Loftus 'miracle' must come from sharpshooters
02/14/2025 12:37 AM
The accuracy of goal-kickers Siya Masuku and Jordan Hendrikse will be key to the Sharks’ chances of upsetting the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday, writes MARK KEOHANE.
Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane expects the Bulls to beat the Sharks comfortably in the Vodacom URC derby at Loftus Versfeld. However, he highlights that big matches are often decided by goal-kicking, and the Sharks currently boast two of the most accurate place-kickers in the competition.
Fullback Hendrikse, who nailed a 55m penalty after the hooter against the Lions to clinch the 2024 Currie Cup title for the Sharks, has been the URC's second-most prolific SA kicker, with an 84% success rate from 33 attempts. Masuku, starting at flyhalf on Saturday, leads with a 92% accuracy from 12 kicks.
The Bulls have a rich history of elite sharpshooters but Keohane notes that their current options — David Kriel (72%) and Boeta Chamberlain (70%) — are less dependable than their predecessors.
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"Big matches in rugby are invariably won off the kicking tee and if the Sharks are to stun the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday then it will be because they have two of the most accurate goal-kickers in the United Rugby Championship this season," he writes.
"The Sharks, who edged the Bulls in the first of their two derbies in Durban, are without Springbok regulars Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Ox Nche, Jaden Hendrikse, Andre Esterhuizen and Makazole Mapimpi and Scottish hooker Dylan Richardson. There is also no Vincent Koch in the match 23.
"The Bulls, with seven wins from nine league starts, must be the favourites to reverse the Durban result but if there is to be a miracle it must come from the respective boots of Hendrikse and Masuku."
Photo: @Springboks/Twitter
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