The Hollywoodbets Sharks smashed the Ospreys into submission to earn a valuable 29-10 bonus point Vodacom United Rugby Championship victory at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Friday evening.
The penultimate round of the pool stages was an important one for both sides, not least of all the Hollywoodbets Sharks who, with their five log points gained from the game, secured a top four finish with a round left to play and a home quarter-final to look forward to at the end of May.
Boasting a powerhouse team featuring 12 Springboks, the Hollywoodbets Sharks were simply too strong for a game Ospreys’ side that came to play, but were undone by a determined Hollywoodbets Sharks side together with an energetic contribution from their bench.
Ospreys had a near perfect start from the kick-off, earning an early penalty which was sent through the posts for a three-point lead inside the opening two minutes of the game.
Jason Jenkins crashed over for the first try of the match after a scrum penalty was kicked to touch and the phase play was as determined as it was successful and with the conversion, the home side were in a four-point lead after 11 minutes, a lead they would not relinquish for the remainder of the game.
The Ospreys had a try disallowed by the TMO after Ethan Hooker had done sterling work on defence to dislodge the ball and force the knock-on, but they were showing dangerous signs of being a genuine threat on attack.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks suffered a major blow before the half hour as captain Eben Etzebeth limped off the field after earlier sustaining a knee injury and while he initially stayed on to try brave through the pain, he would play no further part in the game when it became clear he would not last.
What did last was the action as his team-mates rallied under adversity and a team effort culminated in Andre Esterhuizen scoring his team’s second try, a powerful break through the middle to score under the posts and hand Aphelele Fassi the easiest of conversions for a 14-3 lead after 33 minutes.
An intense first half closed out with the Ospreys looking to launch an attack that heralded points before half-time, forcing the Hollywoodbets Sharks to defend inside their 22 at the worst possible time to concede points, but heroics held out against the visitors’ determined last gasp efforts and the home side would take an 11 point lead into the break.
Vodacom Man of the Match Ethan Hooker went over for the third try after the Osprey’s defence failed to hold on to a high ball and the hardworking wing was rewarded for following up, with Masuku converting for a 21-3 lead with just under half an hour left to play.
Playing with renewed vigour in the second half, the Hollywoodbets Sharks continued to smash their visitors and give credence to home ground advantage, showing why Hollywoodbets Kings Park is such a fortress for the opposition.
But never write off a proud Welshmen and their forwards bound together to score their first try, a rolling maul off an attacking lineout and with the conversion, the lead was 11 points as the game hit the final quarter.
Initially thwarted close to the line, moments later the irrepressible Phepsi Buthelezi scored the bonus point closed out in support of a cross-kick to Makazole Mapimpi who read the situation perfectly to draw the defender and then feed his team-mate to score in the corner for a sizable 26-10 lead and the final quarter hour remaining.
The search for the fifth try was clear, but with no need to expend any more energy than they had already, a last minute penalty was sent through the posts by Masuku to close out a convincing performance for his team.