Sharks stutter past understrength Benetton
URC REPORT: The Sharks will return to South Africa with five points in the bag after a 29-7 win over Benetton in Treviso on Saturday.
After scoring three tries and going into the break 21-0 up, the Sharks found life tough in the second half.
They managed to get their bonus-point try with only one minute left on the clock.
Ruben van Heerden, Aphelele Fassi, Phepsi Buthelezi and Sibusiso Nkosi were the Sharks’ try-scorers as they replaced the Bulls as the top South African side in the United Rugby Championship.
Carl Wegner claimed a consolation try for Benetton, who remain without a win since beating Zebre on Christmas Eve.
Early Sharks pressure was rewarded in the seventh minute as Van Heerden drove over and Curwin Bosch converted.
The two sides were involved in a real arm wrestle before Benetton wing Rhyno Smith broke clear.
However, the Sharks’ scramble defence did their job and the Italians were shut out.
Benetton prop Simone Ferrari was making his return after a year out but he had to leave the action after 21 minutes.
The visitors were looking increasingly dangerous with ball in hand and manufactured a superb score after 26 minutes.
Flank Siya Kolisi appeared in the wide channel at the end of a free-flowing move and found Fassi, who beat the final home defender to make the corner in style.
Bosch successfully converted off the upright before Benetton were reduced to 14 men for constant infringement.
Alessandro Izekor was sin-binned in the final play of the half and the Sharks chose to go for the corner rather than the posts.
The move paid off as Buthelezi benefited from a driving maul and Bosch converted for a 21-0 interval lead.
The Sharks were within inches of a bonus-point try when prop Ox Nche got over the line but was unable to ground the ball.
Benetton breathed new life into the contest with concerted pressure that ended with Sharks skipper Lukhanyo Am yellow carded.
Wegner immediately crashed over and Tomas Albornoz added the extras.
But the Sharks, who have now won four of their last five away games in all competitions, finished strongly and Bosch landed a penalty before Nkosi secured the bonus point in the final minute by darting into the corner.
The scorers:
For Benetton:
Try: Wegner
Con: Albornoz
For Sharks:
Tries: Van Heerden, Fassi, Buthelezi, Nkosi
Cons: Bosch 3
Pen: Bosch
Yellow cards: Alessandro Izekor (Benetton, 40 – repeated infringements); Lukhanyo Am (Sharks, 63 – cynical play, deliberate knockdown)
Teams:
Benetton: 15 Tommy Bell, 14 Tommaso Benvenuti, 13 Joaquin Riera, 12 Filippo Drago, 11 Rhyno Smith, 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage (captain), 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Alessandro Izekor, 6 Matteo Meggiato, 5 Carl Wegner, 4 Nicola Piantella, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Corniel Els, 1 Federico Zani.
Replacements: 16 Tomas Baravalle, 17 Matteo Drudi, 18 Nahuel Tetaz, 19 Thomas Gallo, 20 Yaree Fantini, 21 Luca Petrozzi, 22 Luca Sperandio, 23 Andries Coetzee.
Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am (captain), 12 Marius Louw, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Siyamthanda Kolisi, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Retshegofaditswe Nché.
Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Khutha Mchunu, 19 Le Roux Roets, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 23 Werner Kok.
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Filippo Russo (Italy) & Alberto Favero (Italy)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)
Photo: @URCOfficial
Additional Source: @URCOfficial
