Sharks make history in Europe after nail-biter against Clermont | Sport

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Clermont: 15 Alex Newsome, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Julien Heriteau, 12 George Moala, 11 Joris Jurand, 10 Anthony Belleau, 9 Baptiste Jauneau, 8 Fritz Lee (captain), 7 Peceli Yato, 6 Marcos Kremer, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Etienne Fourcade, 1 Giorgi Beria.
Replacements: 16 Yohan Beheregaray, 17 Giorgi Dzmanashvili, 18 Cristian Ojovan, 19 Thibault Lanen, 20 Killian Tixeront, 21 Pita-Gus Sowakula, 22 Theo Giral, 23 Léon Darricarrere.

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Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Lukhanyo Am (captain), 12 Ethan Hooker, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 James Venter, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Fez Mbatha, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Gerbrandt Grobler, 20 Jeandre Labuschagne, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Boeta Chamberlain, 23 Francois Venter.

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The Sharks are the designated home team but the match is being played at a neutral venue which is the home of Harlequins.

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Greetings and a warm welcome to our coverage of the Challenge Cup semi-final between the Sharks and Clermont from the Twickenham Stoop in London.

1′

KICK OFF: The Sharks kick off deep and Clermont gather inside their 22. They don’t attempt to hit it up instead kicking straight out and the Sharks will have a lineout close to halfway inside Clermont’s half.

3′

Yato flies up to get an intercept but he went too soon and the Sharks will have a penalty within kicking range. Masuku calls for the tee. Both sides were feeling each other out with high balls.

4′

PENALTY, MASUKU, SHARKS, 3-0:

Masuku slots the kick to give the Sharks the lead.

5′

The Sharks get a penalty off the restart as Fassi is taken but Masuku misses touch with the kick.

6′

TRY, CLERMONT, JURAND, 3-5:

The Sharks defence is caught napping and they have mismatches in the line that allows Clermont to set Jurand into the corner.

7′

CONVERSION, CLERMONT, BELLEAU, 3-7:

That’s a neat kick from Belleau to convert the try.

8′

The Sharks are obstructed on the kick chase after Masuku sends up a hoist. A penalty is the result and Masuku calls for the tee again. This is a long one.

9′

PENALTY, MASUKU, SHARKS, 3-0:

Masuku drills the kick between the uprights.

10′

Clermont turn the Sharks over after Tshituka carries off the restart. Again the Sharks don’t exit well off the restart. They use a hoist but Fassi gets the mark. He kicks it to touch close to halfway. Clermont have the lineout ten inside the Sharks half.

12′

The Sharks catch Clermont inside their own half off first phase and Clermont kick but it goes straight into touch and the Sharks have the feed on their opponents ten.

13′

The Sharks lose the lineout but Clermont spill it in contact and the Sharks work a counterattack. Then Sharks spill it in attack but Clermont were up offside again.

14′

PENALTY, SHARKS, MASUKU, 9-7:

The Sharks are back in front after the penalty kick.

15′

The Sharks butcher another exit as they hang on and give up a penalty and Clermont will also call for the tee here.

16′

PENALTY, CLERMONT, BELLEAU, 9-10:

Clermont snatch the lead back from the Sharks.

17′

Clermont gift the ball to the Sharks with a loose pass. The Sharks attack with vigour but the Clermont defence holds them at the 22. They did so by being up offside again though and the Sharks have the penalty.

19′

PENALTY, SHARKS, MASUKU, 12-10:

Masuku pushes his kick slightly but it sneaks inside the uprights.

20′

TRY, CLERMONT, JURAND, 12-15:

Clermont get it wide quickly and the Sharks don’t have the numbers. They get back but a cross-kick finds Jurand in space and he scores. Hooker thinks he held him up but the winger got that down.

22′

Belleau cannot convert the try and this game stays very close but Clermont have the lead.

25′

The Sharks show great energy in attack even if the precision is absent. They win a penalty ten inside and Masuku calls for the tee.

26′

PENALTY, SHARKS, MASUKU, 15-15:

Masuku slots the kick.

27′

Somehow that is ruled as just a penalty and the Sharks aren’t happy but they should be prepared to get little from the English officials today.

27′

Grobler is taken in the air and there is no attempt to wrap from the Clermont man. This could be a card.

29′

Clermont are really chancing their arm when it comes to the offside line. They come up too quickly in midfield and get blown up.

30′

TRY, CLERMONT, NEWSOME, 18-20:

Clermont score another soft turnover as the Sharks don’t protect the ball. Newsome finishes off as Clermont swarm.

30′

PENALTY, SHARKS, MASUKU, 18-15:

Masuku hits an inside-out kick that sails over.

32′

CONVERSION, CLERMONT, BELLEAU, 18-22:

Clermont goes back in front again and Belleau adds another two.

