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Everitt lauds Bok class after Sharks’ win against Lions
"Mapimpi is probably the best left wing in the world and Lukhanyo Am is probably the world’s best 13."
Aphelele Fassi of the Sharks celebrates with Makazole Mapimpi during the team’s win against the Lions. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
The Sharks showed the value of having their Springboks back as they helped their side claim an entertaining 47-37 bonus point win over the Lions in a URC match at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Captain Lukhanyo Am led the side, with Boks Makazole Mapimpi, Aphelele Fassi, Sbu Nkosi, Ox Nche and Thomas du Toit all starting, while Jaden Hendrikse made a welcome return from injury off the bench.
The Sharks had so many internationals in their side, including former Australian centre Ben Tapuai and young Argentinean flyhalf Joaquin Bonilla on the bench, they were able to rest Siya Kolisi and Bongi Mbonambi for the game.
However the stacked team of internationals showed their class, with Mapimpi scoring a ha-ttrick and being named man of the match, Am scored a try and produced two try assists and Fassi scored a try of his own, while the rest all impressed over the game.
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“I think the type of rugby that you play also depends on the type of personnel that you have and having guys like Sbu Nkosi, Mapimpi, who scored three tries, and Aphelele Fassi at fullback, who was much improved from his performance against the Cheetahs, showed that,” admitted Sharks coach Sean Everitt.
“There will always be opportunities with those guys and they will nail them and that’s what happened against the Lions and why we won the game.
“These guys are the best in the world in their positions. Mapimpi is probably the best left wing in the world and Lukhanyo Am is probably the world’s best 13, so it’s just great that they can perform like that for their franchise and show that they are proud of playing for us.”
It was a close run match however with the game going down to the wire with the hosts, the Lions, just three points behind until a last gasp try from the visitors sealed a good win in the end.
“It was tense right until the end. The try that Lukhanyo scored at the end was a bit lucky as it was against the run of play,” said Everitt.
“But once again it came from good defence and a turnover and that took the game away from them, but we are just happy that we got the win up here at Ellis Park.”
