Photo Credit: Gallo Images
The Cells C Sharks won their 1st match of the 2020 SARU u/21 Championship to keep their title dreams in place.
The Sharks started the game like a house on fire and scored 3 unanswered tries within the first 20 minutes. At that stage, the Western Province was overrun by wave after wave attacks without any answers as the Sharks dominated all facets of the game at that stage.
After the 20-minutes water break and some stern words from their coach Western Province looked a lot better in the second quarter and as a reward, they scored their first points of the game.
With 10 minutes to go in the first half, the Sharks lead 21-07but the Western Province started to look dangerous with the ball in hand. The fourth try by the Sharks made the mountain the Western Province had to climb a lot worse and with a lead of 28-7 at halftime the Sharks were completely in control, seemingly on their way to a comfortable win.
The Western Province was the first to score a try in the second half, however, the Sharks was still in control of the game and ended the third quarter with 38-12 in the lead. The Western Province tried their utmost to catch up and scored twice in the 4th quarter, but the lead of the Sharks was just too much. The Sharks won 45-24 with the foundation laid in the first half.
Scorers:
Sharks: Tries: Thaakir Abrahams (2), DJ Falconer, Le Roux Malan, Fezo Mbatha, Evan Roos. Conversions: Boeta Chamberlain (5), Rynhardt Jonker. Penalty: Boeta Chamberlain
DHL Western Province: Try: Marcel Theunissen, Dian Bleuler, Andre-Hugo Venter, Jarrod Taylor. Conversion: Juan Mostert, Kade Wolhuter.
Cell C Sharks u/21: 1. Ntuthuko Mchunu, 2. Fezo Mbatha (c), 3. Francois Klopper, 4. Emile van Heerden, 5. Jeandre Labuschagne, 6. Adam Mountfort, 7. Celimpilo Gumede, 8. Evan Roos, 9. Vusile Dlepu, 10. Boeta Chamberlain, 11. Caleb Dingaan, 12. Le Roux Malan, 13. DJ Falconer, 14. Jean Roux, 15. Thaakir Abrahams. Replacements: 16. Cullen van der Merwe, 17. James Scott, 18. Hanru Jacobs, 19. Lunga Ncube, 20 Vian Fourie, 21. Daimon O’Connell, 22. Rynhardt Jonker, 23. Quan Eymann.
DHL Western Province: 1. Dian Bleuler, 2. Jason Alexander, 3. Damian Swartz, 4. Simon Miller, 5.Thys Kitshoff, 6. De Wet Marais, 7. Marcel Theunissen (captain), 8. Hannes Gouws, 9. Thomas Bursey, 10. Juan Mostert, 11. Angelo Davids, 12. Dan Aspeling, 13. Waqar Solaan, 14. Thoubaan Gabriels, 15. Sibabalwe Xamlashe. Replacements: 16: Andre-Hugo Venter, 17. Rynhardt Rijnsburger, 18. Dandre Degenaar, 19. Ruan de Beer, 20. Jarrod Taylor, 21. Gerado Jaars, 22. Kade Wolhuter, 23 Christoffel Grobbelaar.