacks and then in the 10th minute, Romain Ntamack kicked an immaculate 50-20 from inside his half and from the lineout, Antoine Dupont fed 145kg Emmanuel Meafou and there was no stopping the Samoa-born lock.
Just like that, Toulouse were 7-0 up after 10 minutes of defence although they would have been annoyed that they conceded a penalty after the restart and Jordan Hendrikse put the Sharks on the board.
Speaking of Jordan, he had a full go in this match and is blossoming into a handy flyhalf.
His older brother, Jaden, was also good and he will treasure a try-saving tackle on Ntamack after Dupont had broken superbly and seemed to have delivered a try to his flyhalf.
The sauna-like conditions were truly stifling and the frustration on both sides boiled over in the 35th minute when a fracas broke out.
After a few minutes of pushing and shoving, with referee Luke Pearce blowing his whistle shrilly, the unfortunate result for the Sharks was a penalty to the visitors, which Thomas Ramos booted over from the halfway line.
Ref Pearce, by the way, may not be aware that he is a dead-ringer for furniture polish man Mr Min.
The Sharks would have wished they could polish up their play and the half ended on a poor note for them when young lock Corne Rahl gave away a penalty as the hooter was about to sound.
It was a sitter for Ramos which meant Toulouse went into the change rooms 13-3 in front.
To be fair, Toulouse were making most of the play, with the Sharks scrambling bravely on defence but making little play.
It was almost like the Sharks were intimidated and were playing to survive rather than taking the game to the Frenchmen.
The Sharks were nowhere in the gain-line battle and that meant Toulouse could get their offloading game going.
The Sharks needed a catalyst to ignite their game but the only fire was from the men in red and break after break culminated in a brilliant offload by Ramos for Scotland international Blair Kinghorn to dart over at the corner flag.
When all hope for the home team seemed to have dimmed, a spark came from replacement centre Jurenzo “The Boogeyman” Julius when he carved slickly through the defence to score a try that will have him smiling for a week.
The Sharks may have been outclassed but one thing they can be proud of is their tenacity.
They never gave up and many a try was spoiled by gallant cover tackling.
The bottom line though for the Sharks is that they did not register a log point and that means if they have any hope of advancing in the Champions Cup they have to beat French Top 14 leaders Bordeaux away this week, a tall order indeed.
Scorers
Sharks (8) — Try: Jurenzo Julius. Penalty: Jordan Hendrikse.
Toulouse (20) — Tries: Emmanuel Meafou, Blair Kinghorn. Conversions: Thomas Ramos (2). Penalties: Ramos (2).