Oh-so-close for the Sharks

Durban - Sharks coach Kevin Putt said beforehand that the Crusaders played the kind of rugby his charges were still striving for. However, for large periods of this pulsating encounter you would have thought the boot was on the other foot as the home side continually threw the three-time Vodacom Super 12 champions out of their stride.

In the end the Sharks' hopes of a third successive home triumph were thwarted only by the majestic boot of Crusaders replacement flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens. Mehrtens was called on to provide direction for a side that lost its composure for much of the opening 40 minutes, and provided it with a splendid match-winning 40-metre penalty four minutes from time.

That the visitors were triumphant after recovering from a 12-point deficit at the halfway stage speaks volumes for their pedigree. It says as much for the competitive qualities of the Sharks as they strived to achieve what only one Sharks outfit has thus far achieved in this competition - and beat the Crusaders.

However, it was not to be as Reuben Thorne and his men clawed their way back into the contest after the changeover, inch by agonising inch, to

return to the top of the Super 12 standings after the Waratahs had briefly usurped their place with victory over the Brumbies earlier in the day.

You would have thought that the Sharks were the unbeaten side and the Crusaders the cellar dwellers judging by the opening 40 minutes when the home side were full value for their 12-point lead.

Once again they were indebted to a marvellous display from their forwards in the opening exchanges, none more so than AJ Venter. He revelled in the move to the side of the scrum after delivering powerful performances in the second-row for the past two weekends.

Venter was the central figure in the Sharks' opening try, breaking from a scrum on their own 10-yard line and exchanging passes with lock Albert van den Berg before somehow finding the energy to take the return pass and cross the line.

By then, the Sharks were quite literally on fire, having opened up a 10-point lead in as many minutes thanks to Venter's anticipation and the

pinpoint kicking of Gaffie du Toit.

The flyhalf has remained an enigmatic figure since relocating to the coast from Kimberley, promising so much but more often than not failing to deliver. Saturday's was certainly one of his better performances; he eased any possible nerves by bisecting the points with his first kick at goal.

After that it was more of the same as he succeeded with all six of his kicks at goal until leaving the field in the 49th minute. The home fans were thankful that he returned later although he was unable to spur his team-mates on to victory despite adding another three-pointer.

As has become the case in recent outings, the Sharks came under intense pressure in the second half. That pressure culminated in referee Peter

Marshall awarding the visitors a penalty try after AJ Venter had collapsed a maul near the Sharks tryline. Blair, who had a nightmare in general play, added the conversion to cut the deficit to five points.

The home boys, however, refused to wilt. They took the fight to the Crusaders and following several phases, lock Philip Smit stormed his way

over their line for their third try of the evening to leave the Sharks ahead by 10 points.

Blair and Du Toit then exchanged penalties before the Crusaders showed their pedigree as the gaps opened up. Wing Caleb Ralph pocketed an up-and-under from Stefan Terblanche with no pressure whatsoever and set off on a weaving run before setting up Blair for their fourth try.

Blair intervened again in the final quarter as the visitors began to take control, charging down an attempted clearance by Terblanche to level

the scores.

Then Mehrtens, so often the scourge of South African teams down the years at Super 12 and international level, intervened to ruin a fairytale ending for the home team.

Scorers:

Sharks: Tries: AJ Venter, Brad Macleod-Henderson, Philip Smit.

Conversions: Gaffie du Toit (2). Penalties: Du Toit (5).

Crusaders: Tries: Daryl Gibson, Justin Marshall, penalty try, Ben Blair

(2) Conversions: Ben Blair (3). Penalties: Blair, Andrew Mehrtens.