French test flyhalf Frederick Michalak scored his first try in Super 14 rugby when the Sharks beat the Bulls 29-15 in an all-South African match today.

Michalak scored the first of three Sharks tries in the final 10 minutes to help maintain his team’s unbeaten start to the season and settle a match in which the lead changed hands four times.

The Sharks were held scoreless until the 38th minute when right wing Odwa Ndungane was given an overlap as the ball was moved down the backline from a ruck close to the Bulls’ line.

Scrumhalf Rory Kockott converted to cancel out two earlier penalties from Bulls flyhalf Morne Steyn.

Steyn kicked two more penalties and a drop goal at the start of the second half to one from Kockott to give his side what was a commanding five-point lead in the context of the match up to that point.

But Bulls centre JP Nel was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle on Francois Steyn with 12 minutes to go and the Sharks brilliantly exploited the space.

Two minutes later they broke from their own 22 and, after a succession of phases involving forwards and backs, Michalak popped up on the right-hand flank to canter in from 10 metres and loop round closer to the posts as he levelled the scores.

Kockott missed the conversion that would have put his side into the lead but it hardly mattered as the Sharks ran in two more tries in as many minutes shortly afterwards.

Flanker Keegan Daniel scored the first when his team broke away down the blindside of a scrum 30 metres out, exploiting the gap left by Nel’s sin-binning.

Straight from the restart, the Sharks went back down the field and replacement back rower Jacques Botes dived under the crossbar after the Bulls had lost possession on halfway.

Meanwhile, Joe Rokocoko grabbed a hat-trick of tries to inspire the Auckland Blues to a 50-26 triumph over the Cheetahs in the Super 14 today.

The New Zealanders piled up seven tries to four and claimed outright top spot on the table.

The Blues struck in the 11th minute when centre Isaia Toeava scored the first of his two touchdowns.

Left wing Gavin Passens replied for the South Africans with a 22nd-minute try before Rokocoko pounced on a loose ball to put the Blues 21-5 ahead.

Centre JW Jonker closed the gap to nine points with a 39th-minute try after the hosts laid siege to the Blues line.

But the match was effectively ended as a contest when Toeava and Rokocoko scored to give the visitors a 38-19 advantage.

Replacement forward Kabamba Floors earned a bonus point for the Cheetahs in the 72nd minute when he scored after the home side won a heel against the head.

Rokocoko completed his hat-trick when he evaded two tackles to crash over with a minute left.

Blues flyhalf Nick Evans kicked six conversions and a penalty for a personal haul of 15 points.

© Reuters 2012

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