Springboks-laden Sharks continue fine form as they edge out Stormers in URC thriller
Springboks skipper Siya Kolisi in action for the Sharks.
The Sharks continued their impressive form in the United Rugby Championship when they sealed a 21-15 victory over the Stormers in a thrilling derby in Durban on Saturday.
With 13 internationals in their matchday squad – including 12 Springboks – the Sharks were favourites to win this game, especially with the Stormers among the also-rans in the competition, and the hosts eventually outscored the men from the Cape three tries to one.
For the Sharks, Ethan Hooker, Siya Kolisi and Andre Esterhuizen crossed the whitewash while Siya Masuku added two conversions and Jordan Hendrikse also landed a two-pointer off the kicking tee.
Leolin Zas dotted down for the visitors and they were also awarded a penalty try while Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu slotted a drop goal.
Click here for scorers
The Stormers did most of the early attacking but had little to show for their efforts and it was the home side who drew first blood in the 11th minute when Hooker crossed for a try after good work from Aphelele Fassi in the build up.
Five minutes later, the Sharks took the ball through several phases deep inside Stormers territory before Kolisi barged through a tackle from Dan du Plessis before crashing over.
With the Sharks holding a 14-0 lead, the Stormers needed a response and that came in the 23rd minute when Feinberg-Mngomezulu showed his class by slotting a 45-metre drop goal.
Soon after that, Feinberg-Mngomezulu was forced off the field due to injury with fellow Springbok Manie Libbok replacing him and neither side would score points during the rest of the half.
A dramatic finish at Hollywoodbets Kings Park 😭🙌
This one is definitely for the books 🦈🖤@vodacom #URC #SHAvSTO pic.twitter.com/mCkwiHaPcw— The Sharks (@SharksRugby) November 30, 2024
The visitors were fastest out of the blocks after the interval as five minutes after the restart Zas crossed the whitewash after gathering a perfectly weighted grubber kick from Warrick Gelant.
In the 52nd minute, the Sharks thought they had another five-pointer when Hooker dotted down again – after the ball had gone through several pairs of hands in the build up – but his effort was disallowed after television replays revealed an indiscretion from Vincent Tshituka on Andre-Hugo Venter earlier on.
Despite that setback, the home side did not panic and on the hour-mark Esterhuizen dotted down after Kolisi won a crucial turnover in the build-up.
The final quarter was a tense affair as both sides upped the ante on attack. The Stormers spent the closing stages camped inside the Sharks’ 22 and were awarded a penalty try in the 78th minute when Fassi knocked on a long pass from Libbok to Ruhan Nel, close to the home side’s try-line.
The Stormers thought they had won the match when Libbok dotted down under the posts after several waves of attack from the visitors in the build-up. His effort was ruled out, however, after replays showed he had knocked on several phases earlier which meant the Sharks clinched the result – their fifth URC victory in a row.
The teams
Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Ethan Hooker, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Siya Kolisi (c), 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 James Venter, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Dylan Richardson, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Ethan Bester, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Corne Rahl, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Emmanuel Tshituka, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Jordan Hendrikse
Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Dan du Plessis (c), 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Marcel Theunissen, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ali Vermaak
Replacements: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Adre Smith, 20 Keke Morabe, 21 Louw Nel, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Manie Libbok
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
Assistant Referees: Christopher Allison (SARU), Hanru van Rooyen (SARU)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)