The Hollywoodbets Sharks inflicted back-to-back Vodacom United Rugby Championship bonus point victories over the DHL Stormers as they earned a 36-24 victory at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday.
Victories over the DHL Stormers have been rare and before last weekend, the Cape side had led the log table, having won every game in the championship. That undefeated run was brought to a grinding halt last week in Cape Town, and the brave Hollywoodbets Sharks followed that win up with a home win this weekend to show just how much the tournament means to this team.
The match couldn’t have started off on a tougher note as the DHL Stormers earned an early penalty, took a quick tap and were over the tryline inside 25 seconds for a dream start.
But a litany of penalties conceded on defence in their 22 saw the visitors lose a man to the sin bin during a period when there were two charge-downs, stolen lineouts and numerous other mistakes from both sides in the intense heat both in battle and from the weather which made ball-handling terribly challenging.
But the pressure finally took its toll with Grant Williams taking a quick tap penalty and having a lot to do, but having the nous and power to get over, with Jordan Hendrikse doing what his opposite number couldn’t as he converted for a 7-5 lead after 10 minutes of exciting play.
The DHL Stormers took a one-point lead with a penalty on the quarter hour mark and then stretched it to 11-7 five minutes later with a second penalty for a breakdown infringement.
But once again the Hollywoodbets Sharks struck back emphatically, building a strong head of steam with a determined forward battle that took the ball close to the tryline before Ethan Hooker took control and dived over for the second try, the conversion pushing the home side into a 14-11 lead with 15 minutes of the first half remaining.
The DHL Stormers looked to have struck back on the half hour after conceding two attacking lineouts in the 22, but a TMO-referral denied the try for an off-the-ball tackle in the lead-up to the score.
A 50m penalty equalised matters with two minutes of the combative first half remaining and then the DHL Stormers went 17-14 ahead with another long-range penalty two minutes into extra time to go into the half-time break with a three-point lead.
The second half started out much like the first with an early try for the visitors as they stretched their lead to 10 points, but Andre Esterhuizen ghosted through the defence at short range after a sustained period of pressure that resulted in his team’s third try with more than half an hour remaining. The try and conversion, along with a second yellow card for repeated infringements was a double blow for the Cape Town side who now only enjoyed a three-point lead with a man down.
The bonus point try came a handful of moments later, this time Jaco Williams scything through to score a vital try as the DHL Stormers continued to leak penalties and get punished for it. After Hendrikse converted, the Hollywoodbets Sharks had a 28-24 lead with an enticing 25 minutes left to play.
A scrum penalty sent through the posts by Hendrikse to retain his 100% success record off the tee pushed his side into a seven-point lead with just on 10 minutes remaining.
The DHL Stormers then committed the ultimate error, not making sure of grounding the ball behind the tryline as Jaco Williams came thundering towards the ball, getting his hand on top and the TMO confirming the mistake and with it, the result as the Hollywoodbets Sharks stretched the lead to 36-24 with eight minutes remaining.
The visitors hammered away in those dying moments in search of a losing bonus point but a combination of failures and some stern defence counted against them as they lost a second consecutive match to a resurgent Hollywoodbets Sharks side.
Captain Andre Esterhuizen, also named Vodacom Man of the Match, alluded to the difficult conditions, as well as the bravery his team showed in a match of epic proportions.
“It felt like a test match out there, especially in the first half which was a bit frustrating. But we knew that if we just stuck to the plan in the second half, things would come off. We put them under pressure in the air with our kicking game, especially in the conditions, knowing we might get reward, and that paid off. It was very wet and slippery out there.
“I’m really happy with the performance from the boys, they really showed a lot of guts to fight back in the second half.”