NRL: Bird swoops as Sharks carve up headless Chooks to defy form book

AAP

5 Apr, 2015 05:00 PM3 mins to read

Tinirau Arona of the Sharks is tackled by Boyd Cordner of the Roosters. Photo / Getty Images

A Jack Bird-inspired Cronulla stunned the Roosters with a well-deserved victory over the 2013 NRL premiers at Allianz Stadium in Sydney yesterday.

The 20-year-old, playing in only his second NRL game and his first at five-eighth, scored two tries as the Sharks sealed their first win of the year.

It is their sixth against the Chooks since 2010 and ends a run of 10 straight losses stretching back to July 26 last year.

The Sharks went in to the game on the back of four straight losses but turned the form book on its head with an excellent display that frustrated the under-par hosts who struggled for cohesion throughout.

Bird, a highly rated off-season recruit from St George Illawarra, and 19-year-old fullback Valentine Holmes were outstanding for the Sharks, and the suspended Ben Barba will find it hard to walk straight back into the side next week after his suspension. Bird showed great pace to open the scoring just before halftime with a powerful run and then set up his side's second try with a perfectly weighted kick that set up Holmes for a four-pointer after the restart before icing the victory with a try five minutes from time.

The hosts' much-vaunted forwards struggled against the experienced Sharks' pack with Paul Gallen, Michael Ennis, Chris Heighington and Luke Lewis all enjoying big games.

But it was in the halves where the Roosters really failed to fire, with Bird and veteran halfback Jeff Robson outshining James Maloney and Mitchell Pearce who did little to suggest they were ready for NSW State of Origin recalls.

Lewis extended the Sharks' lead when he hauled in a Robson kick in the 51st minute only for the usually reliable Michael Gordon to miss the conversion from close range.

However, the game looked to be drifting away from the Roosters before Ennis was forced off after a head clash with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

During the hooker's absence, the Kiwi fullback scored with a 60-metre effort and Mitch Aubusson added a second for the Roosters with Maloney's kick reducing the deficit to 14-12 with six minutes remaining.

But when Pearce knocked on after Holmes' booming kick-off, the Sharks took full advantage and Bird sealed a memorable win when he lunged over from close range with a one-handed effort.

Cronulla 20 (J Bird 2 V Holmes L Lewis tries, M Gordon 2 goals)