Sharks hold on to end Souths streak

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In anticipation of his Origin debut next week, Andrew Fifita has led the Cronulla Sharks to victory over the South Sydney Rabbitohs 14 -12 tonight at Endeavour Field in front of 12, 243 dedicated fans.

On a wet and windy night, it was the up tempo Sharks who emerged winners as they managed to hold out the Rabbitohs from a spirited fightback in the dying minutes of the second half. The Bunnies started out strongly in the second half however were unable to match the Sharks intensity as the game wore on.

The first of four tries tonight came through a John Morris dummy half run close to the line. Morris threw a dummy to Chris Heighington that fooled defenders for long enough as he darted across the line for a great try! Carney kicked the conversion from straight in front to take the early lead.

It wasn't long before the Bunnies bounced back through Bryson Goodwin with an acrobatic try in the corner after the ball went through the hands of the Rabbitohs back line as it has done so all season. Reynolds completed the attempt from right on the side line to bring the scores level.

The Sharks were able to take the lead again only 7 minutes before half time through Jayson Bukuya. Carney continuing his great kicking form put a grubber into his wingers that bounced off John Sutton's legs and into the arms of a running Bukuya to steam over the line. Carney converted easily and the Sharks took the lead to the half time break.

Souths were able to level up the scores only 5 minutes after half time as Sam Burgess charged through the defensive line to stretch his arm out and over the line for a try. It was an easy conversion for Reynolds as he put the ball over the black dot.

20 minutes from full time Andrew Fifita was almost in under the posts but had the ball stripped in a two on one tackle. Carney took the option for the penalty goal and the Sharks were in front once again.

The Rabbitohs did mount a comeback late in the second half but were unable to capitalise due to wasteful errors and careless penalties.

In the bye week leading up to Origin next Wednesday night, the Sharks will get a week off, while the Rabbitohs will host the Newcastle Knights at home on Saturday night.

Match Details
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 14 South Sydney Rabbitohs 12
Venue: Endeavour Field
Crowd: 12243
Halftime Score: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 12-6

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 points - Andrew Fifita
2 points - Todd Carney
1 point - Jayson Bukuya

CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS (14)
Tries: John Morris, Jayson Bukuya
Field Goals: Jeff Robson (0/1)
Conversions: Todd Carney (2/2)
Penalty Goals: Todd Carney (1/1)

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (12)
Tries: Bryson Goodwin, Sam Burgess
Field Goals:
Conversions: Adam Reynolds (2/2)
Penalty Goals:

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Sharks: 22. Nathan Gardner 2. Sosaia Feki 3. Ben Pomeroy 4. Jonathan Wright 5. Beau Ryan 6. Todd Carney 7. Jeff Robson 19. Sam Tagataese 9. John Morris 10. Ben Ross 15. Jayson Bukuya 12. Wade Graham 14. Chris Heighington
Interchange: 18. Tyrone Peachey 8. Andrew Fifita 16. Isaac De Gois 17. Anthony Tupou

