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Durban - The Sharks have given stalwart Jacques Botes the perfect home send-off with a thrilling 26-23 win over the Golden Lions in their Currie Cup clash at Kings Park on Friday.
As South African derbies go, this one did not disappoint as far as the ferocity of the tackles went and the general physicality, reports Sharks website editor Michael Marnewick.
It was highly-competitive and the three points separating the two teams at the conclusion of the game is reflective of just how tight the game was.
There was some exciting running from the Sharks who looked to attack from the get go, although it came at a cost when Paul Jordaan was tackled late inside the opening 10 minutes and had to leave the field injured which was a blow to their attacking arsenal.
However, the visitors went ahead through the boot of Marnitz Boshoff, kicking the first penalty of the game in the 15th minute after earlier having missed a drop-goal attempt.
As the game reached the end of the first quarter, a massive hit on the last defender allowed bruising centre Andre Esterhuizen to crash over for the first try of the game. The physicality in the process of scoring was very much part of the game as both sides smashed into each other with incredible passion.
Unfortunately, an intercept try by wing Ruan Combrinck gave the Lions some advantage on the scoreboard after the Sharks were reduced to 14 men, but a pair of Fred Zeilinga penalties brought his team to within two points and the Lions were unable to press home any further advantage.
At half-time, the visitors had a narrow lead, going into the break 13-11 ahead.
Fred Zeilinga kicked a succession of penalties early in the second half as his team were able to retake and build their lead as the visitors’ indiscipline was being punished on the scoreboard.
But a quick tap penalty from Stokkies Hanekom allowed the centre to score his team’s second try and the scores went level.
Unfortunately for the visitors, they were punished shortly afterwards as referee Pro Legoete pulled out the yellow card following an earlier team warning for slowing the ball down and loose forward Derrick Minnie received the second yellow card of the match.
The Lions continued to haemorrhage penalties and Zeilinga was able to put his side back in front with a seventh penalty as the game started to wind down into the closing moments, with the result not yet decided.
There were going to be some anxious moments negotiating the possibility of a third successive victory, with the Lions desperate to cling on to their second spot on the log, under pressure from the Sharks.
And although the visitors managed to spend the closing minutes on attack, they were unable to hold on to the ball, lost it forward and that was the game.
"well done to the Sharks, they played well.
"It was a tough first half, our set plays weren’t coming off and they killed us at the break-down," said Golden Lions captain Lionel Mapoe afterwards.
Tera Mtembu, captain of the Sharks, said: "It was a good win for us, but we have another tough one next week against Western Province.
"They aren’t number two on the log for nothing, credit to them, they kept coming at us for the entire 80 minutes.
"I’d just like to congratulate Jacques Botes for his record.
"He is an absolute legend, and his presence in the team has made it easy for me as captain.
"What a man! He’s a role model to all of us and I’d also like to say thanks to the crowd for your support."
Scorers:
Sharks: 26 - Tries: Andre Esterhuizen; Penalties: Fred Zeilinga (7)
Golden Lions: 23 - Tries: Ruan Combrinck, Nicolaas Hanekom; Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (2); Penalties: Marnitz Boshoff (3)
Teams:
Sharks
15. SP Marais, 14. S'bura Sithole, 13. Paul Jordaan, 12. Andre Esterhuizen, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Lionel Cronje, 9. Cameron Wright, 8. Tera Mtembu (captain), 7. Etienne Oosthuizen, 6. Jacques Botes, 5. Marco Wentzel, 4. Stephan Lewies, 3. Lourens Adriaanse, 2. Kyle Cooper, 1. Thomas du Toit
Substitutes: 16. Franco Marais, 17. Dale Chadwick, 18. Matt Stevens, 19. JC Astle, 20. Khaya Majola, 21. Conrad Hoffmann, 22. Fred Zeilinga
Golden Lions
15. Andries Coetzee, 14. Ruan Combrinck, 13. Lionel Mapoe (captain), 12. Stokkies Hanekom, 11. Courtnall Skosan, 10. Marnitz Boshoff, 9. Ross Cronje, 8. Willie Britz, 7. Warwick Tecklenburg, 6. Jaco Kriel, 5. Franco Mostert, 4. Martin Muller, 3. Ruan Dreyer, 2. Robbie Coetzee, 1. Schalk van der Merwe
Substitutes: 16. Armand van der Merwe, 17. Julian Redelinghuys, 18. Jacques van Rooyen, 19. Derick Minnie, 20. Kwagga Smith, 21. Mark Richards, 22. Howard Mnisi
As South African derbies go, this one did not disappoint as far as the ferocity of the tackles went and the general physicality, reports Sharks website editor Michael Marnewick.
