Semi-final Bound
15/04/2024 09:16
The Hollywoodbets Sharks will contest the semi-finals of the EPCR Challenge Cup following their 36-30 quarter-final victory over Edinburgh Rugby at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday afternoon.
It was a game of two halves, a tight first half that favoured Edinburgh despite the tight scoreline, but the Hollywoodbets Sharks came out of the changerooms breathing fire in a rampant second half performance, sheer domination that blew the Scots away.
Although there were only six points separating the two teams when the referee blew for full time, a late charge from Edinburgh when they were 17 points behind and the result wrapped up masked what was a dominant performance from the Hollywoodbets Sharks.
First blood went the way of Edinburgh with a penalty earned on attack in the opening five minutes and they doubled it with a second penalty on the quarter hour, this time the jackal claiming the outcome of the breakdown.
The visitors' joy was short-lived as they scored soon after the restart, regaining possession from a high kick and then sending the ball out wide where Makazole Mapimpi beat the first defender, chipped ahead, chased and regathered before feeding captain Lukhanyo Am to run in under the posts for a converted try and the lead.
Edinburgh tried to smash their way through the Hollywoodbets Sharks' defence for a sustained period of attack, but could not add to their score, only to concede a second try before the half hour, James Venter scoring in the corner after a great effort from forwards and backs in combination, with Masuku pushing his team into a 14-6 lead.
Unfortunately, a litany of penalties for the visitors kept them perched on the Hollywoodbets Sharks goal-line before they eventually drove the ball over for their first try of the game in the 32nd minute, the conversion making it a one point game.
With time almost up in the first half, another penalty for Edinburgh got them back in front and the teams headed for the changerooms with the Scots leading 16-14.
Masuku kicked the Hollywoodbets Sharks back into the lead inside the opening 10 minutes of the second half after a healthy and sustained period of attack when Edinburgh were content to concede one penalty after another on defence, before making it a four point game, 20-16, on the other side of the last remaining half hour when the visitors once again infringed on defence in their 22.
With nearly 25 minutes remaining, hooker Bongi Mbonambi burst through a driving maul set up after another penalty was kicked to touch and try number three pushed the Hollywoodbets Sharks into an 11 point lead with the successful conversion as they led 27-16 after 57 minutes.
Masuku's boot continued to plague Edinburgh, as was the case with their indiscipline as he continued to heap pain on their semi-final aspirations, kicking another penalty with 15 minutes remaining to push the Hollywoodbets Sharks into a 30-16 lead.
The flyhalf added a further penalty nine minutes from time for an unassailable 17 point lead, Edinburgh having failed to score a single point in the second half.
That stat changed five minutes from time when they drove over from an attacking lineout, but by then, it was too late to chase the leaders, the conversion from Man of the Match Siya Masuku making it a 10 point game.
Curwin Bosch, on for his 100th game, kicked the Hollywoodbets Sharks into a match-winning 36-23 lead with a minute remaining, before a second push-over try from Edinburgh closed out the game.
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