Rabbitohs: 1. Greg Inglis 2. Nathan Merritt 3. Beau Champion 4. Dylan Walker 5. Bryson Goodwin 6. John Sutton 7. Adam Reynolds 8. George Burgess 9. Issac Luke 10. Roy Asotasi 11. Chris McQueen 12. Sam Burgess
Interchange: 14. Nathan Peats 15. Jason Clark 16. Ben Lowe 18. Dave Tyrrell
Big changes for the Sharks ahead of this one, with Paul Gallen, Luke Lewis and Michael Gordon all omitted. Nathan Gardner returns for the Sharks, with Sam Tagataese and Tyrone Peachey also into the side. As a result there's several positional changes - see the team below. For Souths, Jeff Lima drops off the five man bench, instead Dave Tyrrell will get a run.
1 min: The Rabbitohs have kicked off to get us underway on a wet night in Cronulla.
2 min: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
George Burgess makes an unforced error.
Burgess collects Gardner with a high tackle and thats the first penalty of the night.
2 min: The Sharks making good metres up the middle, now 10m out from the try line.
3 min: Merritt flies high to grab that ball out of the air however the ref has seen a block on Feki. Cronulla kick for touch and will get 6 more from 10m out.
4 min: VIDEO - Morris might be in for a try! They're checking for a Cronulla obstruction.
5 min: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Scored by John Morris. Conversion attempt by Todd Carney successful.
Morris takes the ball from dummy half and bursts his way through the Rabbitohs defensive line for a great try! Carney kicks the conversion for straight in front.
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 6-0
6 min: Ross with another great run straight up the middle. He's on fire at this early stage of the game.
6 min: PENALTY - Offside called on the Cronulla defense. The ref didn't single anyone out in particular.
8 min: The Sharks gang tackle Walker on the first tackle from the scrum. Walker is called out for a forward pass (he couldn't do much else) and the Sharks will get it straight back.
8 min: UNFORCED ERROR CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Ben Ross makes an unforced error.
Ross knocks it on as Carney turns the ball back on the inside to try and create a hole.
9 min: Sharks penalised for offside again. Souths take the tap.
10 min: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Beau Champion makes an unforced error.
Inglis on the run throws it out to Champion who can't get clean hands to it and it's called a knock on against the Bunnies.
11 min: The crowd baying for a penalty. It doesn't come and Robson kicks a low ball down to Inglis.
13 min: UNFORCED ERROR CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Sosaia Feki makes an unforced error.
Feki goes up for the bomb but it's flown off his chest and it's going to be a scrum for Souths on the Sharks 15m.
13 min: Goodwin slides in to the corner!
15 min: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Bryson Goodwin. Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
The ball goes wide to the left and Goodwin gets the ball on the run. He stretches out and managed to plant the ball in the corner. Reynolds' kick is good and he's put it straight through the middle from the sideline.
6 all
17 min: Champion makes a bee-line for Feki as the bomb goes up and he's given away a penalty for interfering with the player before the ball got anywhere near them.
17 min: Asotasi struggles to clean up a kick from Carney and the Sharks have slid him back into the in goal for a goal line drop out.
19 min: UNFORCED ERROR CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Beau Ryan makes an unforced error.
Ryan scrambles for the ball off the drop out but he's put his foot over the line and the Rabbitohs will get it back.
22 min: Te'o with a half break to make 15 metres and the Rabbits are on the attack.
23 min: UNFORCED ERROR CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Jayson Bukuya makes an unforced error.
Bukuya knocks on and Souths have the ball 10m out.
23 min: PENALTY - Heighington penalised for laying all over the player.
24 min: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Issac Luke makes an unforced error.
Luke knocks it on at the play the ball and the Sharks are off the hook.
26 min: Gardner gets the ball from a standing start and dances backwards across field.
28 min: Sutton kicks deep after a promising set of 6 but the balls gone dead in goal.
29 min: Merritt and Feki go up for the bomb and Merritt comes out on top. Excellent take from the high ball.
30 min: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Issac Luke makes an unforced error.
Luke with another knock on at the play the ball, this time at the other end of the field. Sharks on the attack from 20m out.
31 min: PENALTY - Champion called out for being offside.
31 min: VIDEO - Is De Gois in? The refs want to have a look.
31 min: Good attempt by De Gois but he's been held up over the line. They take it out to the 10m to start again.
32 min: Sharks in for another try!
33 min: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Scored by Jayson Bukuya. Conversion attempt by Todd Carney successful.
Carney tries to grubber through the line but it's come off Suttons foot and into the hands of Bukuya who races through to score for the Sharks! Carney kicks the conversion.
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 12-6
35 min: PENALTY - Sam Burgess penalised for attacking the head of Fifita.
36 min: PENALTY - Rabbits penalised again for holding down the player.
38 min: VIDEO - I'm not sure what they are checking for in the in goal but Robson got taken out after kicking the ball. There should be a penalty in that, and the video ref disagrees with me. Drop out from the Rabbitohs to get us started again.
