The Hollywoodbets Sharks suffered a heart-breaking 21-17 Vodacom United Rugby defeat to Ospreys on Saturday evening after the two teams scored three tries apiece in a drama-filled clash.
Adding insult to injury was the loss of key backline player Ethan Hooker who suffered a dislocated shoulder after scoring a try, adding another player to an already devasting injury toll that has decimated squad numbers at the tail end of the competition.
Despite spending the opening 10 minutes under siege against a sustained and determined Hollywoodbets Sharks attack, it was the home side who scored first, their first real chance of the game and making sure of the opportunity with their scant possession.
But the pressure they had been exerting had to be rewarded and it was Phepsi Buthelezi who emerged from a powerful driving maul following an attacking lineout and Ospreys had no counter to the momentum the visitors brought, to cut the lead to 7-5 as the game closed in on the second quarter.
The Ospreys’ second try came about again after spending a long period of time defending, but after building up some momentum, a maul try in the corner delivered their second seven-pointer together with the conversion, and a 14-5 lead after half an hour.
But there was high drama to come as the Ospreys lost the ball on attack on the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ 22, Ethan Hooker received the ball and sprinted 60m all the way to the tryline with no chance of being stopped. Unfortunately, Luke Morgan dived on top of him after the try had been scored, dislocating the Springbok’s shoulder and putting paid to his game and potentially shifting the momentum, given Hooker’s massive contribution.
The TMO had a look to rule on foul play but found there was nothing illegal about the action, while Jean Smith converted for a 14-12 half-time score.
Hooker did not play any further part in the game, with his place taken by Makazole Mapimpi, himself a late replacement for Jurenzo Julius who was initially named in the team but had to be withdrawn due to injury.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks started the half on fire and were almost rewarded within a minute’s play, before Le Roux Malan lose the ball in a clash of heads and had to leave the field for an HIA.
Ospreys scored the first try of a helter-skelter second half, an intercept and from 40m out there was some work to do but making the transition from attack into defence count in the 54th minute to take a 21-12 lead.
Head coach JP Pietersen introduced Springbok front rowers Ox Nche and Vincent Koch and the pair had an immediate impact, forcing a heel against the head on an Ospreys’ scrum put-in.
A second scrum minutes later was even more devastating in its outcome, leading to a penalty. The third scrum had the Ospreys’ pack back-peddling near their tryline and the fourth was a non-event after the Ospreys lost a prop to injury, leading to uncontested scrums, certainly removing a strike weapon from the game.
A second try for Buthelezi, around the 70th minute mark, again the forwards too strong from a rolling maul and a repeat of his earlier effort cut the lead to 21-17 with 10 minutes left to play.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks found themselves down in attacking territory, having weather an earlier storm from the home side, but unforced errors took the momentum away and Ospreys were able to play the clock down and hold out for the win.