The Hollywoodbets Sharks XV collected five points to move to third on the Currie Cup log with a 31-23 over a struggling Western Province XV.
Jurie Matthee opened the scoring for WP with his second attempt at converting a penalty after just five minutes of play in the first half.
The Sharks clawed their way back, and following an extended time of pressure, Bradley Davids took a quick tap five meters from the WP tryline and spread it wide to flanker Tino Mavesere, who strolled over for the Sharks' first try of the match.
The two teams were involved in a scrappy arm wrestle for the next twenty minutes of the first half, with the Sharks maybe just the "dominant' team, until individual brilliance by Jurenzo Julius gave him enough space to stroll over for the Sharks' second try to extend their lead to 14-03 and eight minutes to play in the first half.
Sharks captain Nick Hatton scored the Sharks third try to extend their lead to 21-03, to which the WP replied immediately when Kyle Smith controlled a knock-on from Jurenzo Julius to score the WP's first try to go into the second half trailing 21-10.
WP made a good start to the second half, and Jurie Matthee converted his second penalty of the match after six minutes of play in the second half to cut the Sharks' lead to 21-13.
The Sharks continued their dominance as they set up camp in WP's red zone, however, a break-out by WP led to a third penalty converted by Jurie Matthee to cut the Sharks' lead to 21-16 and twenty minutes still to play.
However, the Sharks put Eduan Keyter into space down the touchline, who scored the Sharks' bonus-point try to extend the Sharks lead to 28-16 and twelve minutes still to play in the match.
The final fifteen minutes of the match was an error-ridden period, and despite WP's Vernon Matongo scoring their second try, a dropgoal by Lionel Cronje secured a 31-23 win for the Sharks.
Scorers:
DHL Western Province: Tries: Kyle Smith, Vernon Matongo. Conversions: Jurie Matthee (2). Penalties: Jurie Matthee (3).
Hollywoodbets Sharks XV: Tries: Tino Mavesere, Jurenzo Julius, Nick Hatton, Eduan Keyter. Conversions: Lionel Cronje (4). Drop Goal: Lionel Cronje.
Teams
DHL Western Province: 15 Luke Burger, 14 Courtnal Skosan, 13 Gino Cupido, 12 Kyle Smith, 11 Joel Leotlela, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Willie Engelbrecht (c), 7 Louw Nel, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Andre Goedhals, 4 Enos Ndiao, 3 Zachary Porthen, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Vernon Matongo. Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Mhleli Khuzwayo, 18 Corne Weilbach, 19 Hendre Stassen, 20 Sibusiso Sangweni, 21 Divan Fuller, 22 Imad Khan, 23 Ulrich Wahl.
Hollywoodbets Sharks XV: 15 Tiaan Swanepoel, 14 Eduan Keyter, 13 Jurenzo Julius, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Yaw Penxe, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Bradley Davids, 8 Nick Hatton (c), 7 Siya Ningiza, 6 Tino Mavesere, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Bathobele Hlekani, 3 Kabous Bezuidenhout, 2 Dan Jooste, 1 Dian Bleuler. Replacements: 16 Bryce Calvert, 17 Braam Reyneke, 18 Mawande Mdanda, 19 Coetzee le Roux, 20 Hennie Sieberhagen, 21 Tiaan Fourie, 22 Christie Grobbelaar, 23 Anthony Volmink.