40 min: UNSUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Field goal attempt by Jeff Robson unsuccessful.
Robson gets the right line but can't get under the ball enough.
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 12-6
40 min: The Sharks kick off to get us underway.
41 min: 6 more for Souths after they regather from a Reynolds bomb!
42 min: Gardner and Ryan do well there to track back and beat Goodwin to the ball to get it out for a goal line drop out.
43 min: Burgess is in for the Bunnies!
45 min: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Sam Burgess. Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
Burgess gets the ball out wide and powers through the goal line defense to stretch out and put the ball down over the line. Reynolds taps it over to bring the scores back level.
12 all
46 min: Gardner with a nice take on the fly! The Sharks slowly back making some metres.
47 min: Merritt excellent under the high ball again and takes the bomb comfortably.
49 min: Sutton with a break down the right hand side of the field. Reynolds puts it up and Walker ends up with the ball but can't do anything with it. Turnover to the Sharks.
51 min: Gardner cleaned up in goal and the Sharks will drop it out to restart.
52 min: Big 55m kick from Carney starts the Rabbitohs on another set of 6.
53 min: The crowd screaming out for a penalty and Tupou makes a break down the left. Sharks playing side to side footy here and making good metres.
54 min: The refs say it was knocked on by Feki from the bomb and it'll be a change over on the Rabbitohs 10m line.
56 min: Carney puts up a massive swirler and Merritt has coughed up the biscuit. Cronulla to get the scrum from 10 out from the Rabbitohs line.
56 min: PENALTY - Fifita almost scores but has lost the ball in a 2 on 1 strip. Carney to take the two!
58 min: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Penalty goal attempt by Todd Carney successful.
Todd Carney kicks the penalty goal from in front and they have taken the lead once again.
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 14-12
60 min: PENALTY - De Gois runs hard at the Rabbitohs defenders and gets a penalty for offside.
61 min: UNFORCED ERROR CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Andrew Fifita makes an unforced error.
Fifita called out as having made a forward pass. It looked flat at best but it's gone back to a Souths scrum on the 10 m line. Sharks push the first scrum back and they'll pack a second.
62 min: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
George Burgess makes an unforced error.
Georgey Boy loses the ball in the tackle and the Sharks will get a scrum on the 50m line.
64 min: Carney puts in a grubber to the in goal and Inglis shadows it out over the line for a 20m restart.
65 min: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
George Burgess makes an unforced error.
George is at it again and throws the ball out in front of him for a knock on. Souths looking lost and the Sharks firing up.
66 min: Merritt takes another good ball above the Sharks attackers. The Bunnies are out of danger and bringing the ball back up the field.
66 min: Time off and Sutton doesn't look good. Bukuya may have collected him on the second attempt. It didn't look intentional but the Rabbits might get another set here.
66 min: The video refs haven't seen anything in that (?) and the Rabbitohs won't get a penalty.
67 min: PENALTY - A Sharks player has dropped on the kick chase and they'll get a penalty.
68 min: UNFORCED ERROR CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Andrew Fifita makes an unforced error.
Fifita knocks on the ball from the tap and there is a bit of a scuffle. Handbags at 20 paces for this one and the Rabbitohs will get the scrum 35 metres out from their own line.
69 min: Peats makes great metres from dummy half. Reynolds puts up a bomb and the ball has gone through several sets of hands but the referee has called a knock on against Souths.
70 min: PENALTY - Peats in trouble for a grapple tackle. The Sharks will start their next set inside the Rabbits 50m.
70 min: John Morris makes metres against a retreating Souths defensive line.
71 min: Peats gets an intercept, saving a possible try and they work the ball out from their own 30m.
73 min: Carney puts up another swirling bomb but this time Inglis takes it comfortably.
73 min: UNFORCED ERROR CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Wade Graham makes an unforced error.
Graham kicks out on the full on the last from the 50m line.
75 min: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Beau Champion makes an unforced error.
Champion drops it cold on the restart. Cronulla from 40m out to put on an attacking set.
75 min: Carney puts a grubber in and Inglis is bumped back into the in goal for a goal line drop out. Sharks finishing strong here.
76 min: UNFORCED ERROR CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Chris Heighington makes an unforced error.
Morris darts across field and passes off to the oncoming backrower but he's lost it.
76 min: Souths make breaks all the way up the field and are 10m out on the last!
78 min: Carney with an enormous kick and it's met grass in between Inglis and Merritt.
80 min: Souths on the last and a bomb is up. Sharks let it bounce and Gardner has it back after the bounce. They'll get a penalty though as Gardner was interfered with in the air. Carney kicks the ball for touch and the Sharks have got the win!
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