Sharks Under 19s Take Command
Image © sharksrugby.co.za
- The Sharks Under 19s scored a handsome 73-6 victory over the visiting Griffons Under 19s in the curtain-raiser ahead of The Sharks-Pumas Absa Currie Cup match on Friday evening.

They started the match like a house on fire and were soon to be rewarded with a try to impressive centre Piet Lindeque (who would later go on to score a hat-trick in the match) within five minutes of the start. It was one way traffic from then on as another three tries were scored, fullback Jaco van Tonder scoring a brace.

The Griffons Under 19s weren't so much unable to score as not allowed to by some committed and effective defense from the home side who were simply too good.

But it was on attack and the counter where they were truly irrepressible with some wonderful moves, although they sadly lost Chris Cloete to a serious injury as the flank was pulled down just short of the tryline after an impressive solo effort.

Up 26-3 at half-time, The Sharks Under 19s were putting in a commanding performance which they continued from the first whistle of the second half, eighthman Marcel Coetzee evading the defense from close-quarters to score his team's fifth try.

The Griffons scored their first points of the second half via another penalty to captain Leegan Moos, but at 33-3 down with 25 minutes remaining in the game, taking a kick was tacit acceptance that the game had run away from them. And that is exactly what was to happen.

Some sparkling, champagne rugby was to follow as try after try was scored, to push them past the half-century. The tries were flowing with brutally ruthless attacking intent and when the final whistle blew, 11 tries had been scored.

An emphatic victory from a side playing some wonderfully entertaining rugby.

Scorers:
Tries: Piet Lindeque (3), Jaco van Tonder (2), Marcel Coetzee, Rynhardt van Wyk, Mandla Dube, Kieren Goss, Kyle Wilkenson, Siseko Jafta
Conversions: Ryno Olivier (7), Piet Lindeque (2)