The Hollywoodbets Sharks secured the South African Shield in a thrilling 25-22 victory over the Emirates Lions at Kings Park on Saturday. The win not only avenged their heavy defeat in Johannesburg the previous week but also saw them edge out the DHL Stormers in the Shield standings by a single point.
The Shield, awarded to the top-performing South African team in local derbies, marks a major turnaround for the Sharks, who failed to win a single derby match last season and finished near the bottom of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) table. This year, however, they won four of their six derby encounters, showing significant progress under head coach John Plumtree.
After struggling in recent seasons despite boasting a star-studded squad, the Sharks’ Shield triumph is a positive sign of their improvement. While they were eliminated from the Champions Cup at the group stage, the team has now added another trophy to their growing collection, which includes last year’s EPCR Challenge Cup and the Carling Currie Cup.
Plumtree acknowledged the contribution of the team’s equity partners, MVM Holdings, led by Marco Masotti, who have played a crucial role in rebuilding the franchise. “Marco Masotti will be very proud tonight, enjoying a fine bottle of red wine in New York. He has put a lot of time and effort into this team. It hasn’t been easy, but this is a step in the right direction,” Plumtree said.
Despite dealing with injuries throughout the season, the Sharks have shown resilience, and their latest triumph has them firmly positioned in the URC’s top four. While Leinster leads the overall standings, the Sharks are still in contention for a top-two finish, which would guarantee home advantage until the final.
The match was a tense battle, with Jaden Hendrikse stepping up in the final moments to slot a crucial penalty that sealed the win for the Sharks. Just minutes earlier, Hendrikse had nearly cost his team with a quick-tap penalty attempt that resulted in a turnover. However, he quickly redeemed himself by cleverly forcing a penalty against a Lions player lying in an offside position.
The Lions had initially taken the lead after capitalizing on an early mistake by Jordan Hendrikse, with fullback Tapiwa Mafura crossing the try line. The Sharks responded with a well-worked try from Grant Williams after a break by Siya Kolisi, but a missed conversion left them trailing 7-5.
Kolisi, instrumental in the Sharks’ resurgence, scored his first try after relentless forward pressure, putting his side 12-7 ahead. However, another missed penalty before halftime allowed the Lions to stay in the contest.
The second half saw Kolisi extend the Sharks’ lead to 17-7, only for the Lions to fight back with a try from Richard Kriel and a penalty from Gianni Lombard, reducing the deficit to 17-15. The visitors then took the lead when Franco Marais powered over, with Lombard’s conversion making it 22-17.
With the Stormers preparing to retain the Shield, the Sharks found a way back. A Lions handling error off the restart gifted them crucial field position, leading to a try by Nick Hatton. Hendrikse’s conversion attempt was off target, leaving the scores level at 22-22.
In the closing moments, Hendrikse held his nerve to slot the match-winning penalty, securing the Shield for the Sharks and keeping them in the hunt for a top-two URC finish.
Plumtree praised his team’s resilience, saying, “A week is a long time in rugby. I’m really proud of the boys. Last week, our pride took a knock, but they showed incredible character to bounce back.”
The Sharks will now turn their attention to their next URC fixtures against Zebre and Leinster at Kings Park. With star lock Eben Etzebeth expected to return, and the humid summer conditions easing, the Durban-based side will look to build on their momentum and push for a strong playoff position.
Final SA Shield Standings:
- Hollywoodbets Sharks – 19 points
- DHL Stormers – 18 points
- Vodacom Bulls – 17 points
- Emirates Lions – 10 points
URC Overall Standings After 12 Rounds:
- Leinster – 57 points
- Glasgow Warriors – 44 points
- Vodacom Bulls – 41 points
- Hollywoodbets Sharks – 39 points
- Munster – 33 points
- Cardiff Rugby – 31 points
- Edinburgh – 30 points
- Emirates Lions – 29 points
The Sharks’ Shield triumph is a major statement, but their ambitions remain much higher as they set their sights on the URC playoffs.
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