URC result: Sharks too good for Zebre — Three takeaways

The Sharks beat Zebre Parma from Italy 38-6 in a United Rugby Championship match in Durban on Saturday.

The home team led 10-6 at the break and in the end it was a fourth straight bonus-point win for the Sharks.

Here are the key takeaways from the match.

Slow start

While the Sharks initially looked good, dominating in all areas of the game, and especially in the scrums, they found the going tough as the first half ticked away.

Flank Henco Venter scored an eighth-minute try from a lineout drive, but the Sharks would only add more points to their score in the 27th minute through a Curwin Bosch penalty.

Zebre fought hard, won some key scrum penalties and were generally a nuisance all over the field. Two Antonio Rizzi penalties made it a tight game at the break.

Aphelele Fassi

One of the Sharks’ biggest attacking weapons, fullback Aphelele Fassi picked up what looked like a serious leg injury just before the interval. It meant the Sharks were now without two key backs, as Makazole Mapimpi failed to start the game as he is believed to have incurred an injury in the warm-up.

There was also no Sbu Nkosi in action on Saturday night. Sharks fans and the coaching team will be hoping the natural state of the back-three is restored quickly.

Sharks depth and power

As difficult as Zebre made things in the first 40 minutes, they were outplayed in the second half, no doubt out of steam, having given so much earlier on.

The Sharks’ forwards finally got on top and with Bosch doing a good job of directing affairs at No 10, the home team enjoyed the majority of possession and territory.

They scored four second half tries and at the same time shut out Zebre, who never scored a second half point, to bag another win in the URC. It wasn’t a perfect performance, far from it, but it was job done by Sean Everitt’s men.

Scorers

Sharks: Tries: Venter, Mbonambi, Mchunu, Williams, Bosch; Conversions: Bosch (5)

Zebre: Penalties: Rizzi (2)