The Hollywoodbets Sharks were tested in their Vodacom United Rugby Championship
clash with Zebre Parma at Hollywoodbets Kings Park before closing out a tight 35-34 bonus point victory on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors certainly came to play and after facing the possibility of being smashed off the park early on, showed what a dangerous side they are by threatening to turn the predictions on their head.
But the home team were powerful enough to prevail against their visitors, starting strongly and showing composure at the death to wrestle the result and five points that cement a top four place.
Two minutes in after a determined start, Henry Immelman was denied a TMO-referred try in the corner, but Zebre were battling with their discipline and from the earlier penalty advantage, conceded the first try of the game inside five minutes, man of the match Siya Kolisi smashing his way over after a strong effort from his fellow forwards, with Jordan Hendrikse converting.
Try number two came five minutes later, Zebre having enjoyed some – but not much – possession but unable to do anything with their scraps. Instead, a dominant
Hollywoodbets Sharks scrum ensured dominance over the Italians and when Makazole Mapimpi spied a gap and hit the after-burners, the defence had no answer to his strong strike, before he fed Jurenzo Julius on the inside for the second try, Hendrikse converted and the Durban side took a 14-nil lead.
Zebre struck back immediately, putting the Hollywoodbets Sharks under pressure as they sent the ball out wide and then kicked to the opposite side to run in their first try, cutting the lead to 14-7 on the quarter hour.
Following a short water break after the conclusion of the first quarter of play in 30C temps, Zebre struck their second blow, the TMO confirming the touchdown of their second try following a series of pick-and-drives, with the conversion levelling matters at 14-apiece.
Just shy of the half hour mark, Zebre took the lead for the first time in the game, somehow finding a way to upset the pundits following a tough 30 minutes when they had few opportunities, but made the most of them, a penalty pushing them into a 17-14 lead with the final 10 minutes of the half to play.
If there was any sign of shell-shock, the Hollywoodbets Sharks weren’t buying it, as a lineout from 40m out saw Kolisi emerge from the mass of bodies at a maul following a lineout and he sprinted all the way down the touchline to score his second and the team’s third try, with Hendrikse making no mistake from out wide to once more install his team in the lead.
With half-time beckoning, the Hollywoodbets Sharks underlined their dominance with the bonus point try, Vincent Koch getting over from close quarters after a penalty kicked to touch and the ball recycled through a number of forward efforts before the big prop managed to get through, Hendrikse making it a 28-17 game at the break.
Five minutes into the second half, Zebre struck first blood with a kick and chase effort after the Hollywoodbets Sharks had attacked down the right flank, but a loose ball was scooped up and defence turned into attack before scoring their third try, the conversion cutting the lead to 28-24.
The Italians retook the lead after racing away with an intercept in front of their posts, once more turning defence into attack and from the ensuing TMO referral, the try was awarded for a 31-28 lead with half an hour remaining.
A penalty in the 62nd minute pushed Zebre further ahead as they stretched their lead to 34-28, but the Hollywoodbets Sharks refused to be beaten down and their dominant scrum forced the visitors into conceding a yellow card for three successive penalties at the set-piece in front of their poles.
This set the Hollywoodbets Sharks up for their perfect response and it was Ethan Hooker who was standing wide who took a long pass and was too strong for the defence as he smashed his way over in the corner, with Hendrikse left with a tough conversion, but his radar was pinpoint and he sent his team into a 35-34 lead with the final five minutes left to negotiate, which they did to emerge victorious once more at Hollywoodbets Kings Park.