Manu Tshituka of Hollywoodbets Sharks celebrate as he scores during the United Rugby Championship match against the Lions in Durban on Saturday, altough his efforts were not enough to give the Durbanites a win. JP Pietersen’s dream start to life as Sharks head coach came to end in dramatic fashion at Kings Park on Saturday afternoon, when a try after the hooter by Junior Springbok scrumhalf star Haashim Pead secured the visitors a narrow 23-22 United Rugby Championship victory. The visitors started the match the brighter of the two teams, and flew into an early lead at a sun-baked but breezy Shark Tank, courtesy of a penalty off the boot of flyhalf Chris Smith in the third minute.
They were 15 points ahead a few minutes later when Lions skipper Francke Horn also crashed over in the opposite corner to stun the home fans into silence. The Sharks finally got on the scoreboard in the 15th minute, with skipper Andre Esterhuizen inspiring the fightback with a barnstorming run before Manu Tshituka crashed over the whitewash after a number of phases of play. Flyhalf Jordan Hendrickse failed to add the extra two points.
The Sharks were beginning to find their footing, and were winning the territorial battle. A bit of ill-discipline in the 24th minute saw a Lions penalty reversed, allowing the Sharks to take play up to the Lions’ five-metre line. They were made to pay for that indiscretion, after Bok skipper Siya Kolisi peeled off the lineout maul brilliantly to score the Sharks’ second try. Hendrickse made no mistake this time, to cut the visitors’ lead to three (15-12).
