The Cell C Sharks hosted the Emirates Lions in Durban looking for a bonus-point win to stay in the hunt for a home quarter-final in the URC Championship. Although the conditions did not favour running rugby the Cell C Sharks were patient in the attack and managed the needed 34-10 bonus-point win.
Apart from the start of the Cell C Sharks who scored two tries within the first ten minutes, not much else has happened during the latter thirty minutes. The Cell C Sharks did end the first half with a lead of a 17-03. The Cell C Sharks did not change much in the second half and continued to dominate the visitors on their way to an easy win.
06:44 Gerbrandt Grobler Stroll over for the first try of the hosts. (07-00)
10:15 Phepsi Buthelezi scored the Cell C Sharks' second try after a great grubber by Jaden Hendrikse was collected to send Buthelezi over for his try. (14-00)
20:00 The Cell C Sharks dominated for most of the first quarter scoring two tries to nill. The Lions did claw their way back into the game during the later part of the first quarter.
21:38 Jordan Hendrikse converted a penalty to open the Lions' account. (14-03)
30:41 Cell C Sharks' Curwin Bosch converted a penalty. (17-03)
40:00 Apart from the start of the Cell C Sharks who scored two tries within the first ten minutes, not much else has happened during the last thirty minutes. The Cell C Sharks did end the first half with a lead of a 17-03.
48:25 Curwn Bosch converted a penalty for the home team. (20-03)
59:44 Bongi Mbonambu scored from the back of a lineout-maul. (27-03)
60:00 Accepting that the weather did not permit exciting rugby the Cell C Sharks dominated proceedings to lead (27-03).
69:22 Sikhumbuzo Notshe bulldozed his way over for the Sharks bonus-point try (34-03)
75:26 Henco van Wyk fell on a ball in the in-goal area of the Sharks to score the Lions' first try of the match. (34-10)
80:00 Curwin Bosch converted his third penalty for the Cell C Sharks. (37-10)
Scorers:
Cell C Sharks: Tries: Gerbrandt Grobler, Phepsi Buthelezi Bongi Mbonambi, Sikhumbuzo Notshe. Conversions: Curwin Bosch (4). Penalties: Curwin Bosch (2).
Emirates Lions: Try: Henco van Wyk. Conversion: Jordan Hendrikse. Penalty: Jordan Hendrikse.
Teams:
Cell C Sharks: 15 Anthony Volmink, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Ben Tapuai, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Phendulani Buthelezi, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Siyamthanda Kolisi, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Gerbrandt Grobler, 3 Thomas du Toit (captain), 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Retshegofaditswe Nche. Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Khutha Mchunu, 19 Le Roux Roets, 20 Jeandre Labushagne, 21 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Henry Chamberlain.
Emirates Lions: 15. Quan Horn, 14. Rabz Maxwane, 13. Wandisile Simelane, 12. Manuel Rass, 11. Edwill van der Merwe, 10. Jordan Hendrikse, 9. Morne van den Berg, 8. Emmanuel Tshituka, 7. Vincent Tshituka, 6. Francke Horn, 5. Reinhard Nothnagel (c), 4. Ruben Schoeman, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. PJ Botha, 1. Sti Sithole. Replacements: 16. Morne Brandon, 17. JP Smith, 18. Ruan Dreyer, 19. Sibusiso Sangweni, 20. Jarod Cairns, 21. Andre Warner, 22. Henco van Wyk, 23. Tiaan Swanepoel.