Africa-Press – South-Africa. Springbok wing Makazole Mapimpi, who might have had a hat-trick, scored twice as the Sharks dominated the Lions 37-10 to give their festive Kings Park crowd plenty of Christmas cheer on Friday.
Mapimpi had scored a hat-trick against the Lions at Ellis Park at the start of the year in last season’s United Rugby Championship and he clearly sensed there was more on the plate this time around.
The 32-year-old also scored twice when the Sharks beat Harlequins at home in the Champions Cup more than a fortnight ago and was clearly capitalising on his fine momentum.
AS IT HAPPENED | Sharks v Lions
Chances fell for the winger as early as five minutes in but he spilled a gilt-edge chance to open the scoring, knocking the ball on with the try line beckoning.
His opposite wing Edwill van der Merwe cover tackled brilliantly to force the error after it looked for all money that Jeandre Labuschagne had put Mapimpi through.
Three minutes later, Mapimpi atoned for the mistake, when he rounded off a patient but effective Sharks attack, which led to Rohan Janse van Rensburg breaking centre Rynhardt Jonker’s tackle and putting the left wing in.
After 15 minutes, the Sharks had their second try, again after multiple phases, with Boeta Chamberlain rounding off the move after good handling by Lukhanyo Am and Curwin Bosch to put the fullback through.
From the resulting restart, Labuschagne dropped the ball, which fell nicely into Van der Merwe’s path and the Lions winger merely had to control with his feet, collect and score the easiest try of his career.
The Sharks dominated the first half and spent a huge chunk of it pounding at the Lions try line.
But because of the Labuschagne error and some great Lions defending, the half-time score remained an open-ended 12-7 to the hosts.
The Lions had the first clear opportunity of the second half when former Sharks halfback Sanele Nohamba toed to the home 22, only to be stopped by Mapimpi covering the backfield.
The industrious Bok wing was everywhere on the day and the Sharks needed him to be there to mop up, otherwise Nohamba would have marked his return to Kings Park with something spectacular.
Still ahead 15-10 after an exchange of penalties, Sharks mentor Neil Powell sensed a momentum change towards the visitors and brought Siya Kolisi on for some international grunt and nous.
But it was halfback Grant Williams who got them back on a great footing, pouncing on a loose ball after Chamberlain charged down Andries Coetzee’s casual clearance.
And there are few players on the planet that can stop Williams when he’s on a gallop.
After the hour, Kolisi made a break down the right flank, dummying and goose-stepping like a centre before offloading to fellow substitute Ben Tapuai. The move ended in a knock-on but could have been the knockout blow and bonus-point the Sharks wanted.
The Sharks had another break, this time Chamberlain exploiting a hole in midfield but they again missed the killer instinct to finish the Joburgers off.
The hosts thought they had the bonus-point bagged through some good old lineout mauling, which allowed replacement hooker Kerron van Vuuren to touch down. But the try was disallowed for an infringement in the transfer of the ball in the maul.
The Sharks finally placated the 24 721-strong crowd with their fourth score through Springbok captain Kolisi, whose presence made a major difference in the game.
Then Mapimpi iced the cake with a late try after pouncing on a Lions handling error.
Scorers:
Sharks 37 (12)
Tries: Makazole Mapimpi (2), Boeta Chamberlain, Grant Williams, Siya Kolisi, Ben Tapuai
Conversions: Curwin Bosch (2), Lionel Cronje
Penalties: Curwin Bosch, Lionel Cronje
Lions 10 (7)
Tries: Edwill van der Merwe
Conversions: Jordan Hendrikse
Penalties: Jordan Hendrikse
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