Durban – The Sharks have booked themselves a ticket to the EPCR Challenge Cup semifinal after defeating Edinburgh 36-30 at the Kings Park Stadium on Saturday.
The nailbiter was the Durban side’s second victory over Edinburgh in as many weeks.
In their first encounter, the Sharks prevailed 23-13 over their Scottish rivals.
This time around the Sharks faced a more determined visiting Edinburgh side.
Compared to their previous clash in which the Sharks enforced a dominant 64% ground territory, Saturday’s European Challenge Cup quarter-final was more competitive with both teams raising their game a notch.
In his post-match interview, Sharks coach John Plumtree said he was expecting a different Edinburgh side.
“I knew what to expect… but it’s nerve-wracking for both coaches because you just never know what they’re going to change when you played a side only a couple of weeks ago,” said Plumtree.
Although Edinburgh went to the break leading 22-14, the Scots faltered in the second half when they conceded five penalties.
Plumtree, a former All Blacks head coach, admitted his side started the game “a little nervy”, after conceding two penalties in the first 15 minutes.
The Sharks regained composure and put together well-worked moves that resulted in a Lukhanyo Am try.
“I think they did a great job on us, applying that pressure, and they would have been favourites at halftime, but again it just goes back to us nailing a few things that we had to do and getting on top of them,” said Plumtree.
After the break, the Durban side upped the pressure led by a gritty “bomb squad” frontline and pinned the visitors in their half.
Edinburgh’s two late tries fell short of the mark set by the Sharks.
Edinburgh coach Sean Everitt, who said before the game that his side had nothing to fear in the Sharks rematch, expressed his disappointment.
Everitt pointed out that his side couldn’t cope with the power the Sharks possess upfront.
“Like I said we were against 4 Springboks in a tie, I never made excuses for that because we got our own as well so to pitty like that in the second half is extremely disappointing,” said Everitt, a former Sharks coach.
The Durban franchise has now obtained four victories on the trot in all competitions, scoring an average of 32 points per game.
Plumtree, the Sharks mentor, expressed his delight regarding his team’s turnaround.
The historic semifinal in the European Challenge Cup gives Sharks fans something to celebrate after a somewhat dismal season.
“‘I’m feeling great you know, happy for the fans and all the stakeholders at the Sharks you know, we got many people who follow us from around the world and they haven’t had a lot to cheer about, but now they have something to look forward to,” Plumtree said.
The Sharks will face French side Clermont in the European Challenge Cup semifinal.
Sharks
Tries: Am (17), Venter (27), Mbonambi (56)
Conversions: Masuku (18,28,57)
Penalties: Masuku (49,52,66,71), Bosch (79)
Edinburgh
Tries: Schoeman (32), Watson (75), Cherry (82)
Conversions: Healy (33,76,84)
Penalties: Healy (4,16,41)
