The Hollywoodbets Sharks lost 24-25 to Benetton, and although the loss did nothing to the Sharks' URC title "hopes" the number of injuries suffered by the hosts could prove to be costly in their EPCR Challenge Cup Final.
In a very scrappy match, the Sharks took the opportunities that came their way and defended like demons to keep Benneton from scoring. The Sharks scored two early tries to the late try by Benneton to lead 12-08 at the halftime break. Benetton dominated the final twenty minutes of play and scored the winning try with two minutes left to play.
Leonardo Marin converted an early penalty for Benetton, whereafter, the Sharks started to dominate. Aphelele Fassi, who threatened to score on several occasions, eventually scored the Sharks' first try to lead 07-03 after fifteen minutes of play.
The Sharks continued their onslaught on Benneton's tryline eventually led to Ox Nche bulldozing his way over to extend the Sharks' lead to 12-03 and fifteen minutes to play in the first half.
However, Benneton was not out of the match and a brilliant pass to Tommaso Menoncello saw the outside centre outstrips Werner Kok to the corner to reduce the host's lead to 12-08 with four minutes to play in the first half.
Benneton attacked from the kickoff and scored the first points of the second half from the back of a five-meter lineout-maul to lead 15-12. Four minutes later Werner Kok stormed past and through several tackles to score the Sharks' third try to retake the lead 19-15.
The Sharks started to attack from everywhere on the field and following brilliant work by Aphelele Fassie, Werner Kok was placed in space outside wide to score his second try in the corner and extend the Sharks lead to 24-15.
Despite dominating territory during the last ten minutes, Benneton did not use several try-scoring opportunities and eventually converted a penalty with eight minutes still to play, reducing the Sharks' lead to 24-18.
Benneton continued to launch attack after attack against a fourteen-man Sharks team and scored their third try to take the lead with 25-24 and two minutes to play, which was also the final score.
Scorers:
Hollywoodbets Sharks: Tries: Aphelele Fassi, Ox Nche, Werner Kok (2). Conversions: Siya Masuku (2).
Benetton: Tries: Tommaso Menoncello, Gianmarco Lucchesi, Jacob Umaga. Conversions: Leonardo Marin, Jacob Umag. Penalties: Leonardo Marin, Jacob Umaga.
Teams
Hollywoodbets Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Lukhanyo Am (c), 12 Francois Venter, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Vincent Tshituka, 7 Gerbrandt Grobler, 6 James Venter, 5 Corne Rahl, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 Fez Mbatha, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Lappies Labuschagne, 20 Tino Mavesere, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Boeta Chamberlain, 23 Diego Appolis.
Benetton Rugby: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Ignacio Mendy, 13 Tommaso Menoncello, 12 Ignacio Brex, 11 Onisi Ratave, 10 Leonardo Marin, 9 Andy Uren, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Sebastian Negri, 6 Alessandro Izekor, 5 Eli Snyman (cn), 4 Niccolò Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 1 Federico Zani. Replacements: 16 Bautista Bernasconi, 17 Destiny Aminu, 18 Giosué Zilocchi, 19 Edoardo Iachizzi, 20 Riccardo Favretto, 21 Dewaldt Duvenage, 22 Jacob Umaga, 23 Marco Zanon.