In a highly contested semi-final encounter between the Hollywoodbets Sharks and the Vodacom Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria on Saturday, the Sharks successfully advanced to the 2024 Currie Carling Cup Final after an intense 100 minutes of play.
The game ended with the two teams deadlocked at 40 points after extra time. However, the Natal Sharks advanced to the next round of the competition as they scored the most tries in the game.
The Sharks registered six tries—five in the traditional 80 minutes of a rugby match and one in extra time—while their robust opponents, the Blue Bulls, recorded only four.
Trevor Nyakane’s try in the closing five minutes of extra time sealed the Sharks’ victory and dashed the Bulls’ hopes.
The Blue Bulls had a chance to seal the game in the 20th minute of extra time, however their utility back Boeta Chamberlain failed to convert a long-range penalty that could have sent the Bulls to the finals.
In response to the failure to reach the final, Bulls Currie Cup head coach Phiwe Nomlomo praised his team’s bravery and competitiveness. He also expressed his disappointment, noting that his side lacked patience and accuracy.
I trust my players explicitly, and that’s the bravery that I wanted. He [Boeta Chamberlain] called for the tee straight on; that was beautiful to see. Like I said, he’s going to grow from it, and we’ll go from strength to strength, said Nomlomo.
“There’s a lot to take from this game, which was really good. We could have been a lot more accurate. We broke the line a couple of times in the first half and could have put the game to bed with a bit more accuracy and patience.”
“There was a plan; we just didn’t execute it. It’s a pity we didn’t have that accuracy and patience in the end to really put them away,” he added.
The Sharks will face the ADT Lions, who defeated the Cheetahs 43-34 in their semi-final at Ellis Park on Saturday. The Currie Cup final is set to take place on September 21, 2024, at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, kicking off at 16:00.
