Durban — The old cliché “a win is a win” will be of some comfort to Sharks fans, but the 25-10 victory over the limited Ospreys will only partially lift the gloom lingering over the Shark Tank because, in truth, this was a turgid affair.
The Ospreys have won just once in eight games but for much of the second half they looked like they would follow in the footsteps of Cardiff before a two-try blitz by the Sharks in the dying minutes gave them comfort on the scoreboard.
At the risk of sounding flippant, for long periods of this game, the Sharks looked like they were playing a fifteen-man version of Sevens in Neil Powell’s first game in charge but a vital aspect they got right was their attitude, and Powell will grow in the head coach position.
Welcome back to the #BKTURC Curwin Bosch 🦈#URC | #SHAvOSP | @SharksRugby pic.twitter.com/yVCF7dsNqR
The Sharks emptied the tank and even if they were clumsy in their execution if you have got the right attitude you have something to work with.
Curwin Bosch made a difference in his comeback game. He had fractured his arm in pre-season training and this was his action of the new competition, and he played with a menacing attitude seldom seen from this mild-mannered man.
The powerful front row of Carlu Sadie, Bongi Mbonambi and Ox Nche immediately had a stranglehold on the set scrums and it was a scrum penalty won by them that gave Bosch the opportunity to kick the first points of the match.
And five minutes later three more points were added in the exact same fashion.
There was all the intent you would expect from the chastened Sharks but in the first half they could not score a try, with promising moves often breaking down because of penalties given at the breakdown through over eagerness.
Five minutes into the half, the Ospreys scored the first try of the match and their first points when wing Luke Morgan caught a kick pass from flyhalf Jack Walsh.
The missed conversion from the touchline kept the Sharks marginally ahead at 6-5 but they scored at long last in the 48th minute when flanker Sikhumbuzo Notshe finished off after a strong lineout maul.
But the Ospreys then did exactly the same, with No 8 Morgan Morris going over and with the conversion missed, the Sharks had their noses in front at 11-10.
There was breathing space only at the end when Bosch sped through a gap after a long period of forward pressure and then with the last move of the game Vincent Tshituka muscled over.
Point-Scorers
Sharks 25 — Tries: Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Curwin Bosch, Vincent Tshituka. Penalties: Curwin Bosch (2). Conversions: Bosch (2).