Sharks Record First Victory Of The Season

Following last week’s demoralizing defeat to Ulster, the Sharks bounced back to winning ways against fellow basement dwellers Scarlets at Kings Park Stadium in the Rugby Championship match on Saturday.

Under clear, sunny skies and in sweltering 28-degree heat, John Plumtree’s men managed to secure their first victory of the United Rugby Championship season. Whilst the result was favorable, their defensive frailties and lapses in organization left much to be desired.

There was one late change to the Sharks line-up as fly-half Siya Masuku was ruled out, paving the way for Jean Smith to start, while Hakeem Kunene moved to the reserves bench. The day also marked a significant milestone for Phepsi Buthelezi, who was in line to earn his 100th cap should he feature off the bench.

The first half offered no shortage of entertainment with both sides raiding each other’s tryline with frequency in the opening 30 minutes. During the week, center Andre Esterhuizen said they had a duty to entertain their fans, and they did exactly that.

The Sharks opened the scoring in the fifth minute when Grant Williams threw an exquisite looping pass to Vincent Tshituka, who crossed in the corner. The conversion was missed, leaving the score at 5–0.

Scarlets hit back in the 16th minute as South African Marnus van der Merwe finished off their first meaningful attack, and the conversion was slotted to give Scarlets a 7–5 lead.

Barely three minutes later, Manu Tshituka stepped past winger Ellis Mee with the guile and elegance of a top international backline player to restore the Sharks’ advantage, with the conversion added for 12–7. 

The lead, however, was short-lived. 

In the 20th minute, Blair Murray produced a moment of opportunism, great creativity, and individual brilliance — chipping over the top and capitalizing on some dreadful Sharks defending to regather and score. The conversion put the Scarlets back in front at 14–12.

Defensively, the Sharks looked completely disjointed — “at sixes and sevens” as their lines struggled for structure and communication. Despite dominating territory, their execution repeatedly let them down.

Momentum swung again in the 28th minute when Lee-Marvin Mazibuko bulldozed his way over the line, showcasing immense power and determination. The successful conversion saw the Sharks lead 19–14 in a frantic half that produced four tries in just 12 minutes.

Half-Time: Sharks 19–14 Scarlets

The second half began where the first half had left, with Scarlets striking early through Tom Rogers in the 45th minute. Exploiting yet another gap in the Sharks’ defense, the Welsh winger sliced through at lightning pace, like a hot knife through butter, from a move at the base of the scrum. While the Scarlets made it look easy, the Sharks offered little resistance in defense. The missed conversion left the game level at 19–19.

The Sharks reclaimed the lead four minutes later through Siya Kolisi, who finished off a classic South African maul. After securing a clean lineout ball, the pack drove forward, and Kolisi peeled around the maul to score. Jean Smith converted to make it 26–19.

Tensions flared soon after as Kolisi became involved in a brief scuffle with the Scarlets’ back-rowers, but order was quickly restored. The Sharks began to assert dominance in the scrum around the hour mark, forcing multiple infringements from the visitors who struggled to keep up from the set piece.

Smith added a penalty in the 64th minute to stretch the lead to 29–19. Scarlets refused to fold, though, and twice came agonisingly close to scoring. In the 65th minute, Dan Davis was held up over the line after heroic defensive work from Mazibuko. Just two minutes later, Johnny Williams was denied again, thanks to a determined defensive effort led by Jurenzo Julius.

With the Sharks’ bench now in full rotation, with Jaden Hendrikse replacing Grant Williams in the 70th minute, the hosts managed to see out the contest, closing the game with a degree of comfort. 

While the Sharks will welcome a much-needed first victory, they will be aware that improvements are needed, especially in defense, before they can mount a serious challenge in the United Rugby Championship standings.

Article by Riaz Hamed