It looked like the Hollywoodbets Sharks had blown their chance for a deserved win and would have to settle for a share of the spoils but Nick Hatton’s men showed their character by putting in Litelihle Bester for the try that clinched a 40-33 victory away to Lyon on Saturday.
The Sharks leave it late to win their opening #ChallengeCupRugby match 🦈🏉 #SSRugby https://t.co/hOyAKmr7AY
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) October 17, 2026
The EPCR Challenge Cup is the secondary of the two European competitions but that doesn’t mean there can’t occasionally be games of high quality and high excitement and this one at the Stade Gerhland was one of those, with the Sharks confirming with their much changed up team from the side that lost to the Stormers last week that they are on an upward curve on their graph.
Certainly the pre-season words of JP Pietersen were confirmed in indelible ink in this game. He spoke of how in the past a changed up Sharks team, meaning going almost second string, often meant they ended up resembling “a gathering of lambs ready for the slaughter”.
But the Sharks have much improved depth now and this game with a side that featured 12 changes from the one that was outplayed in Cape Town seven days ago confirmed that.
It was also most certainly another prime example of the much better attacking shape evident since the arrival of attack coach Scott Mathie, not to mention the energy and commitment that is flowing through the Sharks’ culture under the coaching of Pietersen.
The Sharks sizzled in the early minutes and retained the intensity of their approach right up to the moment, with just 15 seconds left on the clock, they restarted the game after the French team’s captain and scrumhalf Baptist Couilloud looked like he had snatched a draw for his team by scoring the try that drew the teams level on the 49th minute and on the occasion of his 200th appearance for Lyon.
The Sharks showed impressive patience not to mention drive and skill as once they got hold of the ball they built up the attack that finally, with the assist of man of the match Zekhethelo Siyaya after a strong carry closer infield from the Sharks found the space that sent Bester in for his second try and the match clincher.
The Sharks youngsters are on another level 😮💨🦈 Lili Bester is on the end of it for a stunning team try 👏 #ChallengeCupRugby | #SSRugby https://t.co/eMX0TeIX4H
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) October 17, 2026
Earlier it had looked like the Sharks had wrapped up the game with a Bradley Davids try in the corner after 74 minutes, which would have made the score 38-26 with less than seven minutes to go, but it was chalked off when the TMO called the onfield referee to look at what looked like an obstruction on Lyon fullback Gabin Lorre by Sharks lock Stephan Lewies, who was one of several Sharks players to be outstanding on the day.
Lyon grabbed their lifeline by sending in their skipper off a Lorre grubber with time just about elapsed, but there was just enough time for the Sharks to attack one last time and they got it right.
In truth, had they been just a bit more clinical, particularly in the last minutes of the first half when a combination of good Lyon defence and poor decision making kept them from scoring what should have been tries, the Sharks would have won with something to spare.
But any win in France is something to crow about and the Sharks can consider this an important win considering how it was achieved and given the way the youngsters held their nerve.
As his man of the match award indicates, fullback Siyaya was the pick, and he calmed any disquiet in Durban because of the departure of Luan Giliomee by swivelling through the Lyon defence almost every time he got the ball and capped his performance with an important try.
Hendrikse brings some style at flyhalf too now that he is back in the mix after injury. It was one of the better games Stormers loanee Suleiman Hartzenberg has played recently in his preferred position of outside centre. Jaco Williams added to the Sharks’ threat to Lyon from the back with his pace, and any number of forwards can be singled out, with the back row of skipper Hatton, Matt Ramao and Manu Tshituka being particularly impressive and influential.
Nick Hatton leading from the front 🦈🏉 The Sharks are keeping Lyon on their toes 👏 📺 Stream #ChallengeCupRugby on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw https://t.co/f0AKliUQS7
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) October 17, 2026
The Sharks powered into a 12-0 lead in the first quarter through tries from Bester, who ran around the short side from close range, and an intercept from Williams, before Lyon struck back with two converted tries, the second of them particularly well constructed, that put them 14-12 ahead.
The wheels on Jaco Williams 😤🛞 He reads the pass heads straight for the try line 🦈 📺 Stream #ChallengeCupRugby on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw https://t.co/WbEjPqwU1X
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) October 17, 2026
But the Sharks regained the initiative in the final 10 minutes of the half to regain the lead via Tshituka try set up by a scrum put in set up by a scrum penalty. As mentioned earlier, they then had scoring opportunities that if taken would have put them further ahead at halftime than 19-14.
Scores
Hollywoodbets Sharks 40 - Tries: Lilethile Bester 2, Jaco Williams, Manu Tshituka, Zikethele Siyaya and Nick Hatton; Conversions: Jordan Hendrikse 5.
Lyon 33 - Tries: Adrien Seguret, Monty Ioane, Gabin Lorre, Lilian Baret and Baptiste Coulloud; Conversions: Paddy Jackson 4.