The final match of the final pool match in the EPCR Challenge Cup would have no bearing on the Hollywoodbets Sharks first place finish, but they took home the spoils in emphatic fashion, beating the Dragons 29-9 on Sunday evening.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks went into this match top of the log and a 91 points differential advantage over second-placed Pau, meaning they had already done enough to secure a home match in the round of 16.
The game was tight and for three-quarters of the match, the winner wasn’t assured until the Hollywoodbets Sharks ran away with the result in the second half as they blew away their Welsh opponents in tough conditions.
The home side capitalised on some momentum on attack to force a penalty in the sixth minute to open the scoring with a three-pointer and then doubled their score with a second penalty inside the opening minutes of the second quarter following some aerial ping-pong in some pretty difficult conditions with the rain teeming down and the wind howling.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks struck back with venom, a sustained and sustainable build-up, a real team try featuring every player in the effort, patience and accuracy rewarded with the first try of the game in the 35th minute with Curwin Bosch converting to push his team into a one-point lead.
The dominance, particularly up front, led to the second try and it couldn’t have come at a better time, Ox Nche driving over from a quick tap penalty following an excellent forward-dominated effort that culminated in the score on the stroke of half-time to go into the changerooms leading 12-6.
With the tough weather conditions continuing in the second half, both sides battled to string together any sustainable attacking opportunities, with the third quarter characterised mostly by sending the ball into the air to force mistakes.
The only score came from the Dragons, a third penalty on the 60 minute mark cutting the deficit to three points with the final 20 minutes left to play.
The narrow lead was troubling before the forwards once more stepped into the breach and delivered, a 20m driving maul, shifting the direction and drive before Man of the Match Gerbrandt Grobler smashed his way over for the third try and an eight-point lead.
Le Roux Roets was too strong for the defence and he powered his way over for the bonus point try three minutes shy of full-time, the forwards once again dominating, starting from a scrum penalty, to a driving maul and then close-quarter smashing the ball up. Bosch converted for a 24-9 lead.
It wasn’t over and there was time for one more, just enough time – five seconds really – for a lovely break from the exciting Grant Williams before kicking the ball for Werner Kok to run on to, to close out a game dominated by the Hollywoodbets Sharks.