Lucky Sharks beat Scarlets in scrappy affair
MATCH REPORT: The Sharks kept their home record intact with a 37-20 bonus-point win over Scarlets in Durban on Friday.
The Sharks scored three tries through Aphelele Fassi, Curwin Bosch, Marius Louw and were rewarded with a penalty try.
Bosch added 13 points with a boot and Joaquín Díaz Bonilla also kicked a conversion in the end.
*To recap all the drama CLICK HERE!!
For Scarlets Aaron Shingler and Steff Evans scored the five-pointers. While flyhalf Sam Costelow added to the team's tally with two conversions and two penalties.
The scoreboard certainly does not reflect the visitors' performance against the Springbok-laden Sarks.
The match was evenly poised and up to quarter it could've been anyone's game.
The Scarlets dominated a vast majority of the match and proved to be a major threat on attack.
However individual errors halted much of their play.
A breathless opening almost yielded a try for the Scarlets when Sam Costelow’s determined chase saw him lose out to Fassi by the narrowest of margins.
The visiting flyhalf did open the scoring with a penalty after eight minutes before the visitors had another try chalked off for an Evans foot in touch.
The Scarlets were on top and Costelow added a second penalty to his tally before Bosch halved the deficit from the tee in the 19th minute.
The Sharks’ share of possession and territory increased as the half progressed and Jaden Hendrikse was held up over the line following some desperate Scarlets defending four minutes from the break.
Bosch made it 6-6 at the interval, but the opening try finally arrived for the Scarlets six minutes into the second half when replacement Shingler applied the finish to a well-worked line-out move and Costelow added the extras.
Bosch then missed for a third time in the match but was on target when the Sharks touched down after Hendrikse’s audacious no-look grubber sent Fassi through.
Dan Jones then hit a post as the Scarlets squandered an opportunity to re-take the lead just short of the hour mark, before Bosch showed quick reactions to go over as the Sharks edged clear.
He converted his own score and added another penalty before a tired Scarlets defence was punished with a penalty try.
Louw finished the job after Evans had given Dwayne Peel’s men the narrowest glimmer of hope.
.Man of the match: Finding a standout performer was a hard task during this scrappy affair. Nonetheless, our nog goes to Sharks fullback Aphelele Fassi, who was the spark in his side's attack and was very good under the high ball.
The scorers:
For Sharks:
Tries: Fassi, Bosch, Penalty try, Louw
Cons: Bosch 2, Bonilla
Pens: Bosch 3
For Scarlets:
Tries: Shingler, Evans
Cons: Costelow 2
Pens: Costelow 2
Yellow Cards: Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets, 72 - repeated infringement), Steff Thomas (Scarlets, 83 - Offside)
Teams:
Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Siyamthanda Kolisi (captain), 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Gerbrandt Grobler, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Retshegofaditswe Nché.
Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Khutha Mchunu, 19 Le Roux Roets, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 23 Werner Kok.
Scarlets: 15 Tom Rogers, 14 Steff Evans, 13 Johnny Williams, 12 Scott Williams (captain), 11 Corey Baldwin, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Dane Blacker, 8 Sione Kalamafoni, 7 Dan Davis, 6 Blade Thomson, 5 Jac Price, 4 Sam Lousi, 3 Samson Lee, 2 Daf Hughes, 1 Steff Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Shaun Evans, 17 Kemsley Mathias, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Aaron Shingler, 20 Carwyn Tuipulotu, 21 Archie Hughes, 22 Dan Jones, 23 Joe Roberts.
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa), Morne Ferreira (South Africa)
TMO: Adam Jones (Wales)
Source: @URCOfficial