3 July 2023
Defending champions, the Sharks, featuring an under-17 line-up, opened their account at the Academy Week, being played at Jeppe High School for Boys in Johannesburg, with a 36-29 win over Boland on Monday.
It was a game of two halves, with the Sharks dominating the first half to open up a 21-0 lead. After the break, the Cavaliers struck back with five tries, but the Sharks, after conceding four in succession, notched two of their own to open up a 14-point lead with time almost up.
Opening try
Boland were full of running at the start of the match, but the Sharks’ defence held up well to keep the men from the Western Cape at bay. Then, a sweeping backline move, begun on the Sharks’ 10m line, was finished off by Swelihle Mbatha, who sold a dummy to get rid of the last defender and go over next to the posts.
Akahlulwa Boqwana added the extras. His contribution with the boot would be pivotal in the Sharks’ success.
Just over three minutes later, the Sharks were over, next to the posts again, but on the other side, with Boqwana turning try-scorer. He slotted the simple conversion, too, and coach Naseeb Abrahams’ charges were 14 points to the good.
In the 20th minute, the Sharks snagged a tighthead inside the Boland 22 and immediately send the ball down the backline. Sharp handling opened a path to the goalline for Luke Davidson, who drifted nicely into a gap and then sprinted through to do down beneath the uprights. Another conversion made it 21-0.
Boland replies
Early in the second half, the Bolanders finally found a way through the Sharks’ defence. A clean take from a lineout inside the Sharks’ 22 was followed by an effective drive for the try-line, with hooker Colton Manuel crashing over for the five-pointer. The conversion attempt was wide right.
From another lineout, Boland attacked right, then came back left, and scrumhalf Bronwin Williams was on hand to take a short pass to go over for his side’s second try. Unfortunately for the Bolanders, their second conversion attempt looked much like their first and passed way right of the poles.
Boland was playing all the rugby in the second half, and when they managed to pilfer a Sharks’ lineout, which took place on the Boland 10m line, they went over for a third time after a simple move down the backline to the left wing. Lu-Handre Arendse pinned his ears back and flew down the left touchline to score from 65m out.
Still, Boland’s lack of success with conversion attempts continued. It was 21-15 to the Sharks.
Boland in front
It didn’t take long for them to take the lead, and it happened in the 55th minute. From their own throw-in, midway into the Sharks’ 22, the Cavaliers were unchallenged in the lineout. Then, when the maul was stopped, hooker Carlton Manuel broke away and forced his way over the try-line.
When Bronwin Williams landed the conversion, the Bolanders had the lead for the first time in the contest at 22-21.
The Sharks, at last, added to their tally, and tacked on their first points of the second half, with a sweetly struck penalty from Boqwana edging them in front by two points, 24-22.
Just past the hour-mark, the Sharks extended their advantage. Following a sharp line-break off of a lineout, the boys in black and white found themselves just metres shy of the Boland try-line. The Bolanders swarmed the ruck, but the Sharks moved the ball wide left and Akahluwa Boqwana was able to coast over in the corner for a try.
More breathing space
From the re-start, Boqwana, angling left, sliced through the opposition’s defensive line. Then, on the Boland 10m line, he turned back to the right and sent a raking kick along the ground towards the try-line. A favourable bounce went the Sharks’ way, and Kwenzo Dlamini snatched the ball out of the air and dotted down to give the Sharks more breathing space.
An accurate conversion attempt from the sideline put coach Abrahams’ side 14 points clear at 36-22.
In the final minute, Boland were awarded a penalty on the Sharks’ 10m line. They made it count, transferring it swiftly from right to left, where Kerwin Davids rounded off a fine attack.
Williams slotted the difficult conversion to make the final score 36-29 in favour of the Sharks’ under-17 team.
Academy Week
Day one results
Sharks 36-29 Boland
Sharks XV 39-15 Border
Lions 44-22 Blue Bulls
Griffons 25-24 Free State
Pumas 26-22 South Western Districts
LSEN XV 35-34 Border Country Districts
Valke 28-27 Namibia
Griquas 36-29 Zimbabwe
Limpopo Blue Bulls 31-25 Leopards
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