GQEBERHA. – The Sharks led for the full 70 minutes of their clash against Western Province on the third day of the FNB u18 Craven Week here, just to lose the match by 22-24 after the hooter.
Western Province’s fullback, Achmat Behardien, slotted a penalty from almost underneath the posts to give his side the lead for the first time in the match.
Only six minutes before Behardien’s penalty goal, the Sharks were leading by 22-7, and it seemed like WP was about to suffer their first defeat since 2017 at the Craven Week.
But like a cat with nine lives, Western Province managed to resurrect themselves just in time to keep their record of now 20 consecutive victories alive. They also most likely booked their spot in their seventh consecutive main match at the tournament.
The wheels were set in motion for the comeback with ten minutes to go when referee, Stiaan Marx, sent Dominic du Toit of the Sharks to the sin bin after he booted the ball away after his side conceded a penalty. Four minutes later, Marx awarded a penalty try after Lwazi Mbepe attempted to intercept a few meters from the goal line after Province set up camp in Sharks territory.
The Sharks were down to 13 players to finish the game with six minutes left on the clock and still two scores away from securing a victory. Lock Jean Dreyer crashed over for his second try with only two minutes left on the clock. Behardien converted to leave the door open at the slightest.
Sharks stalwart Wandile Mlaba (lock) was also sent to the bin for being offside while attempting to intercept a pass on the goalline. The 12 Sharks that were underneath the posts while Behardien secured victory were out on their feet after putting in a momentous defensive effort in the last six minutes of the clash.
The Sharks pack of forwards dominated up front, with Theo Boshoff (hooker), Mlaba, Jamie Wimble (eighthman), and Nicolas Salamousas (tighthead prop) leading the charge. The inside centre Alex Jankowitz also put in a brilliant performance, securing no less than four turnovers at the breakdown in the last ten minutes.
Western Province’s scrumhalf, Mikyle Booise, deserves a pat on the back for managing to feed his backline some possession while their forwards were on the back foot.
Scorers:
Western Province 24 (7) – Tries: Jean Dreyer (2), Penalty Try. Conversions: Achmat Behardien (2). Penalty: Behardien. Sharks 22 (12) – Tries: Theo Boshoff (2), Lwazi Mbepe. Conversions: Alex Jankowitz, Dominic du Toit. Penalty: Du Toit.
Eastern Province 32 (17) – Tries: Akho Tanjeni, Niel September, Erin Nelson, Micah Wessels, Luke Doyle. Conversions: Nathan Trytsman, Tristan Kemp. Penalty: Kemp. Boland 31 (17) – Tries: Anzio Brinkhuis, Jaydan van Niekerk, Anwill Jacobs, JP Lotriet, Simamkele Lahlekile. Conversions: Van Niekerk (2), Leigh Ekstraal.
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