A last gasp Clinton Swart penalty interrupted the celebrations of the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV as the Airlink Pumas managed to secure a 44-all draw in a high scoring Carling Currie Cup fixture at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The reason the Sharks might feel disappointed was because as the last scrum of the game went down with time up on the clock, it looked like they were set for a victory which had looked highly unlikely when they were down 27-8 at halftime after being outplayed for most of the first half. Scrumhalf Bradley Davids had kicked a penalty with less than three minutes remaining to break a 41-all deadlock and put the Sharks ahead for the first time in the game.
Bradley Davids thought he won it for the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV in the 79th minute only for Clinton Swart to convert a penalty after the hooter for the Airlink Pumas.#CarlingCurrieCup pic.twitter.com/BjPD3xNIyZ
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) August 3, 2024
However, the Pumas put in a massive effort as the final scrum set in the middle of the field deep in the Sharks’ half and forced the penalty that Swart kicked to ensure that both teams took three points - two for the draw and one for their respective four try bonus points - from the game.
SKIPPERS SUMMED IT UP
The Pumas celebrated the kick that avoided defeat but their captain Eddie Swart, who was one of the home team’s try scorers, probably summed up the feelings of both teams when in the post-match television interview he didn’t appear quite sure what to think. He made sure he stopped short of saying he was happy, and he was right to do so because the Pumas looked like they were cruising to victory at the halfway point.
At the same time, the Sharks skipper and No 8 Nick Hatton was also right when he said it was an opportunity missed for his team after their great fightback, which effectively happened in two phases - first there was a three try burst at the start of the second half that enabled them to draw level at 27-all with 51 minutes gone on the clock; and then they fought back from 41-27 after a brace of tries to Pumas scrumhalf Ross Brody.
Those two fightbacks underlined the commitment and culture of the young Sharks team, with the Durban franchise properly embracing the developmental aspect of the domestic competition with their selections. And wow, while the Sharks might have been disappointed not to get the win, there is plenty for Sharks fans to enthuse about with regards to the future given the performances talented youngsters such as scrumhalf Davids, who deservedly won the official Man of the Match award, centres Jurenzo Julius and Lili Bester, who are both just 20, were able to deliver, not to forget wing Jaco Williams, who is even younger.
The Sharks XV, coached by former Springbok wing JP Pietersen, made a slow start to the Currie Cup season but they beat the Golden Lions last weekend and in this game they were unlucky not to make it two wins in a row.
PUMAS REMAIN STRONG CHALLENGERS
Not that the Pumas should be denigrated for they played a full part in an enthralling contest and showed in the first half that they should challenge strongly for what would be their third consecutive appearance in a Currie Cup final.
When the Airlink Pumas run the ball 😤
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) August 3, 2024
Stefan Coetzee and Phiko Sobahle are on fire in Nelspruit in the opening 20 minutes!
📺 Stream #CarlingCurrieCup live: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/eSco8P1JMp
They showed a pleasing ability to be efficient and incisive with their attacking game in the first half, with wing Phiko Sobahle crossing in the sixth minute for the first try of the match and then again seven minutes later as the hosts led 12-0 in almost as many minutes.
Veteran Lionel Cronje, who along with lock Reniel Hugo brings the experience to the youthful Durban team, kicked a penalty in the 18th minute to make it 12-3, but skipper Swart drove over the line from an attacking lineout to extend the Pumas’ lead. Then came some great vision from the Pumas’ other Swart, the influential centre Clinton, as he put Sobahle in for his hattrick try and the Pumas looked like they were running away with it at 24-3.
A penalty from Swart on the stroke of halftime ensured a 19 point buffer for the Pumas but the visitors would have been encouraged by the try that Eduan Keyter scored in the 32nd minute, with Julius taking the ball up before the ball was spread wide to the right wing, who stepped inside to wrong foot the defence before using his strength to power over.
GREAT FIGHTBACK
If the Sharks were going to stand a chance they needed to start the second half well, which they did, with a magic grubber from the side of Cronje’s boot sending in Williams for his try, and then centre Bester charged down an attempted Pumas clearance to bring his team back within a score of the Pumas.
Cronje’s magic was continued with a grubber that sat up perfectly for flanker Jannes Potgieter, another promising young player, to score in the corner. Cronje missed the touchline conversion that would have put his team into the lead for the first time and was then yellow carded just after Brody scored a magic try to reclaim the lead for the Pumas.
Brody crossed again while Cronje was off but so did Sharks captain Hatton so that when hooker Dan Jooste drove over and Davids converted the scores were level again. Hopes were raised when the two penalties were traded in the final four minutes but in the end a draw was probably the right result.
Scores
Airlink Pumas 44 - Tries: Phiko Sobahle 3, Ross Brody 2, Eddie Swart; Conversions: Clinton Swart 4. Penalties: Clinton Swart 2. Hollywoodbets Sharks XV 44 - Tries: Eduan Keyter, Jaco Williams, Lili Bester, Jannes Potgieter, Nick Hatton, Dan Jooste. Conversions: Lionel Cronje 2 and Bradley Davids 2; Penalties: Lionel Cronje and Bradley Davids.