It was highly-competitive and the three points separating the two teams at the conclusion of the game is reflective of just how tight the game was.
There was some exciting running from the Sharks who looked to attack from the get go, although it came at a cost when Paul Jordaan was tackled late inside the opening 10 minutes and had to leave the field injured which was a blow to their attacking arsenal.
However, the visitors went ahead through the boot of Marnitz Boshoff, kicking the first penalty of the game in the 15th minute after earlier having missed a drop-goal attempt.
As the game reached the end of the first quarter, a massive hit on the last defender allowed bruising centre Andre Esterhuizen to crash over for the first try of the game. The physicality in the process of scoring was very much part of the game as both sides smashed into each other with incredible passion.
Unfortunately, an intercept try by wing Ruan Combrinck gave the Lions some advantage on the scoreboard after the Sharks were reduced to 14 men, but a pair of Fred Zeilinga penalties brought his team to within two points and the Lions were unable to press home any further advantage.
At half-time, the visitors had a narrow lead, going into the break 13-11 ahead.
Fred Zeilinga kicked a succession of penalties early in the second half as his team were able to retake and build their lead as the visitors’ indiscipline was being punished on the scoreboard.
But a quick tap penalty from Stokkies Hanekom allowed the centre to score his team’s second try and the scores went level.
Unfortunately for the visitors, they were punished shortly afterwards as referee Pro Legoete pulled out the yellow card following an earlier team warning for slowing the ball down and loose forward Derrick Minnie received the second yellow card of the match.
The Lions continued to haemorrhage penalties and Zeilinga was able to put his side back in front with a seventh penalty as the game started to wind down into the closing moments, with the result not yet decided.
There were going to be some anxious moments negotiating the possibility of a third successive victory, with the Lions desperate to cling on to their second spot on the log, under pressure from the Sharks.
And although the visitors managed to spend the closing minutes on attack, they were unable to hold on to the ball, lost it forward and that was the game.
"well done to the Sharks, they played well.
"It was a tough first half, our set plays weren’t coming off and they killed us at the break-down," said Golden Lions captain Lionel Mapoe afterwards.
Tera Mtembu, captain of the Sharks, said: "It was a good win for us, but we have another tough one next week against Western Province.
"They aren’t number two on the log for nothing, credit to them, they kept coming at us for the entire 80 minutes.
"I’d just like to congratulate Jacques Botes for his record.
"He is an absolute legend, and his presence in the team has made it easy for me as captain.
"What a man! He’s a role model to all of us and I’d also like to say thanks to the crowd for your support."
Scorers:
Sharks: 26 - Tries: Andre Esterhuizen; Penalties: Fred Zeilinga (7)
Golden Lions: 23 - Tries: Ruan Combrinck, Nicolaas Hanekom; Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (2); Penalties: Marnitz Boshoff (3)
Teams:
Sharks
15. SP Marais, 14. S'bura Sithole, 13. Paul Jordaan, 12. Andre Esterhuizen, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Lionel Cronje, 9. Cameron Wright, 8. Tera Mtembu (captain), 7. Etienne Oosthuizen, 6. Jacques Botes, 5. Marco Wentzel, 4. Stephan Lewies, 3. Lourens Adriaanse, 2. Kyle Cooper, 1. Thomas du Toit
Substitutes: 16. Franco Marais, 17. Dale Chadwick, 18. Matt Stevens, 19. JC Astle, 20. Khaya Majola, 21. Conrad Hoffmann, 22. Fred Zeilinga
Golden Lions
15. Andries Coetzee, 14. Ruan Combrinck, 13. Lionel Mapoe (captain), 12. Stokkies Hanekom, 11. Courtnall Skosan, 10. Marnitz Boshoff, 9. Ross Cronje, 8. Willie Britz, 7. Warwick Tecklenburg, 6. Jaco Kriel, 5. Franco Mostert, 4. Martin Muller, 3. Ruan Dreyer, 2. Robbie Coetzee, 1. Schalk van der Merwe
Substitutes: 16. Armand van der Merwe, 17. Julian Redelinghuys, 18. Jacques van Rooyen, 19. Derick Minnie, 20. Kwagga Smith, 21. Mark Richards, 22. Howard Mnisi
