Masuku snatches sensational win for Sharks in Maritzburg
MATCH REPORT: Siya Masuku slotted a 50-metre penalty in the 85th minute to snatch a sensational win for the Sharks over Boland Cavaliers in a Currie Cup Round Six encounter at the Woodburn Stadium, in Pietermaritzburg, on Saturday.
Boland managed to take two points away from the KwaZulu-Natal capital – one for scoring four tries and the second for losing by seven points or less – to ensure they will finish the weekend in second place.
It was a game of enterprise and excitement, despite plenty of errors on both sides.
Boland came back from trailing 0-14 after 30 minutes to claim the lead with three minutes remaining.
However, a line-out penalty five minutes into the referee’s additional time allowed an ice-cool Masuku to slot the winner.
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* The article continues below …
The Sharks dominated the opening exchanges, but wing Phikolomzi Sobahle had a potential try scrapped from the scoreboard in the second minutes, the TMO noticing that he had put his foot into touch before grounding the ball.
At the same time Boland scrumhalf Louis Schreuder was shown a yellow card for repeated infringements.
Boland eventually started finding traction in the game, with as scrum penalty giving them their first real opportunity towards the end of the first quarter.
However, they were just not clinical enough.
The Sharks eventually opened the scoring in the 26th minute, hooker Jacques Marais getting the armchair ride from a powerful maul. Jean Smith added the conversion for a 7-0 lead.
Minutes later great interplay between Diego Apollis and Albie Bester in the midfield set up a second try for the home side, Bester finishing off the move. Smith added a second conversion, 14-0 on the half-hour mark.
Two penalties and a yellow card for cynical play against Sharks lock Coetzee Le Roux gave the visitors another opportunity.
This time, they were far more clinical, and flank Sauliegh Arendse finished off this maul. Fullback James Tedder added the conversion, 7-14.
Jean Smith made it a 10-point (17.7) game with a penalty.
Boland continued to dominate the scrums, and another penalty gave the visitors a line-out close to the Sharks’ line, but the home team defended this one superbly.
The second half started with Boland centre Lunathi Nxele being yellow-carded for an offside play and Smith soon afterwards landing a penalty to make it 20-7.
Boland hit back with a sublime try from Donovan Don, his eighth of the season, with a set play from a free kick. Tedder added the conversion to narrow the gap to 14-20.
That was followed by another powerful Sharks maul and Jacques Marais getting his second try. Smith made it 27-14.
Again, Boland struck back with a power play, prop Dayan van der Westhuizen finishing off a series of forward raids and Tedder again narrowing the gap to six points, 21-27.
With 15 minutes remaining, Smith had a shot at goal, after a high tackle penalty against Boland, making it 30-21.
Again, Boland’s forwards got them back into the game, replacement hooker HP van Schoor ending off another series of raids on the Sharks’ line and Tedder’s conversion making it a two-point (28-30) game.
That was followed by a yellow card for Sharks replacement Tiaan Fourie, for slapping the ball down.
Another penalty allowed Tedder to take a shot at goal with under three minutes left on the clock, putting the visitors in the lead for the first time, 31-30.
The Sharks now threw everything into attack, trying to go nearly 90 metres for the match winner and won a penalty that gave replacement Siya Masuku a shot from 50 metres out.
With ice in his veins, he snatched victory to deny Boland a sensational comeback, 33-31.
Man of the match: James Tedder and Juan Mostert, the latter for his game management and monster boot that got his team out of trouble on numerous occasions, deserve a mention. Deon Slabbert, with some crucial line-out steals and hooker Jacques Marais for his try double were also good value, as was flyhalf Jean Smith. My award goes to Sharks replacement Siya Masuku, who made a huge impact when came on in the last quarter and slotted the match-winner.
The scorers
For the Sharks
Tries: Marais 2, Bester
Cons: Smith 3
Pens: Smith 3, Masuku
For the Boland Cavaliers
Tries: Arendse, Don, Van der Westhuizen, Van Schoor
Cons: Tedder 4
Pen: Tedder
Yellow cards: Louis Schreuder (Boland Cavaliers, 2 – repeated infringements, offside), Coetzee le Roux (Sharks, 32 – cynical play, slapping the ball down), Lunathi Nxele (Boland Cavaliers, 44 – repeated infringements, offside), Tiaan Fourie (Sharks, 77 – cynical foul, slapping the ball down)
Teams
Sharks: 15 Hakeem Kunene, 14 Phikolomzi Sobahle, 13 Diego Apollis, 12 Albie Bester, 11 Paschal Ekeji, 10 Jean Smith, 9 Ceano Everson, 8 Nicholas Hatton (captain), 7 Jannes Potgieter, 6 Tino Mavesere, 5 Deon Slabbert, 4 Coetzee Le Roux, 3 Mawande Mdanda, 2 Jacques Marais, 1 Phatu Ganyane.
Replacements: 16 Willem van den Hever, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Bathobele Hlekani, 20 Matt Romao, 21 Tiaan Fourie, 22 Siya Masuku, 23 Jaco Williams.
Boland Cavaliers: 15 James Tedder, 14 Donovan Don, 13 Erik Lambrecht, 12 Lunathi Nxele, 11 Xavier Mitchell, 10 Juan Mostert, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Thurlow Marsh (captain), 7 Sibusiso Sangweni, 6 Sauliegh Arendse, 5 Jurie van Vuuren, 4 Michael Benadie, 3 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 2 Sidney Tobias, 1 Wayrin Losper.
Replacements: 16 HP van Schoor, 17 Mthokozisi Gumede, 18 Laurence Victor, 19 Ameer Hendricks, 20 Khwezi Mafu, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 David Brits, 23 Domenic Smit.
Referee: Dylen November
Assistant referees: Paul Mente, Giana Viljoen
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen
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