S3, R4: Sharks vs. Spartans (vBookie)

Me for super sub.

 

Substitutions

Lee Sweetman comes on for Astele.
James Hughes comes on for Sam Bakkum.
Shane Masters comes on for Wes Welker.

 

Dire.

 

Scrum to Spartans. Great work by the Spartans. They've secured their own ball and win that scrum gaining 5 metres.

The next phase to be played from 34 metres on the Sharks side of the halfway line.

Michael Chung is tackled by Sam Verigotta for the Sharks and a ruck forms. Good tackle from Verigotta. The ruck is contested but the Spartans show good ball security and extracate the ball from the ruck.

The next phase to be played from 37 metres on the Sharks side of the halfway line.

He's burst through the defensive line and he's on a run. Lucas Schaw with the ball for the Spartans. You can't give him any space this close to the line! He darts over in the corner!! TRY!!

TRY TO Spartans
Tough conversion attempt for the Spartans. Kick to be taken by Jake Luffman. Great kick. He's nailed that one and they earn the extra 2 points.

Just the start to the 2nd half that the Sharks wanted to avoid.

Sharks 10 - 20 Spartans

 

58:15

Davis penalised for coming in at the side of that ruck. Yes, I think I can see that. He remonstrates with the ref. Looks like he's trying to convince him it was legitimate, but he ref is unamused. That's a penalty and this will bring the Sharks back within a try.

Scoble from 35 metres out. He's gone for a low and hard one. Good contact, and he's nailed it.

Sharks 13 - 20 Spartans

 

60:00

Subs roll on...

Kyle Tait for John Heads.
Dion Alessi for Jake Luffman
Matt Dorn for Lucas Schaw
Ben Storer for Joshua Ritchie

Some big substitutions there. With only a try in it, the odds are now slightly in the Sharks' favour.

 

69:45

Scrum to the Sharks 5m from the Spartans' try line. Simon Laing peels away at the back of the scrum and catches the Spartans by surprise. He burrows down at the base of the upright and ref awards the try. Scoble easily converts and the crowd goes wild.

Into the final 10 minutes and we're all set for a grandstand finish.

Sharks 20 - 20 Spartans

 

Doog - given the potential importance of it, do you still want Tyson on for Stroud??

 

Right. Last 10 minutes. Hitting the sim hammer now. Technically, Sharks are $1.77/$1.87 favourites.

 

75:45

Matthew Scoble opts to kick here for the Sharks. He's trying to Kick for Touch. He's failed to find touch there, the ball remains in play and possession is conceded. The pressure of a counter-attack looks to be coming.

The next phase to be played from 27 metres on the Sharks side of the halfway line.

Paddy Orr with the ball on the run here. He's already gained 10 metres. Good Tackle by James McDougal and a ruck forms.

The next phase to be played from 37 metres on the Sharks side of the halfway line.

Bobby Blunder is tackled by Chris Golding for the Sharks and a ruck forms. The ruck is contested but the Spartans show good ball security and extracate the ball from the ruck.

The next phase to be played from 40 metres on the Sharks side of the halfway line...

 

...The ruck forms and there's large numbers of forwards committed from both sides here. The Sharks jockey to turn this over, but eventually, the ball comes out to Cribb.

Cribb away to Alessi. Alessi cuts inside and beats a weak tackle from Hutchinson. He spots Tait running down the sideline and fires a huge cut-out pass. Golding has a chance to intercept, but he just gets his fingertips to it. Not enough to stop the ball reaching Tait.

Tait bursts down the side line and with his fresh legs, they're not going to stop him!

TRY TO THE SPARTANS!!!

Alessi converts

Sharks 20 - 27 Spartans