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By Mike Greenaway 
16h ago
DURBAN – Well few saw it coming … The Sharks did indeed break the line against the Lions in the opening game of Super Rugby – Unlocked, but how they did it in the end against the brave visitors is a mystery.
The pregame script saw the home team pick up where they left off before the lockout, but the Lions didn’t get the memo and after a 30-minute moderate start, the rest of the game belonged to them, and in a thrilling finale. to the match, they almost seized the loot.
Sharks coach Sean Everitt had asked his troops for a sharp escalation of energy and intensity and they responded admirably, hitting the ground from the first whistle and threatening to knock the Lions out of the park.
The visitors barely touched the ball in the first quarter and would have been delighted to be just 7-0 down at the time, having benefited from some sloppy spikes by the Sharks.
That first try had been scored by Blitzbok Werner Kok, on the Sharks’ debut, thanks to a perfectly timed pass from Lukhanyo Am reminiscent of his famous volley to Makazole Mapimpi in the World Cup final.
The Lions’ first attacking opportunity almost saw them score, with wing Rabz Maxwane tackled into touch at the corner flag by Marius Louw and Sikhumbuzo Notshe.
The latter had a splendid first half, regaining the same form it was in when Super Rugby crashed in March.
Curwin Bosch hit two long-distance penalties to one from Elton Jantjies to give the Sharks a 10-point cushion at halftime, but he might as well have been much closer had it not been for a strong home defense, which ended the medium bravely defending. your line.
But the Lions scored first in the second half, a spectacular collaboration between Jantjies and Jumbo Ulengo, with the flyhalf first looking to kick a penalty to the corner flag for a lineout only to suddenly change direction and kick the wing unmarked on the spot. other side. corner.
His conversion meant that the Lions had come back from 13-0 against, and thankfully only that, to 13-10.
Bosch and Jantjies exchanged penalties 16-13 as the game reached the three-quarter mark to set up an intriguing final quarter.
And with 10 minutes to go, Jantjies tied it at 16-16, and it was the Lions who had the momentum only to be awarded a penalty for failure to roll, and Bosch nailed another long-range shot to goal.
But the Lions kept pushing and the Sharks had a great release when a direct penalty from Jantjies hit the vertical.
There was a spectacular ending when the Lions took a penalty when the horn sounded, and they chose a scrum on the Sharks’ line instead of kicking for the tie, and after a succession of restarts, the Sharks somehow earned a penalty.
Scorers in this match
Sharks
Test: Werner Kok.
Conversion: Curwin Bosch. Penalties: Bosch (4)
Lions Try: Jumbo Ulengo.
Penalties: Elton Jantjies (3). Conversion: Jantjies.
Mike greenaway
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