Boks power Sharks to victory over Exeter
12/07/2024 10:12 AM
MATCH REPORT: The Sharks kicked off their 2024/2025 Champions Cup campaign with a 39-21 bonus-point win over Exeter Chiefs in Durban on Saturday.
The home side outscored their opponents by five tries to three in the Pool One encounter with Springbok captain Siya Kolisi getting a brace.
It was a bit of a slow start by John Plumtree's side, but they eventually found their feet to outplay the visitors in the wider channels.
However, they won't be happy with their discipline as they received three yellow cards in the final 15 minutes of the clash.
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Both teams had their fair share of the ball in the opening minutes but they couldn't capitalise on good field position.
In the seventh minute, the visitors were reduced to 14 men when No.8 Greg Fisilau was shown a yellow card for a head-on-on collision with Aphelele Fassi.
The Sharks had their own issues in the opening quarter when they lost Vincent Tshituka and James Venter to injuries.
Despite being a man down, Exeter opened the scoring in the 14th minute when hooker Dan Frost powered over for a try from close range.
However, the Sharks hit back in the 20th minute when Phepsi Buthelezi sprinted to the tryline after some great interplay between backs and forwards in the build-up.
The home side found themselves in front a few minutes later when Fassi and Grant Williams sparked a great counterattack before the ball was spread wide to Makazole Mapimpi who sprinted in for his team's second try.
Moments later Williams was a finisher after he was on hand to pounce on an offload from Ethan Hooker and score the Sharks' third try and it all stemmed from some powerful runs from Buthelezi and Hooker.
Things got worse for the visitor in the 32nd minute when replacement Will Rigg got a yellow card for cynical play on the ground.
The Sharks eventually got their fourth try in the 36th minute when the ball was spread wide to Kolisi who had enough time and space to find his way to the tryline.
However, the visitors had the final say in the half when Frost scored his second try after a lapse of concentration by the Sharks at line-out time.
At the break, it was 26-14 in the Sharks' favour.
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The home side applied scoreboard pressure early in the second half with a Jordan Hendrikse penalty.
Things then got very comfortable for the Sharks in the 56th minute when the flyhalf pounced on a loose ball before passing to Kolisi who ran in for his second try.
The Sharks were reduced to 13 men with 13 minutes left on the clock after locks Eben Etzebeth and Emile van Heerden received yellow cards for repeated infringements.
The Chiefs also managed to score their third try of the match after Immanuel Feyi-Waboso collected the ball from a cross-kick to score.
Discipline let the Sharks down in the final stages and they were reduced to 12 men in the 71st minute when Eduan Keyter saw yellow for a deliberate knock-on.
Exeter nearly got their fourth try. However, wing Tommy Wyatt lost the ball in the Sharks' in-goal area after a pin-point kick pass.
The scorers:
For Sharks:
Tries: Buthelezi, Mapimpi, Williams, Kolisi 2
Con: Jordan Hendrikse 4
Pen: Jordan Hendrikse 2
For Exeter Chiefs:
Tries: Frost 2, Feyi-Waboso
Cons: Hodge 3
Yellow cards: Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs, 7' - foul play, high tackle); Will Rigg (Exeter, 32' - cynical play, playing the ball on the ground); Eben Etzebeth (Sharks, 67' - repeated infringements at line-out); Emile van Heerden (Sharks, 68' - repeated infringements, collapsing maul); Eduan Keyter (Sharks, 71 - cynical play, deliberate knock-on)
Teams:
Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Eduan Keyter, 13 Ethan Hooker, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Siya Kolisi, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 James Venter, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Eben Etzebeth (captain), 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Dylan Richardson, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Jason Jenkins, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Jaden Hendrikse, 22 Siya Masuku, 23 Francois Venter.
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Josh Hodge, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Ben Hammersley, 12 Tamati Tua, 11 Tommy Wyatt, 10 Will Haydon-Wood, 9 Stu Townsend, 8 Greg Fisilau, 7 Jacques Vermeulen (captain), 6 Ethan Roots, 5 Franco Molina, 4 Richard Capstick, 3 Marcus Street, 2 Dan Frost, 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Jack Innard, 17 Will Goodrick-Clarke, 18 Jimmy Roots, 19 Christ Tshiunza, 20 Ross Vintcent, 21 Will Becconsall, 22 Harvey Skinner, 23 Will Rigg.
Referee: Jeremy Rozier (France)
Assistant referees: Luc Ramos (France), Adrien Marbot (France)
TMO: Thomas Charabas (France)
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