Rugby
Benetton stuns Sharks with late try─── ILSE SMALBERGER 09:52 Sun, 12 May 2024
Benetton has kept their play-off hopes alive with a narrow 25-24 victory over the Sharks in Durban in a United Rugby Championship match on Saturday afternoon.
It was joy for the visitors and shock for the hosts when replacement fly-half Jacob Umaga took advantage of a Sharks red card to dive over the try-line with three minutes left on the clock.
The Sharks started strong with a try a piece from Aphelele Fassi and Ox Nche within the first 30 minutes of the game. The Italians were not to be denied a try in the first half and with five minutes to go before the interval, centre Tommaso Menoncello went over the line to make it 12 – 8 at halftime.
It was the visitors who scored first five minutes into the second half, thanks to a line-out win and hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi driving over the Sharks line. A few minutes later, Werner Kok scored twice in the space of 10 minutes, putting the Sharks in front by 24 points to 18 with around 25 minutes of play left.
Durban was ready celebrate, but then Murray Koster was red-carded in the 75th minute for a dangerous clear-out on Menoncello, that resulted in head-to-head contact. This lead to Umaga’s try two minutes later and heartbreak for the Sharks.
OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger
