Boks come alive as Sharks beat Munster
A four-try burst in 17 secondhalf minutes saw the Sharks overwhelm Munster, 50-35 to claim a spot in the quarterfinal of the Champions Cup.
In boiling temperatures at Kings Park, the home team outscored the Irish visitors by seven tries to five, in a match that in the second half in particular took on an almost festival tone.
The Sharks’ forwards had gradually asserted their physical dominance in the first half, but Munster, two-time winners of the competition, had, thanks to swift handling and rapid work at the ruck, kept the halftime deficit to just three points.
However, the Sharks burst into life after the break taking advantage of lax discipline from the Irish club, with Bongi Mbonambi scoring twice from line-out mauls, followed shortly after by scores for Werner Kok and then Curwin Bosch, who’d butchered an opportunity moments earlier, but sprinted down the right touchline to atone for that error.
The Sharks flyhalf finished with 20 points, including six conversions and a penalty.
Munster ran in three late tries to lend the final score some respectability but the damage had already been done by that stage.
Before all the pyrotechnics it had been an intense affair, with the two packs smashing into each other with relish.
After Bosch had slotted a penalty for an infringement at the line-out by Munster, the Irish club stretched the Sharks’ defence with some slick handling between the loose forwards and backs, which created space on the left for Shane Daly, who stepped inside the cover defence to score.
The Sharks’ pack was starting to gain ascendancy through the scrum, though the line-out was succeeding more through luck than proficiency.
It was through the scrum that the Sharks were able to set up their most sparkling move of the half with Makazole Mapimpi stepping past and then accelerating through the Munster defence to set up Jaden Hendrikse, who smartly popped up on the inside and sprinted through for the try.
Unfortunately, he injured his shoulder in the process and was immediately replaced by Grant Williams.
Sikombuzo Notshe was industrious, bursting over the advantage line regularly and his hard work put the hosts on the front foot ,allowing Eben Etzebeth to burrow through the Munster defence to put the Sharks ahead by 10 points.
Munster’s backs again created space on the left with quick hands, with a series of rucks leading to a second try through prop Dave Kilcoyne.
However the Sharks stepped up in electrifying fashion in the second half, with the Springboks in particular prominent.
Siya Kolisi was energetic, while Mapimpi, who also dotted under the posts in the second half, was involved throughout.