The Cell C Sharks showed great heart in their 19-12 Currie Cup victory over the visiting Airlink Pumas at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in a tense clash on Friday evening.
The victory for the Cell Sharks consigned the Pumas to their first defeat of this year’s Currie Cup, taking great guts and determination.
Having controlled the game in its entirety in the first half, the Cell C Sharks enjoyed a sizable lead, had kept the Pumas scoreless and had every right to believe the victory was theirs. But a strong rear-guard action from the visitors in the second half closed the half-time gap and they threatened what would have been a monumental upset given how the game had gone in the first 40.
The opening minutes were filled with high intensity drama with both sides playing positive rugby and the Cell C Sharks scoring the first points inside five minutes, Fred Zeilinga converting a penalty with Marnus Potgieter earlier cut down just metres short of the tryline.
The visitors’ discipline started costing them as they afforded the home side numerous opportunities to work their way out their 22 and downfield, before the forwards rumbled the ball up and then scrumhalf Tiaan Fourie managed to force his way over the tryline, converted by Zeilinga for a 10-nil lead inside the opening 10 minutes.
A further couple of penalties conceded by the Pumas led to a team warning for repeated infringements and another three points for Zeilinga.
With a near-perfect execution of their game plan and the sheer dominance in the opening quarter, it was interesting to note that the first scrum of the game came in only the 20th minute, another dominant effort from the hosts as they continued to hold the upper hand against the defending champs.
A third scrum penalty took place in a kickable position in the 35th minute and there was no hesitation in sending it through the posts as half-time loomed and another opportunity to put more distance between themselves and the log leaders.
The Pumas had two late opportunities to conjure up some points but failed both times and had to go into the changerooms having been denied a solitary point, while the Cell C Sharks were full value for their 16 point lead.
Sensing that the game was slipping away from them, the Pumas came out in the second half with greater intensity and after conceding a couple of penalties trying to defend the rolling maul, the CelL C Sharks conceded a penalty try, and to add insult to injury, lost a player to a yellow card and another a red card.
Zeilinga maintained his 100% kicking record with a fourth penalty after a brave 13 against 15 effort had the Pumas defending their tryline and eventually allowing the Cell C Sharks to take a 19-7 lead as the game approached the final quarter.
Five minutes later the Pumas had their second try, another strong lineout maul to cut the deficit to a converted try.
Although the momentum had shifted, there was one area the Cell C Sharks could not be faulted: their courageous defence. Every player laid his body on the line and defended as if it were a final.
The Pumas may be commended for their fightback. For the Cell C Sharks, their fight. This was a huge win in the context of the competition.