The Cell C Sharks XV ended their Supersport Rugby Challenge season on a high, running in six tries for a comprehensive 40-17 (halftime 33-10) bonus-point victory over the SWD Eagles at Florida Park in Cape Town on Sunday.
The victory ending the season in fourth place on the South Section log with 21 points while the Eagles finished sixth with just 11 points. The match held little interest in terms of the final standings with all but one of the semifinal positions being established before kick-off.
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Cell C @TheSharksZA 40-17 SWD Eagles #BornToRugby pic.twitter.com/Psix4b8ZmV
The Sharks dominated the match for most parts, running in tries through lock Gideon Koegelenberg, flank Jacques Ackerman, prop Banda Ndlovu, wing Lyanda Mngadia and centre Leolin Zas while flyhalf Rhyno Smith landed five conversions.
The Eagles managed two tries themselves through wing Shario Rosenkrantz and replacement prop Dewald Dekker while flyhalf Gerhard Nortier landed a conversion and a penalty with replacement flyhalf Divan Nel landed the second conversion.
The men from Durban dominated the opening 20 minutes scoring two tries as Koegelenberg forced his way over after just seven minutes. The Sharks forced their way back into Eagles territory again and came away with their second score after just 16 minutes with Ackerman breaking away from a maul to score in the corner, leaving a difficult conversion attempt for Smith which he missed.
But the Eagles found some rhythm and opened their account with a brilliant try from Rosekrantz after some excellent work from centre Marquit September. Nortier converted to close the gap to just five points midway through the first half. The Sharks then took complete control, scoring three more converted tries with Ndlovu using his power to get over before Mngadi broke a tackle to race away to score the bonus-point try.
Despite a penalty from Nortier to reduce the deficit by three points, the Sharks finished strongly with Zas founding off the best try of the match with the Sharks players showing some skill and quick hands as the men from East Coast went into the break 23 points to the good.
The second stanza was a more quiet affair but the Sharks extended their lead to 30 points when Springbok Lwazi Mvovo raced away from the Eagles defence to sprint the entire length of the field to score but the Eagles did not give up and had the final say when Dekker controlled well at the back of a maul to score just two minutes from time.
SCORERS
Cell C Sharks XV - Tries: Gideon Koegelenberg, Jacques Ackerman, Banda Ndlovu, Lyanda Mngadi, Leolin Zas, Lwazi Mvovo; Conversions: Rhyno Smith (5)
SWD Eagles - Tries: Shario Rosekrantz, Dewald Dekker; Conversions: Gerhard Nortier, Divan Nel; Penalty: Nortier.