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| Picture credits: SharksRugby |
Four unanswered tries in the second half by the Sharks' U20 side saw them claim a 28-21 victory over Western Province in the opening round of the Junior Championship on Saturday.
The weather read "19 degrees Celsius with a rain perception of 80%" when Western Province U20 hosted the Sharks in the first match of this year's Junior Championships in Cape Town.
The Sharks, who last beat Western Province in 2019, came into the game with 10 new players, while Province was out for revenge after the Durban side poached their former star player, Jurenzo Julius, at the beginning of the season.
The home side started the brightest when they opened the scoring in the 20th minute courtesy of a try by former SA Schools prop Zachary Porthen.
The visitors, on the other hand, struggled to get their hands on the ball in what was turning out to be a scrappy affair filled with handling errors and scrum resets.
However, with 15 minutes to play in the first half and the rain pouring down, Province managed to extend their lead through scores from Imad Khan and Jared Africa.
Khan converted both, and his team led 21-0 at halftime.
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| Picture credits: Western Province |
Looking dead and buried, the Sharks needed to pull a trick out of the hat in the second half, and that's what they did.
Sharks coach and former Springbok player JP Pietersen must have sung the right notes in the locker room because his team came out firing, dominating the breakdown, and kicking game with the wind at their backs.
After numerous visits to the Western Province half, their patience paid off when Ethan Hooker dotted over the whitewash after breaking three tackles.
That try sparked the comeback, with the visitors claiming 80% of the territory before a brace by former Durban High pupil Themba Sibisi tied the game at 21 all.
With five minutes remaining, the traveling fans rallied behind their team before a break, and a 30-meter sprint off a ruck by Johannes Potgieter saw the Sharks pull off an exceptional 28-21 win away from home.
The Sharks face the Blue Bulls in round 2, while WP will have a bye.
Scorers:
Sharks 28 (0): Ethan Hooker, Themba Sibisi (2), Johannes Potgieter. Conversions: Jean Smith (4).
WP 21 (21): Zachary Porthen, Imad Khan, Jared Africa. Conversions: Imad Khan (3).