Masuku sends Sharks to Challenge Cup final
04/05/2024 14:30
The Sharks came back from a 13-point second-half deficit to beat Clermont and seal a place in the Challenge Cup final in London on Saturday.
Having trailed 31-18 early in the second half, the Sharks produced an incredible comeback, with Siya Masuku slotting a crucial 72nd-minute conversion from the touchline to snatch a 32-31 victory at Twickenham Stoop.
The Sharks will face either Gloucester or Benetton in the final on 24 May at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with a place in next season’s Champions Cup also up for grabs.
From the one-point winning margin, to the end-to-end intensity, the game mirrored the Springboks’ victory over France at the 2019 World Cup.
Much like that game, this one went down to a battle of the kickers, as Masuku thrived where Clermont’s Anthony Belleau slipped up.
In a man-of-the-match performance, the Sharks flyhalf kicked a haul of 22 points, including all 18 of his side’s points in the first half.
Crucially, Belleau missed a penalty when Clermont were 31-25 up after Aphelele Fassi was yellow-carded in the 65th minute for taking a player out without the ball.
Despite playing with 14 men during Fassi’s sin-binning, the Sharks not only avoided conceding a point, but worked the winning try, with their World Cup winners having a hand. Eben Etzebeth soared to win a contestable kick on the halfway line, before Lukhanyo Am set Makazole Mapimpi free for a try in the left corner.
Clermont, who held a deserved 28-18 lead at half time, will be wondering how they let this one go, as they carved the Sharks apart in the first half and threatened to do the same in the second half.
Winger Joris Jurand scored a first-half brace, as the Sharks defence was at sixes and sevens in the first half, with Australian fullback Alex Newsome also crossing the tryline for Clermont.
The French side also did well to match and, at times, overpower the Sharks at the set-piece, with French tighthead Rabah Slimani winning his battle against Ox Nche.
However, the Sharks showed incredible tenacity to stay in the fight, as Vincent Koch reached over for a try after a long period of pressure to cut the deficit to six points going into the final quarter of the match.
Clermont dominated possession in the closing stages, with the Sharks having to make tackle after tackle, eventually forcing their opponents into touch to bring an end to an enthralling contest.
Photo: Patrick Khachfe/Getty Images
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