PRETORIA - The Sharks held on to beat the Bulls 23-18 in the Super 12 this morning, despite failing to score in the second half.
The Sharks, 23-8 ahead at the break, survived the last five minutes without centre Butch James after he was red-carded for a late tackle onBulls replacement Willem de Waal.
The crucial moment, however, may have come when Bulls replacement hooker Dale Santon was sin-binned for stamping with 13 minutes remaining and his side asserting control.
James kicked three penalties in the first quarter to put his team 9-0 ahead and it was half an hour before Derick Hougaard got the Bulls on the board with the first of his two penalties.
Sharks centre Adrian Jacobs crossed for the first of his side's two tries and, although centre Frikkie Welsh replied for the Bulls, fullback Brent Russell responded with a try immediately from the restart to give the Sharks a 15-point lead.
Hougaard scopped up a loose ball close to the Sharks' line to score his side's second try 10 minutes after the restart.
The match then stayed scoreless until a minute before the final whistle when Hougaard kicked a penalty to give the home side the consolation of a bonus point for losing by fewer than seven points.
- REUTERS
Sharks 23 (Adrian Jacobs, Brent Russell tries; Butch James 3 pen 2 con)
