Sharks sweat over three injured Springboks for Challenge Cup final after defeat to Benetton

Jacob Umaga’s cameo off the bench steered Benetton to a 25-24 United Rugby Championship victory over the Sharks at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.

The replacement back converted his own try in the 78th minute to secure the victory for the visitors after slotting a penalty to make it a one-score game in the 72nd minute.

The Italian team, who had been behind for most of the game, managed to tie the score and secure a play-off position thanks to his effect.

Although the Sharks are not in the running for the play-offs, head coach John Plumtree supported a number of his front-line players who were part of the team’s triumph over Clermont in the Challenge Cup semi-final. He will regret that choice, though, because three of the starting Springboks were forced off the field in the first half, and another pulled out prior to kickoff.

When center Murray Koster was given a red card in the closing minutes of the game, things got worse, and Benetton duly took advantage of the situation.

Sharks winger Werner Kok scored two tries in the game to keep up his prolific try-scoring ways. Prop Ox Nche and full-back Aphelele Fassi each scored more to keep the hosts’ tally ticking over.

But in the end, Beneton prevailed because of attempts by Umaga, Gianmarco Lucchesi, and Tommaso Menoncello.

Fly-half Leonardo Marin took advantage of a mistake to complete a spectacular 50:22 to propel Benetton forward and score first. They kept up the pressure, and when Marin slotted the penalty right before the shot clock ran out, they were rewarded.

The Sharks were the first to cross the whitewash in the 15th minute when Siya Masuku produced a masterful long ball to full-back Fassi, who threw a dummy before sprinting over for the opening try. The Italian team was successful in the initial exchanges with their aerial bombs.

Given the approaching Challenge Cup final against Gloucester and the mounting injury concerns, Plumtree and his coaching staff may regret going all out for the URC match. Lock Eben Etzebeth left for an HIA and never came back, and Vincent Koch hobbled off the field looking rather worried. This came after Koster took Francois Venter’s spot in the starting XV before kickoff, a fellow Springbok.

The Sharks’ pack worked hard despite losing the two Springbok forwards, and they were rewarded when James Venter’s thunderous carry got them to within one meter before Nche completed the scoring.

From then on, the hosts appeared to be in control of the game. The defense held firm until Menoncello, riding a signature short ball from Juan Ignacio Brex, dashed past Lukhanyo Am and raced off to score the first try of the visitors.

Am would not play again in that game; he sustained an injury and left the field as the Sharks led 12-8 at the half. At halftime, Grant Williams, Nche, and Bongi Mbonambi were substituted, possibly in reaction to the injuries sustained in the first half.

Once more, the visitors were first out of the blocks, and Benetton took the lead when hooker Lucchesi recovered the ball from the driving maul over the line.

Their advantage was, however, short-lived once more as Kok scored a spectacular try by skinning Andy Uren outside the Benetton 22 and dodging three attempted tackles.

After ten minutes, Kok added another goal to his account after eluding Marco Zanon’s attempted challenge to cap off an incredible attack that was initiated by Fassi’s outstanding high ball catch.

Benetton maintained pressure on the Sharks defense and appeared to have opened up a scoring opportunity when their excellent center Brex threw a long pass to Igancio Mendy, but the play was called as a forward. After a mix-up with Fassi and Makazole Mapimpi, they appeared to have scored again shortly after, but the latter managed to get a hand in front of Dewaldt Duvenage to block the attempt.

In the closing minutes of the match, Benetton closed the gap on the Sharks thanks to a clutch penalty from Umaga. However, as Koster was given the go-ahead, the Italians scored.

Umaga converted the clutch kick and scored the game-winning touchdown after first making a fantastic kick to touch and then slipping through the defense.

The teams

Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Lukhanyo Am (c), 12 Murray Koster, 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: 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 (c), 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