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20-point half-time buffer not enough as Sharks fall to spirited Connacht
By PA
Connacht erased a 20-point half-time deficit to defeat the Hollywoodbets Sharks 36-30 in a topsy-turvy BKT United Rugby Championship clash at Dexcom Stadium.
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It took a brilliant second half from Pete Wilkins’ men to open their win account for the season.
Replacement Oisin Dowling’s 70th-minute try was the one that mattered the most.
Trailing to an early Dave Heffernan score, the Sharks took over 20 minutes to reach the opposition 22 but built a 27-7 interval lead.
Andre Esterhuizen powered over twice, Jordan Hendrikse delivered two monster penalties, and Gerbrandt Grobler also crossed late on.
However, Connacht marked prop Denis Buckley’s 250th appearance with a fitting result thanks to further tries from player-of-the-match Heffernan, Cathal Forde, Shane Jennings and Dowling.
The Westerners made the early running, with a Piers O’Conor break preceding hooker Heffernan’s opening maul effort. Josh Ioane nailed the conversion.
The hosts remained on the front foot until former Harlequin Esterhuizen’s hard line off a lineout got the Sharks off the mark. Siya Masuku converted.
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Hendrikse, the Currie Cup final’s goal-kicking hero, then split the posts from halfway, before Esterhuizen proved unstoppable again in the 28th minute.
Following a stunning 63-metre strike from Hendrikse to make it 20-7, Grobler scored via a maul for Masuku to convert.
Forde got Connacht firing again with a clever chip kick for Mack Hansen, whose return pass sent the young centre in behind the posts.
Heffernan barged past Tian Meyer for a 50th-minute maul try, and there was only a point in it (27-26) after Jennings intercepted replacement Meyer’s pass to race clear from just outside the Connacht 22.
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The momentum was then seized by second-row Dowling, who successfully burrowed over. Forde converted and tagged a penalty to seal the maximum haul. Masuku’s last-minute penalty gave his side a losing bonus point.
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Big shoutout to Connacht for their amazing comeback! They totally earned it. As a fan, it often feels like the game’s outcome can depend on whether you’re home or away.
I’ve noticed that the officiating can be really different between the Currie Cup and local matches in South Africa versus the tour games. The breakdowns, tackles, and jackals can be super confusing. There were times when the Sharks were stripped of the ball with no daylight after the tackle, but then they got penalties for similar situations on defense. It’s tough to keep up with all that inconsistency, especially when the same game can change in interpretation just because it’s in South Africa.I really think World Rugby needs to address this. Referees should be shuffled around different tournaments and leased by World Rugby to create a consistent understanding of the rules across the board.
Wee buns!