Durban — A seriously-depleted Sharks team went down fighting against the Lions at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday evening but the 38-32 score-line leaves them in fifth place on the Currie Cup table with one match to go before the semi-finals, a tricky visit to Western Province.
With the senior Sharks side in action in the URC quarter-final earlier in the day, this was very much an under-strength side up against a URC-strength Lions outfit. Still, coach Etienne Fynn’s men did themselves proud and they harvested two bonus points which might come in very handy.
It was a bright start by the Sharks and after just two minutes flyhalf Tito Bonilla had kicked three points and three minutes after that Thembelani Bholi had driven over. At 10- 0 after five minutes, the Sharks had enjoyed the perfect start.
But from the restart, Bholi them dropped the ball, and five minutes of pressure later Lions centre Henco van Wyk drifted through a gap in the defence.
And the Lions hit the lead in spectacular fashion as the first quarter ended when wing Edwill van der Merwe ran through half the Sharks team before offloading to Van Wyk to give the centre his second try.
In a big moment, five minutes before half-time, the Lions’ busy scrumhalf, Sanele Nohamba was sin-binned for an armless tackle. The former Shark was back at Hollywoodbets Kings Park for the first time as a visitor and had been playing well.
From the resulting penalty, the Sharks kicked to the corner and hooker Jason Alexander drove over for a try on debut.
It became a dream debut for Alexander when a minute later he repeated the exact feat and the Sharks were all of a sudden leading 22-14 as halftime arrived.
The Lions came out with much more urgency and a series of dominant scrums in the Sharks’ 22 eventually resulted in a penalty try, just as Nohamba returned from the bin.
And the momentum shift was complete ten minutes into the half when Bholi was yellow-carded for pulling down a maul and it was no surprise when the Lions opted for a scrum from the ensuing penalty, and the result was another penalty try.
The Lions’ avalanche continued when lock Ruben Schoeman smashed over and suddenly it was 35-22.
But the Sharks were not about to lie down and right wing Marnus Potgieter rampaged down the touchline for a super try and it was game on at 29-35.
But with ten minutes to go a Swanepoel penalty nudged the Lions into an eight-point advantage and the Sharks would have to score twice to snatch the win.
They did manage a last-minute penalty by Tito Bonillato put them within seven and earn a precious bonus point.
Scorers
Sharks — 32 Tries: Thembelani Bholi, Jason Alexander (2), Marnus Potgieter. Penalties: Tito Bonilla (2). Conversions: Bonilla (3)
Lions — 38 Tries: Henco van Wyk (2), Penalty Tries (2), Ruben Schoeman. Conversions: Tiaan Swanepoel (3). Penalty: Swanepoel.
Sport
