The Hollywoodbets Sharks XV extended their recent good form to record another Carling Currie Cup victory when they overwhelmed the NovaVit Griffons 75-19
In an entertaining game at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Griffons haven’t had the best of seasons and struggled against a focussed and way too powerful Hollywoodbets Sharks side who have sewn up third spot on the log as the competition enters the final round next weekend.
Things couldn’t have started off worse for the visitors, leaving the clearance kick to bounce and Springbok wing Makazole Mapimpi gleefully accepted the gift as he snatched up the loose ball and sprinted to the tryline, scoring the opening try within 28 seconds of the kick-off.
Lionel Cronje converted for a 7-nil lead, only for the Hollywoodbets Sharks to double the try count less than two minutes later, Jordan Hendrikse scoring with his second touch of the ball in the Black & White jersey, Cronje adding the extras and things looking ominous for the Griffons.
To their credit they responded in perfect fashion, the forwards initially mauling the ball up before a series of pick and goes which was rewarded just before the 10th minute, the conversion cutting the lead to 14-7.
The game was played at a furious pace, both sides revelling in the perfect conditions and to their credit, the first scrum only took place in the 12th minute. With an overwhelming 100kg weight advantage, it wasn’t going to be long before the Hollywoodbets Sharks benefitted and after the first engagement was reset, the second culminated in the expected penalty.
With the game headed for the end of the first quarter, the excitement continued as did the action and the dominance as a second scrum penalty gave the home side the advantage close to the tryline and after the initial tap-and-go, the forwards mauled the ball up before it was sent down the line to Mapimpi who dummied his way through the defence for his second try and team’s third, with Cronje making it 21-7.
The Griffons had to suffer further woe when they were reduced to 14 men for a cynical knock-down of the ball and from the ensuing lineout option, a lovely break saw Eduan Keyter put into space and there was no stopping the speedster as he rounded the defence for the bonus point try in the 24th minute.
With their defence under pressure, Cronje was next on the try-scoring tally, again a Hollywoodbets Sharks’ player put into space, exploiting the defensive frailties of the visitors and try number five was scored a minute later, along with the conversion for a 33-7 lead.
The next try took two more minutes, a clinical attack and the team looking like they were really enjoying themselves as Mapimpi went over for hattrick as his side raced into a 40-7 lead with over 50 minutes still to play.
The Griffons lost another man, again slapping the ball in the pass and they were in all kinds of trouble.
With the game losing structure, it was the Griffons who benefited from a lack of focus and they somehow crafted their second try out of nothing, to cut the deficit to 28 points.
The excitement continued, but neither side was able to trouble the scoreboard in the remaining minutes of the half and the two teams went into the changerooms with the Hollywoodbets Sharks leading 40-12.
Going into the second half, one of the best passages of the game resulted in a TMO-referred try for captain Nick Hatton, with slick hands and enterprising play on attack in the lead-up to the score, which was overturned on TV evidence. But from the ensuing drop-out, Jordan Hendrikse combined beautifully with Keyter and he showed his power to force his way over after making ground down the touchline. Cronje converted from out wide and the half century was beckoning with half an hour remaining.
As the third quarter headed to its conclusion, the Griffons did well to effect two steals on the ground, only to kick possession away and Keyter was once again too quick for the defence as he went over for his team’s second hattrick, the lead now 54-12.
Two minutes into the final quarter and Francois Venter got his first, some deft handling to keep the attack alive all over the park resulting in the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ ninth try with Siya Masuku, now on for Cronje at flyhalf, converting.
A set move off a midfield lineout saw Mapimpi sent into space and he punished the visitors as he raced 50m to score his fourth try, Masuku pushing the scoreboard to 68-12.
Not two minutes later, Jordan Hendrikse was fed the ball and unselfishly passed to Emmanuel Tshituka when he had no-one in front of him, allowing the big flank to score on debut, for a 75-12 lead with over 10 minutes remaining and the poor Griffons unable to provide any real opposition any longer.
The visitors salvaged some pride with a try in the closing stages of the game, some deft footwork to elude the defence to give his team something to smile about on a day where not much went right for them.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks XV will close out the pool stages when they host the Vodacom Blue Bulls at Hollywoodbets Kings Park next Sunday.
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