Sharks claim a (pretty) historic win over Lions

The usual clinical finishing of the Lions deserted them at Kings Park on Saturday as the Sharks, mainly thanks to the superb efforts of the defence, snatched a 31-24 win in their Super Rugby local derby.

The Lions were dominant in the first half and, leading 21-11 at the break, it seemed obvious that the two-time finalists would extend their seven-match winning streak over the Sharks.

But the profligacy of the Lions and the combative defence of the Sharks combined to produce an astonishing turnaround in the final quarter.

Two converted tries and two penalties from the trusty boot of flyhalf Robert du Preez sealed the win, the first against the Lions by a South African team since the 12^th round in 2015.

Who was the star in this match?

Lions hooker Malcolm Marx was the dominant force in the first half, but he faded in the second half in his first game since the beginning of May. Sharks centre Andre Esterhuizen, who shares many of the physical characteristics of Marx, then began bossing affairs. Marx had his head split early in the first half after a thunderous collision with Esterhuizen, and was on and off the field as his medical staff struggled to stop the flow of blood. But Esterhuizen was ever present and the fulcrum of the Sharks’ tremendous defensive effort. Several times he stopped Lions runners on the gain-line and held them up to win the turnover, as well as using his strength to power over in the corner to spark the Sharks’ comeback on the hour mark.

Key moments and themes

• With Elton Jantjies pulling the strings well at flyhalf, the Lions went 14-8 up in the first quarter as wing Ruan Combrinck scored and flank Cyle Brink barged over to cancel out a rolling maul try scored by Sharks eighthman Daniel du Preez. Jantjies was slick with his kicking and passing game, but was less influential in the crucial final stages with the Sharks dominating the gain-line.
• The Lions were actually quite economic in their approach for much of the game, using plenty of pick-and-goes and driving mauls to try and break the courageous Sharks. They gained reward for going wide on the stroke of halftime as flank Kwagga Smith was put away down the left touchline after great hands by Marx.
• The Sharks were rewarded for all their determined defence with interest in the final quarter, with their bench adding vital impetus. Esterhuizen scored after good runs by scrumhalf Louis Schreuder and flank Jacques Vermeulen, while prop Juan Schoeman provided a deft scoring pass; all three were replacements. Lions centre Harold Vorster then threw a casual, loose pass which was intercepted by Lwazi Mvovo, the veteran wing racing away to score.
• While Marx is indisputably South Africa’s first-choice hooker, opposite number Akker van der Merwe strengthened his rights to a place in the Springboks squad with a barnstorming display. He was everywhere on the field, performing heroic deeds both on attack and defence. Even the Sharks scrum, which creaked badly in the first half, ended as the stronger set-piece, with Schoeman also having a big impact.

Point Scorers

Sharks – Tries: Daniel du Preez, Andre Esterhuizen, Lwazi Mvovo. Conversions:  Robert du Preez (2). Penalties: R. du Preez (4).

Lions – Tries: Ruan Combrinck, Cyle Brink, Kwagga Smith. Conversions: Elton Jantjies (3). Penalty: Jantjies.