The Hollywoodbets Sharks XV moved into fourth place in the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division with a hard-fought 25-20 win in Bloemfontein.
The first minutes of the match were an error-ridden affair, which was the direct result when Lionel Cronje converted a penalty to open the Sharks account after seven minutes of play.
The Cheetahs levelled the score with a converted penalty by Ethan Wentzel after fifteen minutes of play in the first half.
The Sharks started to dominate as the first half continued. After twenty minutes of play, Yaw Penxe scored his first try off a Lionel Cronje grubber, and minutes later, he intercepted a loose pass by the Cheethas to run forty meters plus for his second try. The Sharks led 15-03 after twenty-two minutes of play in the first half.
The Toyota Cheetahs set up camp in the Sharks' red zone during the final ten minutes of play and scored their first try when hooker Corne Fourie bulldozed his way over the Sharks' tryline. With time already up on the clock, Lionel Cronje converted a penalty to extend the Sharks' lead 18-10 going into the second half.
The second half has a crappy start, with both teams making several unforced errors. However, the Cheetahs started to launch wave after wave of attacks, and eventually, Vernon Paulo scored from the back of a lineout maul to reduce the Sharks' lead to three points.
With time running out both teams threw everything they had at each other. A yellow card against the Sharks reduced them to fourteen for the rest of the match. Minutes later Ethan Wentzel was sent on his way by Carl Wegner with a sublime pass to put the Cheetahs in the lead with six minutes still to play.
Not to be outdone Eduan Keyter crashed through a "gap" and ran fifty meters to wrestle back the lead and secured a 25-20 win for the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV.
Scorers:
Toyota Cheetahs: Tries: Corne Fourie, Vernon Paulo, Ethan Wentzel. Conversion: Ethan Wentzel. Penalty: Ethan Wentzel.
Hollywoodbets Sharks XV: Tries: Yaw Penxe (2), Eduan Keyter. Conversions: Lionel Cronje (2). Penalties: Lionel Cronje (2)
Teams:
Toyota Cheetahs: 15 Cohen Jasper, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 Evardi Boshoff, 12 Ali Mgijima, 11 Litha Nkulu, 10 Ethan Wentzel, 9 Rewan Kruger, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Aidon Davis, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (c), 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Corne Fourie, 1 Hencus van Wyk. Replacements: 16 Vernon Paulo, 17 Cameron Dawson, 18 Robert Hunt, 19 Mzwanele Zito, 20 Pierre Uys, 21 Neels Volschenk, 22 Marco Janse van Vuren, 23 Reinhardt Fortuin.
Hollywoodbets Sharks XV: 15 Hakeem Kunene, 14 Eduan Keyter, 13 LItelihle Bester, 12 Alwayno Visagie, 11 Yaw Penxe, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Nick Hatton (c), 7 Jannes Potgieter, 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 Siya Ningiza, 22 Bradley Davids, 23 Tiaan Swanepoel.