Durban — The Sharks made tough work of it but at the end of a helter-skelter evening at the blustery Shark Tank they had done enough to consolidate their challenge for a quarter-final spot in the United Rugby Championship.
The five log points they earned from their 43-33 defeat of plucky Benetton means that if the Sharks beat Munster next week in the competition’s final round, they could finish as high as fifth.
The Italians enjoyed the ideal start when flanker Sebastian Negri completed a neat build up that involved most of the team and it became the perfect beginning when centre Ignacio Brex went over under the crossbar.
The visitors were 14-0 up after seven minutes and the alarm bells were ringing around The Tank.
Worryingly, the Sharks conceded 28 points in the final 20 minutes against Toulouse and now had shipped two more tries at the start of this vital game. What had happened to their defence?
On 15 minutes, the home team exploded into life when a penalty was kicked to the Benetton 22 and the forwards had an opportunity to get stuck in. It wasn’t long before flank Vincent Tshituka was bundled over from a maul.
Siya Kolisi’s pack of forwards had the bit between the teeth and once they had established dominance in the set scrums, they were not shy to take that option when they won a penalty near the opposition line. The black phalanx duly surged forward and scrumhalf Grant Williams darted over for the easiest of tries for a predator of his calibre.
The score was locked at 14-14 at half time and when they came out for the second half, it was the Sharks’ turn to start well. They scored a lovely try after just 90 seconds by stretching the ball across the field to the right and then quickly moving back to the opposite touchline and that freed skipper Kolisi for a strong surge to the corner flag.
The visitors rallied when their Sharks old boy at fullback, Rhyno Smith, manufactured a try for centre Joachin Riera but the home team responded with an excellent try of their own. It came from a good turnover by Kolisi and when the ball went wide, Boeta Chamberlain nudged a kick into space and the fastest man on the pitch, Williams, sped through for his second try.
But the Italians were not finished and the winger Marcus Watson finished powerfully in the corner. It was 28-26 at the three-quarter mark, and anyone’s game... until Bok wing Makazola Mapimpi finished off well in the corner.
And it was the World Cup winner who appeared to have sealed it ten minutes from the end when he completed a spectacular breakout from the Sharks’ 22. The Italians had been heavily on the attack and it was Mapimpi who counter-attacked from a turnover and 70m later he finished the same movement.
Again there was no white flag from Benetton and flyhalf Tomas Albornoz wriggled through the defence with ten minutes to go to make it 40-33.
Bosch coolly kicked a penalty a minute from time to put the matt to rest.
Point-Scorers
Sharks 43 — Tries: Vincent Tshituka, Grant Williams (2), Siya Kolisi, Makazola Mapimpi (2). Conversions: Curwin Bosch (5). Penalty: Bosch
Benetton 33 — Tries: Sebastian Negri, Ignacio Brex, Joachin Riera, Marcus Watson, Tomas Albornoz. Conversions: Tomas Albornoz (4).
IOL Sport