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Sharks keep playoff hopes alive

rugby18 August 2019 14:08| © SuperSport
By:Brenden Nel
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Cell C Sharks captain Jeremy Ward scored a brace of tries as his team kept their Currie Cup playoff hopes alive with a 30-28 win over the Xerox Golden Lions at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg on Sunday.

Ward scored the opening try and added the winning try late in the second half as the Sharks doomed the Lions to their second home defeat in as many weeks and opened up the race for the playoffs with one round left.

The Sharks moved into fourth place, one spot ahead of DHL Western Province, while the Lions stay in third with one week of rugby left and all to play for.

Lions flyhalf Shaun Reynolds also scored twice for his side and contributed 18 points, but it wasn't to be enough on a day where the Sharks' pack took control and were dominant in the set-pieces.

The Lions, to their credit, were a lot better in the second half than the first, but just didn't have enough to take the game away from their opposition.

Reynolds opened the scoring early on when he took a ball and cut inside, beating the opposition and powering his way over the line.

The Sharks' impressive halfback, Sanele Nohamba, added a penalty to get his side onto the board before Lwazi Mvovo, who had a storming game, broke through a tackle and sped up field to pass inside to Ward to put the Sharks ahead.

CRUCIAL TRY

Five minutes later it was Ward who found the gap to put Nohamba sprinting down the middle of the park for an excellent try to open up some daylight between the two sides.

Reynolds brought it back with a penalty in the 28th minute, but this was negated by a beautiful drop goal by newcomer Boeta Chamberlain that kept the Sharks in front at the break.

Tyrone Green's pace off the ball was the Lions' elixir as they started the second half in style, with the fullback bursting through the midfield to score in the corner.

Nohamba added another penalty to keep the Sharks breathing easy but the Lions' resurgence was gaining momentum and had to be rewarded as Reynolds went over for his second try to bring the teams level.

The Sharks looked like they were losing the match but found enough determination to surge forward and watch as replacement Rhyno Smith stabbed a ball behind the defence for Ward to pounce and score a crucial try with just a handful of minutes left.

Marnus Schoeman rumbled his way over from the back of a maul to give the Lions' their fourth try but Dillon Smit pushed the conversion wide, leaving the home side still two points adrift.

And despite their efforts, the Lions couldn't plant a late knockout blow and were forced to end the game with a whimper and not a bang.

The Lions will travel to Griquas in Kimberley for their final game, while the Sharks head to Loftus in a game they need to win to be assured of a playoff place.

SCORERS

XEROX GOLDEN LIONS – tries: Shaun Reynolds (2), Tyrone Green, Marnus Schoeman. Conversion: Reynolds. Penalties: Reynolds (2)

CELL C SHARKS – tries: Jeremy Ward (2), Sanele Nohamba. Conversions: Nohamba (2), Rhyno Smith. Penalties: Nohamba (3).

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