‘Fair bit of chat on the sidelines’: confusion, and then the Sharks reign

The Sharks' drama-filled advance to the Currie Cup final wasn't without controversy at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

The Durban team reached the final for the first time since 2021 when they drew 40-40 with the Bulls, but advanced by virtue of scoring six tries to the hosts' four.

While the Bulls will lament not taking opportunities to win the game when Johan Goosen just before the 80 minutes were up, and then Boeta Chamberlain at the end of extra time, missed off the kicking tee, the Sharks will celebrate the courage they showed in the face of adversity.

They were down to 14 players when Francois Venter was red carded in the 66th minute before losing three more players to yellow cards before the final whistle. They operated with 12 players for a while but absorbed the pressure before prop Trevor Nyakane scored in the 98th minute to separate the teams.

In the frenzied finish there was much to take in and this partly explains why match officials failed to recognise the Sharks were eligible to replace Venter after 20 minutes of his banishment.

“There was a fair bit of chat on the sidelines around the red card replacement after 20 minutes,” said Sharks coach John Plumtree.

“The officials really didn’t know what was going on there as well. I think it must be the first time it has happened in the Currie Cup.”

Plumtree said the Sharks brought the 20-minute red card rule to the match officials' attention.

“It was only when we phoned our referee, who helps us out in Durban, and he said, ‘Yes, the red card can be replaced after 20 minutes’.

“We got that message on and then they said, ‘Yes, OK’. There was a lot of confusion on the sideline.

“I don’t blame the referee for that. I think the officials on the sideline need to be better than that because it added to the stress in that moment and we didn’t know if we could get Lili Bester on.”

Plumtree admitted at no stage did he sit comfortably in his seat during a helter-skelter game. It was a dynamic, fast-changing game that required mental vitality at the end.

Few were aware of the conditions that stipulated how the teams would be separated in the event of a stalemate.

“I actually didn’t know the rules. Lionel Cronje had to kick it because we had more tries,” Plumtree admitted about the conversion after Nyakane's try.

Though the Sharks had the initiative with second left after Nyakane's try, more drama ensued when lock Gerbrandt Grobler was yellow carded for a reckless challenge. It presented former Sharks utility back Chamberlain with the opportunity to put one over his former team, but he missed from an acute angle.

It was a hugely courageous performance from the Sharks, who will square up against opponents they last met in the final in 2011. They lost on that occasion but will be buoyed by their last performance at Ellis Park when they inflicted on the Lions their only defeat thus far in this season's competition.

The Sharks, however, may have to travel to Johannesburg without lock Emile van Heerden.

“Emile van Heerden has an issue with his shoulder and we’ve got to explore what that is. He couldn’t go back out there after halftime. I think he is the main one. We’ve got one or two rib cartilage injuries but hopefully that will not be too serious.”