Super Rugby: Sharks and Bulls in dramatic draw in Pretoria
Last Updated: 21/03/16 9:49am
Joe Pietersen missed a regulation kick with no time left on the clock as the Sharks drew 16-16 with the Bulls.
The Bulls drew level in the 79th minute with a Tiaan Schoeman penalty, but from the restart Marcell Coetzee won a penalty for the Sharks practically in front of the poles, with no time remaining.
The visitors celebrated the penalty being awarded, but their cheers were premature as Pietersen somehow sent the kick wide of the uprights to leave the two sides locked at the final whistle.
It was an otherwise good game with the boot from the Sharks fly-half, who converted Willie le Roux's second-half try before giving his side the lead from a penalty with 26 minutes remaining, and his team-mates also had their chances to put the Sharks ahead butchered two clear try-scoring opportunities during the game.
First JP Pietersen threw a pass straight to an opponent with the tryline begging, then Willie le Roux inexplicably tried to offload the ball to Paul Jordaan despite being able to just fall over the tryline for the score. Jordaan knocked the ball on over the line.
The draw will haunt the Sharks, who fought from the beginning in a tough away fixture. A tense opening 15 minutes saw fly-half Pietersen and Francois Brummer trade penalties before the Bulls' Brummer slotted a drop goal at the end of the first quarter.
Warrick Gelant then scored for the home side, with a sweeping move up the right ending with an inside ball for an easy finish under the poles. The conversion was slotted, and after Pietersen added his second penalty, the Bulls went into the break 13-6 ahead.
New Sharks recruit Willie le Roux opened the scoring in the second half, kicking the ball upfield for Lwazi Mvovo to chase down the touchline.
Mvovo got to the ball ahead of his opposite number and managed to stab another kick through which Le Roux dived on top of over the tryline. Following the conversion the scores were level, but Pietersen nosed his side ahead from the kicking tee in the 54th minute.
It looked like it would stay that way before the Bulls won a penalty near the centre of the pitch and made the tough choice to kick for the draw with two minutes remaining. Schoeman stepped up and sent the ball sailing over, and when the Bulls claimed the restart it seemed the Sharks would have no way in.
Coetzee then got over the ball at the breakdown and referee Glenn Jackson awarded the Sharks a penalty, but even though it would have been one of the easiest kicks of Joe Pietersen's career, he was unable to hand his side the win.
