Sharks second-half blitz downs Province in Currie Cup

A 15 minute second-half blitz from the Sharks helped them claim a 35-20 win over Western Province in their Currie Cup match in Durban on Wednesday night.

The teams went into the half-time break level pegging at 13-a-piece, but in the 15 minutes after half-time the Sharks ran in three tries and scored 22 points, pulling emphatically away from Province, who were unable to fight back in the end.

It was a slow start to the match, with just a penalty each from the boots of flyhalves Tim Swiel and Curwin Bosch seeing the teams locked at 3-all after 21 minutes.

The hosts then finally got the first try of the match as fullback Inny Radebe was put into the corner by scrumhalf Cameron Wright, with Bosch’s extras putting them 10-3 up.

A yellow card to Sharks wing Yaw Penxe then allowed Province to hit back emphatically first through a Swiel penalty, and then a good lineout maul got them close, with Swiel then sending a perfect cross-kick to wing Leolin Zas as he strolled over for a converted score and 13-10 lead after 35 minutes.

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Swiel was then sent to the bin with two minutes left for a professional foul, allowing Bosch to level the scores going into half-time.

The home side then utilised the extra man to their advantage early in the second half as flank Celimpilo Gumede crossed for a converted try and hooker Fez Mbatha went over for an unconverted score to put the Sharks up 25-13 before Swiel got back on the park.

However, the Sharks were not done as Bosch landed a penalty and wing Marnus Potgieter dotted down in the corner, with Bosch’s extras giving them a 35-13 lead, as the first 15 minutes of the second half yielded 22 points for them.

Neither side could manage any points for the next 17 minutes, until Province replacement Kade Wolhuter, on his return from injury, went over in the corner with Swiel adding the extras for the last points of the match as the Sharks saw out an impressive win.

In other games on the day, the Cheetahs beat the Bulls 38-25 at Loftus and the Griquas beat the Pumas 41-20 in Kimberley.

The Currie Cup log still sees the Bulls keep their place at the top of the table on 10 points after three games despite their loss, but the Cheetahs are now second and the Sharks third, both on nine points having played two games each.