Sharks 41
Munster 24
Mike Greenaway reports from Durban.
A SHARKS SIDE packed with 10 current Springboks inflicted Munster to a fourth loss from their last five games.
It has been a disappointing start to the URC season for Graham Rowntree’s side and another loss was on the cards when the Sharks scored after just 44 seconds in Durban.
The electric scrumhalf Grant Williams had pierced the ruck defence in the middle of the field and offloaded to the Aphelele Fassi, who outpaced the cover defence.
The Sharks have the quickest ruck speed in the URC and in the fifth minute, quick ball again opened up space out wide and winger Makazole Mapimpi finished superbly. It was ominous signs for a Munster side short of some of their premium manpower because of injury.
It was 14-0 after five minutes and Munster had barely touched the ball. When they did get possession they immediately made it count and were unlucky to have Tadhg Beirne held up over the line from a maul.
There was a further cause for concern for the visitors when the current starting Springbok front-row won a scrum penalty for out-half Jordan Hendrikse to convert into points.
At 17-0, Munster needed a response and it came in the form of Tom Ahern, who cashed in when the ball squirted out of a ruck and he gathered and galloped 40m for a try.
The Sharks’ counter-attack is especially lethal because of the sheer pace of their back division and a perfect example was Fassi accelerating through a gap from deep and combining sweetly with Lukhanyo Am, who put away Williams for a try engineered at blistering speed.
Munster were living on scraps but they can make possession count with their passing game and it was efficient offloading that manufactured a try for Mike Haley to make it 24-10 after half an hour, with Jack Crowley failing to convert his team’s two tries.
The set scrum was becoming an increasing weapon for the Sharks, with the Munster pack back-pedaling at every put-in. It was no surprise when the Sharks took a scrum when they were given a penalty near the Munster posts and the advancing scrum provided plenty of space for Williams to set up burly centre Andre Esterhuizen to crash over.
That made it a 31-10 halftime lead for the home side but it was Munster that bossed the third quarter. They forced the Sharks into six consecutive penalties but three times they were held up over the line. Sharks openside James Venter was yellow-carded for one of the infringements but, still, Munster could not ground the ball and the only score of that quarter was a Hendrikse penalty.
That was Munster’s hopes of a comeback snuffed out and salt was rubbed into the wound when Sharks flank Vincent Tshituka charged down replacement back Billy Burns for a try.
There was a superb finish by wing Calvin Nash to give the scoreboard a semblance of respectability and there was consolation when Beirne scored a last minute try to salvage a bonus point for the visitors.
Sharks scorers:
Tries – Aphelele Fassi, Makazole Mapimpi, Grant Williams, Andre Esterhuizen, Vincent Tshituka.
Conversions – Jordan Hendrike [5]
Penalties – Jordan Hendrike [2]
Munster scorers:
Tries – Tom Ahern, Mike Haley, Calvin Nash, Tadhg Beirne
Conversions – Jack Crowley [2]
SHARKS: Aphelele Fassi; Eduan Keyter, Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen [Francois Venter, ‘59], Makazole Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse [Siya Masuku, ‘71], Grant Williams [Jaden Hendrikse, ‘59]; Ox Nche [Nthuko Mchunu, ‘62], Bongi Mbonambi [Fez Mbatha, ‘62], Vincent Koch; Eben Etzebeth (capt), Emile van Heerden; James Venter, Vincent Tshituka, Siya Kolisi [Phepsi Buthelezi, ‘65].
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Rory Scannell [Billy Burns, ‘62], Seán O’Brien; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey [Etha Couglan, ‘67]; John Ryan [Kieran Ryan, ‘67], Niall Scannell [Diarmuid Barron, ‘50], Stephen Archer [Ronan Foxe, ‘67]; Jean Kleyn [Fineen Wyncherley, ‘50], Tadhg Beirne (capt); Tom Ahern, John Hodnett [Alex Kendellen, ‘50] Jack O’Donoghue.
Referee: Holly Davison (Scotland).
