Sharks storm back and then hold on

A quick-fire hat-trick of tries from lock Reniel Hugo set up a thrilling 33-30 come-from-behind win for the Cell C Sharks over the DHL Stormers in an action packed and memorable opening game to Rainbow Cup SA at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

It was a match that had everything - good control from the Stormers in the first half, two red cards that helped change the course of the game, a thrilling rally from the Durbanites as they turned over a big deficit with 26 unanswered points, and then a let off for the Sharks right at the end when they themselves were down to 14 men and the hosts should really have clinched the winner.

Let’s start with that end point first. The Sharks were leading 33-30 going into the last play of the game, with the Stormers doing well to keep the ball alive through several phases as they stretched the Sharks’ defensive system.

A kick through set up what looked like an easy winning try for Stormers centre Ruhan Nel, only for the Blitzbok to dive unnecessarily - he really had plenty of time to dot down properly - and fail to get the required downward pressure.

The muted way the Sharks greeted that moment and the final whistle suggested they were relieved rather than elated and they will know they nearly let the gifts presented to them in this game by the Stormers’ poor discipline slip from their grasp.

FIRST CAPTAIN'S REFERRAL IN SA

It was indeed an absorbing and telling last eight minutes of the game, with the Stormers coming back from a 10-point deficit to score a try to Damian Willemse that was created by a pin-point cross kick from replacement flyhalf Abner van Reenen. And it included the first captain’s referral to be seen in South Africa.

Ernst van Rhyn, leading the Stormers after Steven Kitshoff had been replaced, successfully got the match officials to turn over what had initially been a Sharks penalty with four minutes of the game remaining.

The Stormers were awarded the penalty and Van Reenen wasted that lifeline by missing touch, but they had a chance to still pull off the win.

A win for the Cape team in their first competitive outing at Cape Town Stadium looked assured for most of the first half.

They started off in assured mood and after starting No 10 Kade Wolhuter had kicked an early penalty, there was a good try from Herschel Jantjies after Nel had made the initial surge in the eighth minute, and then a break from Wolhuter off a short side move set up Rickus Pretorius on his inside for the try.

That was after the Stormers had already poached their first lineout against the Sharks lineout throw and with a 17-0 after just 12 minutes everything was going well for them.

It was in the next minute though that they made their first false step, with Seabelo Senatla being rightly red carded for a reckless challenge on an airborne Sharks fullback Aphelele Fassi.

There is a new experiment being tried in Rainbow Cup where a red carded player gets replaced by a teammate after 20 minutes.

So there was a lifeline, but for 10 of those 20 minutes the Stormers were down to 13 men after Willie Engelbrecht, their new No 8, was yellow carded for a high tackle.

The Sharks took immediate advantage of their advantage in numbers as a strong drive from Siya Kolisi near the line set up Thomas du Toit for the try to cut the deficit to 10 points after 16 minutes.

But the Stormers, even when down in numbers, were still showing impressive control, and they showed it when Wolhuter kicked penalties in the 19th and 25th minutes to stretch the score to 23-7.

After his impeccable showing to that point, the youngster then missed two kickable opportunities in succession, but the Stormers advantage was enough to suggest it wouldn’t matter.

TURNING POINT

The turning point arguably came shortly before halftime when a neat lineout move which featured Kolisi opening a gap on his inside saw hooker Fez Mbatha over for his team’s second try.

Tries on the stroke of halftime are always psychological lifts for the team that scores them and a blow to those who concede them, and the Sharks would have felt they were back in the game even though the Stormers led 23-12 at the break.

With the game back at 15 against 15 it looked to be business as usual for the Stormers as they camped for the first six minutes of the second half in the Sharks 22.

They came really close to scoring on one occasion through new recruit Marvin Orie, who enjoyed an impressive Stormers debut.

But then for the first time in the match the Sharks showed the impressive running and handling that they can put into their long-range counters and a break out led ultimately to a try on the other end for Hugo after the Sharks had set up an attacking lineout from the resultant penalty.

SECOND RED

That was followed quickly by the second red card, with Engelbrecht being sent off after incurring his second yellow from another poor tackle attempt.

That seemed to really stun the Stormers and the two Sharks tries, the next two scored by Hugo, came quickly.

Suddenly the Sharks, who were error-ridden in the first half, saw their passes kicking, and the Stormers were making mistakes and falling off tackles.

The momentum shift saw the Sharks propel themselves from what was effectively a 16-point deficit shortly before halftime to a 33-23 lead after 54.

It was effectively 26 unanswered points in 16 minutes and it underlined just how dangerous this Sharks team could be with their commitment to keep ball in hand.

For the Stormers, for whom apart from Wolhuter, who was excellent before sustaining what unfortunately looks a serious injury in the second half, flankers Nama Xaba and Pieter-Steph du Toit were the standouts, it was a disappointing start to the competition as well as life in their new home.

But they will console themselves with the knowledge that for much of the game they showed the potential to be contenders.

They are going to have to get back on the horse quickly though for the Bulls are heading to Cape Town next weekend.

The Sharks will return to Durban knowing they were given a bit of a leg up by the indiscipline of their opponents and that they only really put their game together for 16 minutes.

Those 16 minutes though were impressive enough to give them great confidence and after all this was an away win for them.

Scores

Cell C Sharks 33 - Tries: Thomas du Toit, Fez Mbatha and Reniel Hugo 3; Conversions: 4.

DHL Stormers 30 - Tries: Herschel Jantjies, Rickus Pretorius and Damian Willemse; Conversions: Kade Wolhuter 2 and Abner van Reenen; Penalties: Kade Wolhuter 3.