The EPCR Challenge Cup should definitely be regarded by the Hollywoodbets Sharks as the less important of the two competitions they compete in but it could well be that their opening round win over Lyon in France was the most significant moment in their season so far.
Yes, they won at home against the Ospreys and Leinster in the Vodacom URC, and they were significant wins in terms of getting them off to a solid start in their bread and butter competition. They were outplayed away from home by the DHL Stormers, but it was an away game, and it is debatable there is any scrumming pack elsewhere in the competition as strong as the Cape team’s is.
There was a lot of energy in the win over the Ospreys that started their competitive season, and the performances of young players was writ large. But it felt like the Sharks’ pronouncements about the changes that were becoming evident and talk of a renaissance were a bit premature - they needed to be subjected to a bigger test.
That test came in the form of the Stormers and they failed it, but when it comes to the Sharks’ improved depth courtesy of better alignment between the recruitment department and the coaches, and the talk of DNA, culture and attacking shape, which were considered absentees before, then Lyon was confirmation that what is coming out of Durban is not just hubris.
SIYAYA STILLED THE CONCERNS ABOUT GILIOMEE’S DEPARTURE
The Sharks team that played in Lyon featured 12 changes to the first choice team that played the Stormers. There were some veterans there to ensure calmness, and lock Stephan Lewies, who captained Harlequins during the time he spent away from Durban, showed in Lyon why he has been signed back to the club he represented as a younger player.
But it was also a day where the youth shone through, with Zekhethelo Siyaya delivering an outstanding performance in the 40-33 win that should end the concern about the departure for the Vodacom Bulls of the equally precociously talented Luan Giliomee. Doing it at Hollywoodbets Kings Park is one thing, doing it in Lyon in front of a hostile crowd and in an alien environment is another thing entirely and Siyaya was not the only youngster who stood tall.
RAMOA IS ON THE CHARGE TOO
Matt Ramao, one of Kevin Foote’s Class of 2025 Junior Springboks, was good against the Stormers even in defeat the previous week. He was even better in Lyon, and let’s not forget that the inspirational Sharks skipper, Nick Hatton, is himself only 23. It just feels like he’s been around forever, but that’s not true. Hatton had an outstanding game capped by a try.
Afterwards coach JP Pietersen was on the money when he said the performance showed the Sharks’ identity under his coaching and laid down a marker.
“If you look at the game, we deserved this win. We’ve got some really special players and it was a squad effort,” said Pietersen.
“There was fight for 80 minutes in the game and to finish it off like that was truly special.”
The finish that Pietersen was referring to was the patient buildup that led to the Sharks’ winning try to Lilethile Bester after it looked like Lyon had grabbed a share of the spoils with a last gasp try to their captain and scrumhalf Baptiste Couiloud.
The Sharks had been denied what looked like the match clinching try not long before that when Bradley Davids dotted down in the corner but the score was chalked off by the TMO review that adjudged that Lewies had impeded a French player chasing the kick. So when the scores were drawn level with just 15 seconds left at the restart, the Sharks could have been forgiven if they reluctantly settled for the draw.
SHOWED GREAT CHARACTER WITH THAT FINAL PUSH
Maybe previous incarnations of the Sharks would have done that, but not this one. They’d already delivered an intense 80 minute effort but managed to summon the energy for one last push. With the aid of some forceful running across the gain line, excellent ball retention, good attacking shape and a marvellous assist from Siyaya, Bester was put in for the score that broke Lyon hearts.
The way it was achieved was important for the Sharks, narrow wins scored late always build confidence and belief, and bring teams together. And so it should be for the Sharks, who did, as Pietersen said, show who they were.
Apart from the names already mentioned, there were other stand-outs, and Jordan Hendrikse made a timely and classy return to the No 10 jersey after recovering from his injury problems. Stormers loanee Suleiman Hartzenberg looked the part in his preferred position of outside centre too and always seemed in the thick of the Sharks’ best attacking moments and also when they were forced to scramble.
The Sharks move on to Cardiff now for what will be a testing URC fixture, with Cardiff difficult to beat on their home ground, but having won on the 4G Stade de Gerland surface the Durbanites can travel with some confidence. It remains to be seen whether they may get some of their Springboks back into their system this week, but even if they don’t the young Sharks team that won in Lyon has shown there isn’t much of a gap between the Sharks’ first and second teams any longer. And most importantly, the attitude is there.