Beast Mtawarira delivered an outstanding Man of the Match performance during his milestone game for the Cell C Sharks as they dominated the Sunwolves 50-22 in their Vodacom Super Rugby clash on Saturday in Durban.
This win was a massive morale booster for the Durban team—their first victory this season—with the Sharks crossing the try line seven times compared to the Sunwolves’ three, holding an impressive 24-3 lead at halftime.
Mtawarira, a seasoned Springbok prop boasting 98 Test caps, marked his 138th outing for the Sharks, making him the most capped player in the team’s history, overtaking the previous record held by wing JP Pietersen.
The Sharks, coached by Ruan Botha, earned a valuable bonus-point win ahead of their upcoming Australian tour starting next week with a match against the Brumbies in Canberra.
Meanwhile, over at Emirates Park in Johannesburg, the visiting Blues produced a spectacular second half to overturn a 10-21 halftime deficit and snatch a thrilling 38-35 victory over the Emirates Lions, who were runners-up last season. This defeat marked the Lions’ first loss in four games, while the Blues celebrated their first win in three attempts.
Both sides played an exhilarating, attacking brand of rugby, each scoring five tries. Young star wing Aphiwe Dyantyi notched his fourth try in as many games, with the Ioane brothers, Rieko (2) and Akira, adding three tries for the Blues.
Earlier on Saturday morning in Brisbane (SA time), the Vodacom Bulls narrowly missed out on victory as the Reds edged a 20-14 win at Suncorp Stadium. Despite racing to a 14-3 lead, the Bulls saw the Reds dominate possession in the second half. John Mitchell’s side now turn their focus to matches in New Zealand against the Chiefs and Crusaders.
The DHL Stormers kicked off their weekend action on Friday morning in Dunedin but were overcome 33-15 by the Highlanders. Promising youngsters like 19-year-old flyhalf Damian Willemse and lock Salmaan Moerat (who made his tournament debut from the bench) showed bright signs despite the defeat.
Elsewhere in Australia, the Rebels emphatically outplayed the Brumbies in their derby clash in Melbourne, claiming their third consecutive bonus-point victory and moving to the top of the overall log with 15 points. In New Zealand, the Hurricanes triumphed 29-19 over the Crusaders in Wellington, leading the early New Zealand conference table.
Rounding off the round late on Saturday night in Buenos Aires, the Jaguares stormed to a 33-7 halftime lead and held on to defeat the Waratahs 38-28. This marked the first victory for the Argentine side in four matches, snapping their worst-ever start to the season.
The Emirates Lions remain leaders of the South African Conference with 15 points from four games, closely followed by the Cell C Sharks with 8 points from three matches.
Highlanders 33, DHL Stormers 15
Highlanders 33 – Tries: Liam Squire, Aaron Smith (2), Waisake Naholo, Luke Whitelock; Conversions: Lima Sopoaga (4).
DHL Stormers 15 – Tries: Chris van Zyl, Damian Willemse; Conversions: SP Marais; Penalty: Marais.
Reds 20, Vodacom Bulls 14
Reds 20 – Tries: Caleb Timu, Aidan Toua; Conversions: James Tuttle (2); Penalties: Jono Lance, Tuttle.
Vodacom Bulls 14 – Tries: Warrick Gelant, Andre Warner; Conversions: Handre Pollard (2).
Cell C Sharks 50, Sunwolves 22
Cell C Sharks 50 – Tries by: Makazole Mapimpi (2), Akker van der Merwe, Tera Mtembu, Jacques Vermeulen, Sbu Nkosi, and Cameron Wright; Conversions: Robert du Preez (5), Curwin Bosch; Penalty: Robert du Preez.
Sunwolves 22 – Tries by: Lemeki Lomano, Wimpie van der Walt, William Tupuo; Conversions: Kotaro Matsushima, Ryoto Nakamura; Penalty: Harumichi Tatekawa.
Emirates Lions 35, Blues 38
Emirates Lions 35 – Tries: Sylvian Mahuza, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Elton Jantjies, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Dylan Smith; Conversions: Elton Jantjies (5).
Blues 38 – Tries: Akira Ioane, Rieko Ioane (2), Jimmy Tupou, Murphy Taramai; Conversions: Bryn Gatland, Stephen Perofeta (4); Penalty: Gatland.
Other Round 4 Results of the Weekend:
Friday, 9 March
Rebels 33, Brumbies 10
Saturday, 10 March
Hurricanes 29, Crusaders 19
Jaguares 38, Waratahs 28