35′

The Sharks get a let off as the grubber from Clermont rolls dead. The Sharks keep giving up the ball in their own half to put themselves under pressure. The Sharks have a scrum but it is just outside their 22 in an awkward spot.

36′

The Sharks get themselves in trouble again and cough up a penalty while in possession. The frustration will be mounting given the cheap points the Sharks keep giving away.

37′

PENALTY, CLERMONT, BELLEAU, 18-25:

Belleau extends the Clermont lead.

38′

Clermont opt for safety first after gathering the restart. The Sharks win the lineout but then lose the ball again.

40′

HALF TIME: SHARKS 18-28 CLERMONT

Clermont have been aided in their attack by Sharks errors. The French side should have had at least one player yellow carded in the first half but the officials have been coming down on the Clermont side time and again. Clermont have punished the Sharks errors severely.

40′

PENALTY, CLERMONT, BELLEAU, 18-28:

Belleau slots that cheap penalty and Clermont have a ten point lead at the break.

40′

The Sharks are penalised in possession as they seal off a ruck after winning the turnover. 50-50 call from the referee again goes Clermont’s way.

41′

PENALTY, CLERMONT, BELLEAU, 18-31:

Belleau converts a penalty that makes it tough for the Sharks to get back into this one.

41′

The second half starts with a penalty as the Sharks knock on and then play the ball.

44′

The Sharks try to counter but a poor kick allows Clermont to get back and kick clear into the Sharks half.

47′

Clermont continue to get the referee’s calls as they seal off at a ruck and then in the next phase, their hooker crawls in a tackle. The Sharks knock on just inside their half.

50′

Clermont find space after a scrum and the Sharks are under the pump again. They pull off a turnover but the Sharks cannot find touch and Cleermont bring it back. Belleau tries a drop but misses.

52′

Jurand thinks he is in to score but he has knocked it on in gathering a grubber.

53′

The Sharks get a penalty from the scrum as Clermont disintegrate. The Sharks lose the lineout though and Clermont can launch a counter.

56′

The Sharks surge forward at last with some momentum. They will have a scrum under the Clermont posts. The Sharks need to be the next team to score to stay in this one.

58′

YELLOW CARD, CLERMONT, DELGUY:

Delguy sticks out a hand and he will reap the punishment for his team’s persistent infringing as he goes to the sin bin. That’s overdue.

60′

The Sharks keep attacking but Clermont keep on spoiling at every ruck. The Sharks do well to remain patient in attack. They have the extra man and will want to make them make tackles.

61′

TRY, SHARKS, KOCH, 23-31:

Koch gets over for the try at last.

63′

CONVERSION, SHARKS, MASUKU, 25-31:

Masuku converts to take the Sharks within a score.

64′

YELLOW CARD, SHARKS, FASSI:

Fassi, who was taken out in the air in the first half will now go to the bin for a rugby collision. The referee has decided this match.

64′

Fassi gets across to cover a crosskick and misses the ball. The referee believes it is foulplay which is ridiculous but par for the course from Pearce who has been poor all day.

65′

Belleau misses the kick but Clermont have the edge now with the Sharks also down to 14.

66′

Masuku kicks straight out and gives Clermont a great attacking platform and chance to kill this game off.

69′

Clermont get another generous breakdown penalty to kill off a Sharks counter. Clermont go back up to 15 men. Clermont attack from the lineout.

71′

TRY, SHARKS, MAPIMPI, 30-31:

The Sharks aren’t done yet as Etzebeth gets up to gather the contestable kick. The Sharks send it wide and Mapimpi sprints in to the corner.

72′

CONVERSION, SHARKS, MASUKU, 32-31:

Masuku converts to put the Sharks back in front.

74′

Clermont attack in waves but the Sharks defence just about holds firm.

75′

Williams kicks out on the full as the Sharks win a crucial turnover. Fassi is back on but the Sharks will have to defend a setpiece in their own half.

76′

Am snipes up in attack but the ball hits his arm in the tackle and Clermont have a scrum just inside the Sharks.

78′

Mapimpi is taken out chasing but doesn’t get the call after the Sharks send up the contestable having turned it over. The Sharks force Clermont into touch at last. The Sharks have the lineout feed just inside the Clermont half.

80′

FULL TIME: SHARKS 32-31 CLERMONT

It was a breathless finish as the Sharks showed terrific discipline to keep the whistle out of it. Clermont kick crossfield and Kok is there to shut it down and the Sharks get it off the park. Masuku made the crucial kick from the corner but the Sharks showed incredible guts and skill to get this done. The Sharks will contest a Challenge Cup Final!

80′

Clermont have the ball with seconds left and they attack the Sharks again.