SA fullback stars as Benetton smash sloppy Sharks

MATCH REPORT: Benetton recorded their first win of the 2024/2025 United Rugby Championship season with a 38-10 victory over a sloppy Sharks team in Treviso on Saturday.

South African fullback and former Sharks player Rhyno Smith was the star of the show for Benetton and he scored two of his team’s five tries during the 80 minutes.

For the Sharks it was a disappointing performance, and they now will head back to South Africa with just one win from their three matches on tour.

John Plumtree’s side dominated possession and territory for large periods, but they made too many mistakes with ball in hand.

The home side opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a penalty from flyhalf Jacob Umaga before Sharks flyhalf Siya Masuku levelled matters with a three-pointer of his own in the 18th minute.

Benetton started to look more dangerous with ball in hand as the first half went on and they scored the first try of the game in the 24th minute after wing Paolo Odogwu got the ball from a long pass and showed some excellent finishing skills in the corner.

Some more brilliant handling and passing out wide resulted in a try for fullback Smith in the 30th minute.

Umaga converted both scores and the Italians had a 14-point lead.

Just when it looked like the Sharks were going to score, Benetton turned things around to score their third try of the game and it came from a brilliant 50-22 kick.

After a quick throw-in, Ignacio Mendy was on hand to weave his way through the Sharks’ defence on his way to the tryline.

After Umaga’s third conversion, Benetton had a 21-point lead at the break.

The Sharks came out firing in the second half, but sloppy handling and a lack of patience on attack cost them dearly in the strike zone.

After the Sharks’ dominance with ball hand, Benetton took their opportunity to rub salt into their opponents’ wounds when Smith was put into space to run in for the bonus-point try.

Benetton scored a fifth try minutes later before the Sharks ended the game with a try from Ntuthuko Mchunu.

The scorers:

For Benetton:
Tries: Odogwu, Smith 2, Mendy, Marin
Cons: Umaga 5
Pen: Umaga

For Sharks:
Try: Mchunu
Con: Cronje
Pen: Masuku

Yellow card: Riccardo Favretto (Benetton, 79′ – foul play, high tackle)

Teams:

Benetton: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Ignacio Mendy, 13 Tommaso Menoncello, 12 Ignacio Brex, 11 Paolo Odogwu, 10 Jacob Umaga, 9 Alessandro Garbisi, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Michele Lamaro (captain), 6 Alessandro Izekor, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Niccolò Cannone, 3 Enzo Avaca, 2 Siua Maile, 1 Mirco Spagnolo.
Replacements: 16 Bautista Bernasconi, 17 Destiny Aminu, 18 Marcos Gallorini, 19 Riccardo Favretto, 20 Eli Snyman, 21 Sebastian Negri, 22 Andy Uren, 23 Leonardo Marin.

Sharks: 15 Jordan Hendrikse, 14 Eduan Keyter, 13 Jurenzo Julius, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Vincent Tshituka (captain), 6 James Venter, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Trevor Nyakane.
Replacements: 16 Dylan Richardson, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Corne’ Rahl, 20 Emmanuel Tshituka, 21 Bradley Davids, 22 Lionel Cronje, 23 Francois Venter.

Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Federico Vedovelli (Italy), Alex Frasson (Italy)
TMO: Colin Brett (Scotland)