Rugby

Connacht fail in bid for South African clean sweep as Sharks bite back

Andy Friend’s side led 21-10 at half-time but home side stormed home after the break

Makazole Mapimpi and Siya Kolisi of the Cell C Sharks celebrate victory over Connacht in the United Rugby Championship at Kings Park in Durban. Photograph: Steve Haag/Inpho

Linley MacKenzie
Sat Apr 30 2022 - 18:10

Cell C Sharks 41 Connacht 21

Connacht’s hopes of a clean sweep over South African sides this season were crushed by a powerful performance by Cell C Sharks in Durban on Saturday. Despite enjoying a 21-10 lead at the break, Connacht failed to score again, unable to match the home side’s intensity in the second half.

Taking a stranglehold on the game, the Sharks ran in another four tries to extend their winning streak to four, and maintain their push for the URC play-offs.

“Too many occasions where we have had multiple scores in quick succession against us, and that is something we have to address,” says Connacht coach Andy Friend.

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“The message at half-time was ‘we are very much in it, but to have to up the physicality’, but when you produce loose kicks and give them access to the game, that is what happens.”

Fast Start

It had been a super start for the visitors with two tries and a dogged defence, despite playing without the sin-binned John Porch for 10 minutes.

The right wing had been pinged after a clash of heads with centre Marius Louw on 22 minutes when Connacht had held a 6-3 lead with two penalties from outhalf Conor Fitzgerald, and a single effort from his counterpart Curwin Bosch.

But the Sharks were not long in taking advantage. From a penalty to touch, the home side produced the necessary drive with hooker Bongi Mbonambi poised to score. Although held up, the well-travelled Gerbrant Grobler peeled off sideways to score, despite the best efforts of Cian Prendergast - the conversion from Bosch putting the home side ahead by 10-6.

However, a quick-thinking charge-down from Gavin Thornbury ensured Connacht retook the lead with a second try, and when Conor Fitzgerald added a penalty, Connacht had all the momentum.

Cian Prendergast was instrumental in setting up the third try, with Caolin Blade and Finlay Bealham exchanging passes before the scrumhalf celebrated his 150th game for the province when he dotted down and Fitzgerald nailed the conversion.

That was as good as it got. In a tale of two halves, the home side rewrote the script, closing the gap to 17-21 within five minutes through dangerous centre Marius Lowe. Four minutes later they had the lead when Siya Kolisi shepherded hooker Bongi Mbonambi across the line, and Bosch adding the extras.

With so many aces in the Sharks’ pack, Connacht could not break their stranglehold on the game as Gerbrant Grobler grabbed his second to take a 31-21 lead within 11 minutes. Before Roets finished with a flourish to ensure the Sharks’ run continues.

Scoring sequence: 8m Fitzgerald pen 0-3; 14m Bosch pen 3-3; 21m Fitzgerald pen 3-6; 23m Grobler try, Bosch con 10-6; 27m Thornbury try 10-11; 31m Fitzgerald pen 10-14; 36m Blade try, Fitzgerald con 10-21; HT 10-21; 45m Louw try, Bosch con 17-21; 49m Mbonambi try, Bosch con 24-21; 54m, Grobler try, Bosch con 31-21; 73m Bosch pen 34-21; 77m Le Roux Roets try, Bosch con 41-21

Cell C Sharks: A Fassi, W Kok, B Tapuai, M Louw, M Mapimpi, C Bosch, J Hendrikse, O Nche, B Mbonambi, T du Toit (cpt), LR Roets, G Gobler, S Kolisi, H Venter, P Buthelezi.

Replacements: G Williams for Tapuai (40m); R Hugo for Grobler and J Labuschagne for Venter (67), N Mchunu for Nche (72) K van Vuuren for Mbonambi (77), S Notshe for Buthelezi and B Chamberlain for Hendrikse (75).

Connacht: M Hansen, J Porch, T Farrell, T Daly, A Wootton, C Fitzgerald, C Blade, D Buckley, D Heffernan, F Bealham, G Thornbury, L Fifita, C Prendergast, C Oliver, J Butler (cpt).

Replacements: J Augier for Bealham (49); N Murray for Fifita and K Marmion for Blade (53), D Tierney-Martin for Heffernan and J Duggan for Buckley (both 57), T O'Halloran for Wootton(59); O Dowling for Butler (65); J Carty for Farrell (77).

Yellow cards: Tom Porch (Connacht 23m).

Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland).