Stormers given shock URC wake-up call by lowly Sharks

The United Rugby Championship’s last unbeaten record was wiped out in Cape Town on Saturday as the Sharks delivered a blunt reminder of their potential, overpowering the Stormers 30-19 to claim a bonus-point win in Round 10.

In a result that few would have pencilled in beforehand, the Sharks with just two wins all season dismantled the competition pace-setters, scoring four tries and exposing cracks that had heretofore remained hidden during the Stormers’ flawless URC start.

The visitors struck first, opening the scoring in the fifth minute when lock Jason Jenkins was driven over from a line-out maul.

The response from the Stormers was swift. John Dobson’s side punished the Sharks for a poor restart as Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu released Damian Willemse, who finished strongly for the hosts’ opening try.

The Durbanites regained control in the 12th minute when winger Jaco Williams crossed after collecting a well-judged cross-kick from Jordan Hendrikse. Hendrikse added the conversion and then extended the lead with a straightforward penalty five minutes later.

Points Flow Chart

Sharks win +11

Time in lead

0

Mins in lead

79

0%

% Of Game In Lead

96%

44%

Possession Last 10 min

56%

7

Points Last 10 min

5

Feinberg-Mngomezulu missed both a conversion and a penalty attempt, but he made amends midway through the half with a quick-tap penalty that again sent Willemse through for his second try.

Despite a frenetic remainder of the first half, the Sharks went into the break holding onto a 17-12 advantage.

The Stormers’ problems intensified early in the second half. Replacement lock Salmaan Moerat was yellow-carded in the 46th minute for repeated infringements, and the Sharks capitalised almost immediately. From the resulting pressure, Phepsi Buthelezi broke away from a maul to score their third try.

While the home side continued to generate opportunities inside the Sharks’ 22, their line-out malfunctioned at key moments. Hendrikse pushed the lead out to 13 points with a penalty in the 68th minute, before further discipline issues compounded the Stormers’ afternoon.

Replacement prop Sazi Sandi was sent to the sin bin in the 70th minute for a dangerous challenge in the air on Andre Esterhuizen.

The Sharks secured the bonus point soon after, with Esterhuizen finishing from another powerful driving maul to put the result beyond doubt. A late penalty try for the Stormers, awarded for a collapsed maul, offered little more than consolation.