Rugby: Sharks hang on against luckless Chiefs

Tonight's defeat leaves the Chiefs winless after three rounds of the 2009 Super 14. Photo / Getty Images.

The Chiefs were denied two tries within the space of four minutes by the television match official as the Sharks hung on grimly for a 22-15 Super 14 rugby win in Hamilton tonight.

Captain Liam Messam then replacement back Mike Delany appeared to have scored tries as the match entered its final few frantic minutes.

Loose forward Messam thought he had grounded the ball in a tryline scramble in the 74th minute only for referee Bryce Lawrence to be told by the television match official that he had been held up.

Then a fine cutout pass from first five-eighth Stephen Donald seemingly set Delany up for a try in the right-hand corner only for the same official to rule a 22m dropout.

Replays showed Delany's right arm scraping the touchline in-goal and the match official concluded that occurred at precisely the same money he grounded the ball.

Springbok Francois Steyn provided the class touches for the Sharks in a match which went down to the wire.

The impressive second five-eighth scored the only try of the first half just 3min before the interval to earn his team a 7-3 lead then laid on a try for left wing JP Pietersen midway through the second spell.

Pietersen had the luxury of running on to the ball in the in-goal area after Steyn produced a beautifully weighted and angled chip kick which left the Chiefs defenders powerless to prevent the outcome.

That cancelled out a Chiefs try nine minutes earlier from hard working hooker Aled de Malmanche, who burrowed over from close range to earn his side a brief hold of the lead.

Within 10min of Pietersen's first try there was almost an action replay but this time from further out as first five-eighth Ruan Pienaar kicked ahead for the wing to run on the ball and cross the line unopposed.

The contest appeared over that this stage with the Sharks bounding out to a 22-8 advantage but the the Chiefs stayed in touch entering the last 10min through halfback Brendon Leonard, who was unstoppable after taking a quick tap just short of the tryline.

Outside of the result there was much to admire from the Chiefs, even if their back three of fullback Sosene Anesi and wingers Sitiveni Sivivatu and Lelia Masaga were anything but secure when the Sharks kicked the ball in their direction.

The Chiefs forwards, ridiculed for their capitulation against the Waratahs last week, battled gamely and their set piece was solid.

De Malmanche and prop James McGougan were industrious in general play, but they missed No 8 Sione Lauaki, who did not emerge from the team dressing room after the halftime break.

The Chiefs more than held their own throughout the first half after taking the lead in the 14th minute when Donald nailed a 51m penalty.

The conditions made life difficult for those tempted to open the game up although the home side threatened on the odd occasion only to be undone by either faulty handling or desperate Sharks defence.

The Sharks lost halfback Rory Kockott for 10 minutes when he was sent to the sinbin by Lawrence for a professional foul. Kockott had no argument when Lawrence let it be known that holding back a player by the jersey would not be tolerated.

The Chiefs could not capitalise on their temporary numerical advantage, though, and it was the Sharks who scored next when winger Odwa Ndungane returned a poor kick with interest, scurrying up the centre of the field to launch a counter-attack in the 37th minute.

Lawrence then missed a forward pass as the Sharks ferried the ball left before Steyn stepped inside a defender to cross the tryline, with Kockott converting to give the tourists their halftime advantage.

- NZPA