An enthusiastic Hollywoodbets Sharks Invitational went down to the visiting Saracens team 38-26 in a friendly hit-out at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Friday.
It was a tight first half before the home side appeared to be running away from the visitors, only for the touring Saracens side to pull it back later in the game to end up victorious.
Early pressure from the visitors had the hosts under attack before they conceded the first try of the game in the opening five minutes.
Not long afterwards, a lovely sweeping movement across the pitch saw Jaco Williams managing to burst through the defence to equalise.
The game remained deadlocked at 5-all for the remainder of the half, with both sides showing some intensity on attack but an element of ring-rustiness proved to hamper efforts, although it was the Hollywoodbets Sharks who looked most dangerous, twice being ruled held-up over the tryline with some convincing efforts that game the visitors a big scare.
For Saracens, the warm Durban weather played its role, the ball slippery and playing a role in their inability to build pressure on attack.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks Invitational went ahead in the third minute of the second half, a rolling maul setting them for the score, the ball went wide quickly and then inside to Tino Mavesere who danced his way through the defence at close quarters to score the second try, with flyhalf Chris Horak converting.
Moments later with Saracens on attack, a long pass was intercepted by Hakeen Kunene who sprinted the 60-odd metres to score, outstripping the defence that was in disarray and scoring under the posts for Horak to add the extras, his team having built up a sizable 19-5 lead with just over half an hour remaining.
As the game approached the final quarter, some intensity on attack paid off for the Saracens as they launched a high-paced effort down the right flank and swift hands and an educated grubber set up their second try, converted from out wide to cut the lead to 19-12.
Moments later, confusion behind the breakdown saw Saracens turn the ball over and snatch possession in the Hollywoodbets Sharks Invitational 22 and the ball was sent wide swifty into the far corner, the conversion levelled matters at 19-all with 17 minutes remaining.
Saracens had the hattrick of second half tries five minutes later as their confidence started to grow, the conversion pushing them into a 26-19 lead.
Two more tries in the closing 10 minutes sealed the victory for the visitors, but the Hollywoodbets Sharks Invitational had the last say, hammering away at the Saracens’ tryline for the closing minutes before ever-present Matt Romao found himself in space and there was no stopping him in the final play. The conversion was successful and the game closed out with Saracens taking the spoils.