The Hollywoodbets Sharks XV closed out their Carling Currie Cup campaign with a 19-13 victory over the visiting Airlink Pumas at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Friday evening to secure their third straight victory in the competition.
It was all about pride for the home team who had struggled in the initial stages of the tournament, but as the youngsters found their feet and built cohesion and resilience under the watchful eye of coach JP Pietersen, so they started to play with more freedom, creativity and forcefulness. For the visitors, a win would elevate them into the top four an a possible place in the semi-finals, a loss would keep them out of the knock-outs.
Both teams played their hearts out in pursuit of their respective goals, but it would be the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV who would take a deserved victory out of the competitive match.
Despite a dominant scrum and an effectively competing lineout, the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV found themselves under early pressure from the Airlink Pumas who lived on scraps but found a way to conjure something out of relatively nothing.
The visitors struck the first blow, earning a penalty that they converted for a 3-nil lead at the conclusion of the first quarter and then punished the home side moments later with another penalty, almost from the same spot.
There was a period when the Airlink Pumas were reduced to 14 men for an off-the-ball grass cutter tackle and the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV threatened numerous times to strike back.
A TMO-referred try was denied for a foot in touch in the corner and a jackal penalty for the defending visitors saw them ease immense pressure in their 22.
The final 10 minutes of the half saw both sides looking to pressure their opponents and there was some exciting play on attack, although neither side was able to turn territory and possession into points, with the visitors suffering the same fate as the home side with a TMO-referred call for a possible try in the corner, also denied for a try-saving tackle.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks trailed 6-nil at half-time, but would have accepted that a dominant scrum and possession stakes needed to earn more reward in the second half.
Fullback and eventual Carling Champion of the Match Yaw Penxe broke the deadlock in the opening five minutes of the second half, a loose ball calling for some soccer skills with the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV coming off best, Diego Apollis latching on after a few hacks from either side before Siya Masuku sent a clever grubber through for Penxe to carefully negotiate despite the attentions of the defence and then score to cut the lead to one point.
The Airlink Pumas hung on grimly under pressure as the momentum shifted to the home side and a Phepsi Buthelezi try off the back of a strong rolling maul from a lineout penalty as the clock signalled the start of the final quarter and then Masuku’s conversion pushed the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV into a 12-6 lead.
The visitors opened their try tally with an action-packed effort that started in their half off Hollywoodbets Sharks XV ball, taking back the lead with 15 minutes remaining.
But the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV struck almost immediately, the try of the game and just about every member of the team having a hand in the energetic build-up that Francois Venter finished off, with Masuku adding the two for a 19-13 lead in the 69th minute.
The Airlink Pumas went in search of a try that could win the game and propel them into the top four, while the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV chased the bonus point try to put the cherry on the top of an outstanding second half to their campaign.
Although they came close and couldn’t quite convert, it was a brave effort from the team and a fitting end to the competition.