The second Carling Currie Cup Premier Division semi-final was a tense affair with the winners decided by a calculator. The Hollywoodbets Sharks XV and Vodacom Bulls drew 40-40, however, the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV will play the Fidelity ADT Sharks in the final next weekend in Johannesburg as they scored more tries than their hosts in the semi-final.
The winner of this clash will face the winner of the first semi-final between the Fidelity ADT Lions and Toyota Cheetahs in the final. The two teams meet in the day’s first semi-final at Emirates Airline Park at 14:30.
Johan Goosen opened the scoring with a converted penalty, whereafter the Sharks were quick to reply with a try by Emile van Heerden, who charged down a kick by Keagan Johannes and showed some great pace to score.
The Bulls launched wave after wave of attacks following a lineout maul before Keagan Johannes snipes to score the Bulls' second try. The Bulls led 10-07 after twelve minutes of play.
Following a converted penalty by Johan Goosen for the Bulls, Cameron Hanekom took a quick throw-in at a lineout to score in the corner, extending the Bulls' lead to 20-07 with seventeen minutes still to play.
Not to be outdone by Johannes, the Sharks scrumhalf Bradley Davids sniped past a maul to score the Sharks second try to reduce the Bulls' lead to 20-12 and ten minutes left to play in the first half.
Two minutes later James Venter added his name to the Sharks scoresheet to reduce the Bulls' lead to 20-19. A Johan Goosen penalty extended the Bulls lead to 23-19, which was the halftime score.
The Bulls attacked from the kick-off, and Starvino Jacobs scored a brilliant try running a great line off a dominant scrum to extend the Bulls' lead to 30-19.
The Sharks stepped up their attack and following wave after wave of attacks, James Venter fed Ethan Hooker to score in the hooker and made it a two-point game.
The Sharks continued their pressure on the Bulls' tryline until a gap opened wide for Andre Esterhuizen to go over in the corner. The Sharks led 33-30 after twenty-three minutes of play in the second half.
A red card to Francois Venter followed by two yellow cards to Dian Bleuler and Fez Mbatha put the Sharks under tremendous pressure. The Sharks absorbed the pressure for fifteen minutes, however, a converted penalty by Johannes Goosen levelled the scores 33-33 with two minutes to play in the second half.
With time up on the clock, the two teams change sides to play to ten-minute halves.
With time up on the clock the Bulls attacked with all fifteen players and eventually, Stravino Jacobs had the supporters on their feet as he scored a brilliant team try to extend the Bulls' lead to 40-33.
Thereafter, the Sharks set up camp in the Bulls' 22m until Trevor Nyakane bulldozed his way over the Bulls' tryline to level the scores 40-40 and two minutes to play.
With the scores tied after extra time, the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV was declared the winner, as they scored more tries than the Bulls in the match.
Scorers:
Vodacom Bulls: Tries: Keagan Johannes, Cameron Hanekom, Stravino Jacobs (2). Conversions: Johan Goosen (4). Penalties: Johan Goosen (3).
Hollywoodbets Sharks XV: Tries: Emile Van Heerden, Bradley Davids, James Venter, Ethan Hooker, Andre Esterhuizen, Trevor Nyakane. Conversions: Siya Masuku (5).
Teams:
Vodacom Bulls: 15 Boeta Chamberlain, 14 Katlego Letebele, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 David Kriel, 11 Stavino Jacobs, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Keagan Johannes, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Nizaam Carr (c), 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Cobus Wiese, 4 Jannes Kirsten, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Dylan Smith. Replacements: 16 Joe van Zyl, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Merwe Olivier, 21 Bernard van der Linde, 22 Cornel Smit, 23 Celimpilo Gumede.
Hollywoodbets Sharks XV: 15 Jordan Hendrikse, 14 Eduan Keyter, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Bradley Davids, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Vincent Tshituka (c), 6 James Venter, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Corne Rahl, 3 Hanro Jacobs, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu. Replacements: 16 Ethan Bester, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Gerbrandt Grobler, 20 Emmanuel Tshituka, 21 Tian Meyer, 22 Lionel Cronje, 23 Litelihle Bester.
