Referee Stuart Berry had a very busy afternoon
While on this side of the world our eyes are very much focused on Leinster and Bath in the European Champions Cup, there was some very tasty action unfolding in Durban. Super rugby is no place for the faint of heart and certainly not when Sharks take on Crusaders.
The two teams clashed this afternoon in a serious grudge match and the first half was about as explosive as you will get. The Crusaders led by 28-3 approaching half time when the game began to descend into all out warfare with the first of three yellow cards being shown in the 38th minute to Nepo Laulala for this shoulder charge on SP Marais.
No sooner had he taken his place in the sin-bin then this happened:
It didn't end there however as Nadolo Nasiganiyavi then got sin-binned for in the 39th minute. The fact that three Crusaders players were sin-binned should have given the Sharks a much needed boost before half-time. But then backrow Jean Deysel decided to use his knee to the head of an opponent at the bottom of a ruck:
The game did eventually settle down in the second half and Crusaders ran out 50-10 winners.
