Mapimpi hat-trick helps Sharks keep Lions at bay
THE Sharks held on for a dramatic 47-37 win over the Lions at Emirates Airline Park in an 11-try thriller yesterday.
Springbok flyer Makazole Mapimpi with a hat-trick, and Lukhanyo Am with the last-minute try to clinch the game, made telling impacts for the Sharks.
Just as they did in their win over the Stormers on December 4, the Lions’ finishing was ruthlessly efficient in the first quarter. In a five-minute period 10 minutes into the game, they nailed two half-chances.
The first came when a Boeta Chamberlain pass bounced off Makazole Mapimpi’s shoulder and into the hands of Fred Zeilinga, who set up his halfback partner Andre Warner to score.
Two minutes later, Wandisile Simelane followed up a chip down the touchline by Rabz Maxwane, gathered and scored.
The Sharks struck back superbly. When Grant Williams forced a knock-on from his opposite number at the back of a Lions scrum, the Sharks forwards’ neat inter-passes created the momentum for Aphelele Fassi to burst through the midfield for a score.
After the restart, the Lions lost a line-out and from the unexpected possession, Am stabbed a grubber downfield for Mapimpi to retrieve and score.
The Sharks led 15-12 after a blistering opening quarter that boasted four tries.
The Lions drew level when Zeilinga nailed a penalty in the 25th minute and three minutes later he added another for the lead.
The Sharks then had a penalty in front but chose the corner kick instead, and were rewarded when their maul propelled Kerron van Vuuren over.
Three minutes before halftime, magical offloading by the Sharks put Mapimpi on the end of an overlap and he cruised home for his second try and a 27-18 half-time lead.
That lead became 12 points when Chamberlain kicked a penalty, only for the Lions to retaliate when a quick tap penalty taken in the Sharks’ 22 saw lock Ruben Schoeman barrel over.
At the restart they made a hash of a clearance and the loose ball was a freebie for Mapimpi to clinch his hat-trick.
The Lions’ disintegration continued when they gave away a penalty for Chamberlain to push his team into a 40-25 lead.
Some of the damage was undone when winger Edwill van der Merwe finished at the corner flag, and when replacement scrumhalf Morne van den Berg darted over, a dramatic finale was ensured at 40-37 with 10 minutes to go, and it was only in the final minute that Am snatched the match-winner.