Sharks coach takes all the Currie Cup blame

Sharks head coach Joey Mongalo wants all the blame following his side crashing out of the Currie Cup at the hands of the Pumas.

He becomes the third Currie Cup coach after Jake White and John Dobson to take the fault after a fumbling performance.

Dobson said he’d rushed back his URC Stormers when they lost to the Griquas and then saw a much-changed side hammer the Sharks 44-5. But the Sharks didn’t learn from their mistakes against the Pumas.

They now have to watch as the Pumas head to Bloemfontein for the finals.

“It’s all my fault, and I mean that,” said Mongalo.

“I’m the one who decided to tinker with the squad that went to Western Province, and I didn’t have to do that. I could have chosen the same team that would have gained momentum going into the semi-final.

“I took a risk, and that risk didn’t work. You saw how long it took to get going in the game, and that’s purely because the guys were disrupted the week before because I chose to play a completely different team against WP.

“It’s not on the guys; it’s 100% on me.”

SHARKS FELL BEHIND EARLY ON

At one point in the first half, the Pumas led 12-0 and then 19-10, and despite the Sharks’ best efforts to fight back, they eventually paid the price for a poor start.

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SCORERS

Sharks 20 (17)

Tries: Corne Rahl, Fez Mbatha

Conversions: Lionel Cronje (2)

Penalty: Cronje (2)

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Pumas 26 (19)

Tries: Corne Fourie, Simon Raw, Andrew Kota, Pieter Jacobs

Conversions: Tinus de Beer (3)

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