OPINION: These nail-biters is what rugby is all about

“It could have gone either way. It didn’t go our way.”

Lions captain Francke Horn’s usual composed and cheerful demeanour betrayed a rare hint of melancholy as he addressed the media.

But who could blame him for his almost curt reply during an interview on the same field the Sharks were about to lift the United Rugby Championship’s (URC) SA shield for the first time, while his team finished stone last on a third occasion.

His scrumhalf, Morné van den Berg, chose to use words like “gutted” and “heartbreaking” as the visibly distraught man received his Man of the Match award.

Indeed, it must have been a gut-wrenching day for the Johannesburg side, a tragedy few playwrights would have the heart to pen.

The Lions had not lost to the Sharks in the URC since 2022, and drew much confidence from their six-try-to-two thrashing in Johannesburg the week before (final score 38–14).

Everyone knew it was going to be a massive game in Durban, but with the Lions missing stars Ruan Venter, Quan Horn and Henco van Wyk, few would have bet against the Springbok-laden Sharks getting one over the Lions at their home, especially with history in their reach.

Momentum swings in thrilling affair

Sure enough, the Sharks came out for blood in the first half, and after excellent displays from both sides at the breakdown and kicking for territory, were 17–7 up after 47 minutes.

And yet… the Lions clawed their way back into the game with two more tries and found themselves 22–17 in the lead with 15 minutes to play, tries from Richard Kriel and Franco Marais to add to Tapiwa Mafura’s earlier one.

A star-studded Sharks bench swung momentum back, however, and the game was 22–22 with 12 minutes left.

When Sharks wing Yaw Penxe received a yellow card in the 70th minute, momentum again shifted to the Lions who brought their advantage in numbers to bear.

Line breaks only ended in a knock on or turnover, however, and the Lions just couldn’t turn opportunities into points.

Penalty kick to decide it all

With three minutes left, the Sharks won a penalty and every heart in the stadium stopped beating.

Jaden Hendrikse, who had just missed a conversion from a similar position, stepped forward.

He had taken over from his brother Jordan in post duties after his younger sibling gave up after securing just one kick from four in the game.

Jaden, coming off the bench, had only the one miss so far. His kick blundered into the right post but bounced in, to everyone’s disbelief.

This thrilling nail-biter, much like the Stormers-Bulls game in Cape Town last month, is what rugby is all about.