The Hollywoodbets Sharks had to dig deep and arrest a 17 point deficit, and then fight to the death before securing a warrior-like 33-30 Vodacom United Rugby Championship victory over the Dragons on Saturday evening.
It was an entertaining game, full of drama and big hits, with the Dragons using their forwards to score their points and the visiting Durban side mixing up pace, guile and power to earn a deserved five-pointer.
The Welsh scored first, a penalty to get the scoreboard ticking over inside the opening 10 minutes and then just before the end of the first quarter, the Hollywoodbets Sharks finding themselves down a man to the sinbin, couldn’t sustain close-quarter defence as the home side pressured long enough to get over for the first converted try for a 10-nil lead.
Restored to 15 men shortly thereafter, a strong build-up, a penalty and then a tap and go saw Vincent Tshituka assisted over the line by his brother Emmanuel to halve the deficit, the conversion shaving the outside of the upright and the Dragons leading 10-5.
The score was cancelled out with a second Dragons’ try, the forwards again influential in closing out the five-pointer after a strong break outside from their speedy backs.
Three powerful scrums earned two penalties before the Hollywoodbets Sharks were penalised and the Dragons struck back immediately, again sending the ball to the outside and earning a seven-pointer to take a 22-5 lead just before the half-time break.
If the Dragons thought that was it, they were mistaken as some magic from Jurenzo Julius to get over the advantage line and then feed Ethan Hooker who combined well with Andre Esterhuizen, before Jaden Hendrikse took the last pass to score under the posts for a simple conversion for Siya Masuku to cut the lead to 22-12 before half-time arrived.
Five minutes into the second half Julius had a try confirmed by the TMO after Esterhuizen made good yards and drew in two defenders before making the offload, and together with Masuku’s conversion, it was suddenly a three point game at 22-19 to the home side.
Three minutes later, it was bonus point try time as Ethan Hooker collected a pinpoint cross kick from Jordan Hendrikse to canter over the tryline, this after penalty advantage from another brutal scrum from their forwards. Masuku converted and the Hollywoodbets Sharks were in front for the first time, 26-22 up.
Having conceded 21 unanswered points, the Dragons reverted to type, their forwards putting in a long series of pick-and-drives, eventually getting over for an unconverted try to take a one-point lead with 25 minutes remaining.
A rip off the ball when the Hollywoodbets Sharks were on attack led to a 60m turnaround before a penalty conceded saw the Dragons extend their lead to 30-26 with the final quarter left to play.
With the Dragons conceding seven or eight penalties on the trot in the danger zone as the game headed for its dramatic conclusion, the Hollywoodbets Sharks opted for a scrum 10m from the opposition line as they chased the victory.
After smashing away at the tryline for five minutes of extra time, the forwards were heroic on attack and the Dragons committed on defence, but eventually the dam wall had to break and it was Fez Mbatha who powered his way over for the match-winning score.
Masuku converted and that was the end of a quite exquisite fightback and the retention of their 100% record over the Dragons across URC history.
