Springbok Double World Cup winner Trevor Nyakane scored a late try, deep into extra time, to force a 40-all draw and send his Hollywoodbets Sharks team into the Carling Currie Cup final on tries scored as they knocked out the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Nyakane never scored a try in his three seasons as a Bulls player, but found the tryline at the most opportune time to break Loftus hearts, and pulled out his trademark dance at the end of the game for good measure.
In a bizarre, dramatic game, the Sharks were reduced to 12 players at one point, but for some strange reason the Bulls were never able to plant a knockout blow, even though they had more than ample opportunities, including two long-range kicks at goal that could have won them the game that were missed.
The Sharks eventually won the right to go to the final on the basis they scored six tries to four, with Nyakane’s score and Lionel Cronje’s conversion levelling matters for the technicality to come into play.
Unbelievable scenes at Loftus Versfeld 😲
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 14, 2024
The Hollywoodbets Sharks defy the odds to reach the 2024 #CarlingCurrieCup final 🦈🏉
This match is a must-see if you missed it 🍿 pic.twitter.com/7yZOWt2oeH
SHARKS RODE THEIR LUCK
While the Sharks will justifiably be praised for their never-say-die temperament, they rode their luck to the extremes, and benefited in the end from the 20-minute red card that allowed Lily Bester to return them to 15 men at the start of extra time after Francois Venter was dispatched for a clash of heads earlier on.
There will be those that say you make your own luck. And that may be the definition of the Sharks’ play, but the opposite end of the scale is also true.
How a seasoned side like the Bulls failed to score with a three man advantage, camped in the Sharks 22, in a 10 minute period will go down as one of the greatest mysteries that Loftus Versfeld has ever seen.
For as brave and exceptional as the desperation was from the Sharks, as horrible and impatient the attack was from the Bulls in that period.
Instead of a seasoned side they looked like eager schoolboys, and their campaign ended with a whimper instead of a bang.
There must be some introspection at Loftus Versfeld after another playoff loss.
Their obsession with the Currie Cup may be laudable, but to watch other URC sides play young teams and then make the final, while your experienced team crashes and burns once again can’t be put down to a coincidence.
PASSION FOR CURRIE CUP
From another point of view, while it was lovely to see the Currie Cup mean something to players again, and the passion from both sides was evident, the wisdom of a 100-minute slugfest ahead of a long URC season may be an issue in the latter part of the season, and can’t be the way forward for the domestic season.
Still, in a 10-try game, it was never one that gave a dull moment, and fans got more than their money’s worth as they saw more twists than an Eddie Jones press conference.
But every time the Bulls looked to take control of the game, they left the door open.
And the Sharks just smiled and fought their way back into the game.
The match started off badly for the Bulls, as Emile van Heerden charged down a clearance kick from Keegan Johannes to open the scoring for the visitors.
Johannes redeemed himself a minute later as the Bulls were on the attack and a short pass and a sidestep allowed him to dart over from close range.
HANEKOM’S TRY BEST OF THE MATCH
Johan Goosen’s boot kept the Bulls in front with two penalties, and it was Springbok hopeful Cameron Hanekom who scored possibly the try of the match when a slick lineout trick saw him dart into the gap between the hooker and the jumpers, collect, and then flummox winger Ethan Hooker as he beat him on the outside for the line.
That gave the Bulls a healthy 20-7 lead, but mistakes and penalties put them on the back foot, first with Bradley Davids going over from close range in a double hit off a lineout and then James Venter showed some power to bounce out of Marcell Coetzee’s tackle, then bump off David Kriel to score under the posts.
That made it a one-point game, but Goosen added another penalty before the break to see the home side lead by four.
The early part of the second half was dominated by the visitors, and Coetzee was shown a yellow for a head clash that could easily have been a red.
In his absence Hooker scored in the corner and shortly after he returned Springbok Andre Esterhuizen put the Sharks into the lead for the first time on the hour mark with a try through sustained pressure.
VENTER’S CARD TURNED UP DRAMA
And then, with the game poised on a knife edge, the drama was turned up to level 11, as first Venter got his red card for a head clash with Stravino Jacobs, and was dispatched from the field.
The Bulls, sensing the advantage, brought on reserves and powered their scrum to force penalty after setpiece penalty, eventually leaving referee AJ Jacobs no choice but to yellow card Dian Bleuler, who had just appeared on the field, for repeated scrum infringements by the team.
Jordan Hendricks followed for a tip tackle shortly afterwards and it looked as if the Bulls would power home.
But inexplicably they couldn’t take control. The team lost three consecutive lineouts in the Sharks 22, lost two balls on attack and allowed themselves to be harangued by a Sharks side desperate to survive.
At other times, with three on one overlaps, Goosen kicked ahead, as did David Kriel.
The lack of calmness in the side was as evident as it was in the URC final, and it seemed that the Bulls could simply not take control when they needed to.
Eventually Goosen was defeated, settling for a penalty in front of the posts to draw scores level.
And while the home side continued dominating, they weren’t scoring.
When Lionel Cronje’s kickoff went over the dead-ball line, they saw their chance, won the scrum penalty and set up Goosen for the match winning kick.
But once again, the Bulls messed up another chance, and the kick was missed.
EXTRA TIME JUST AS DRAMATIC
Extra time was upon exhausted players, and after sparring with the Sharks back to 15, Jacobs eventually got the reward for a game of superb play, running in to score late in the first period to put the Bulls ahead.
The second 10 minutes felt unnecessary, but it was clear the Bulls were tiring more than the opposition, and when Nyakane scored, it dawned on them that tries scored topped the log position if the game was tied.
100 minutes and more😤👏#CarlingCurrieCup #BULvSHA pic.twitter.com/M7cQsTk9Vv
— The Sharks (@SharksRugby) September 14, 2024
The final kick-off presented them another gift - this time Gerbrand Grobler taking out Katlego Letebele in the air.
With a minute to go, the Bulls could have kicked to the corner and backed their lineout.
But the ghosts of the second half still were there and Boeta Chamberlain stepped up to take a difficult, long range kick for the win.
It was always going to be a 50-50, but this time the Bulls were desperate and, as in their performance, it fell short.
The Sharks have the right to travel to Ellis Park for the final.
But the exhausted Bulls will be kicking themselves for another chance wasted, reminding all who watched that if you give your opposition so many opportunities to get back in the game, eventually they will shut you out of it.
SCORERS
VODACOM BULLS - tries: Keegan Johannes, Cameron Hanekom, Stravino Jacobs (2). Conversions: Johan Goosen (3), Boeta Chamberlain. Penalties: Goosen (4).
HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS - tries: Emile van Heerden, Bradley Davids, James Venter, Ethan Hooker, Andre Esterhuizen, Trevor Nyakane. Conversions: Siya Masuku (4), Lionel Cronje