Hollywoodbets Sharks 28-24 Glasgow Warriors

Two tries inside the final three minutes saw Glasgow Warriors secure a brace of bonus-points in Durban this afternoon, despite being edged out 28-24 by the Hollywoodbets Sharks in the opening match of the 2024/25 South African double-header.

George Horne grabbed a double in front of a fervent home crowd, Rory Darge and Johnny Matthews also dotting down as the Warriors never gave an inch on the South African coast.

Whilst the Durban locals eagerly greeted their returning South African internationals, the early pressure came from those in blue and white. Great work from Tom Jordan forced Eduan Keyter to carry Stafford McDowall’s grubber over his own line, before Scott Cummings served an early warning to Jordan Hendrikse by charging the fly-half down inside the Sharks 22.

Hendrikse quickly shook off the early chargedown to register the first points of the afternoon, the fly-half slotting a penalty from 45 metres to nudge his side in front with 11 minutes gone. Yet the first try of the game would go the way of the Warriors, as Glasgow produced a beauty from the back-line. Sione Tuipulotu’s flat ball across the defence sent Kyle Rowe racing down the wing, his ball back inside finding McDowall who in turn fed the onrushing Horne for the score. The scrum-half converted his own try for good measure, and the Warriors led 7-3 at the end of the opening quarter.

A second Hendrikse penalty attempt would fly wide with 22 minutes on the clock, but the Sharks were seeking a response. It arrived just five minutes later, despite the best efforts of the Glasgow pack; superb maul defence initially denied the home side, but two phases of recycled ball later Siya Kolisi was the man to find his way over the whitewash. Hendrikse converted, restoring the Sharks’ three-point lead.

It was a lead the hosts extended with seven minutes to play in the half, as sharp thinking from a close-range tap penalty saw Aphelele Fassi dart between two defenders and touch down for the try. Hendrikse’s conversion attempt sailed wide, however, leaving the scoreline at 15-7 in the home side’s favour.

Back came Smith’s men once more, and on 37 minutes they struck once more, the Glasgow brand of rugby on full display. Swift hands from Jordan, Scott Cummings and Josh McKay set Rowe free once more, the winger this time chipping the ball back inside. Horne – on his ever-present support line – was quickest to the loose ball to beat Fassi to the touch, and whilst the scrum-half’s conversion ricocheted back off the upright, the Warriors were fully in the hunt at the interval.

A penalty from Hendrikse five minutes after the restart extended the Sharks lead to 18-12, as the two sides continued to refuse each other even an inch of space in the middle of the park. A thunderous carry from Matt Fagerson into both Ox Nche and Bongi Mbonambi epitomised the attitudes of both sides, as the match entered the closing quarter still firmly in the balance.

Urged on by their home support, the Sharks continued to come forward with purpose. A Fassi grubber was snuffed out by the covering McDowall, whilst Darge’s work at the breakdown saw the openside come up with a crucial turnover inside his own 22.

Hendrikse extended the Sharks lead to 21-12 with 14 minutes to play, the fly-half slotting a penalty after Gregor Brown was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Kolisi inside his own 22. The number 10 then thought he had provided the spark to take the Sharks clear, bursting through a gap from turnover ball and freeing Fassi. The full-back in turn send Keyter on his way to the line, only for spectacular scramble defence from Rowe and Dobie to deny the winger and silence the Kings Park crowd.

The home side would not be denied for long though, as the Sharks made the most of the extra man to grab their third try of the evening. Grant Williams was the man to both start and finish the play, the replacement scrum-half combining with Makaszole Mapimpi down the blindside before grounding the loose ball. Hendrikse converted, and the hosts had a 28-12 lead with 10 minutes to play.

Yet as they have shown time and time again, Smith’s men refused to go quietly. The fightback began with three minutes remaining, as repeat offences from those in black saw Adam Hastings direct his team to the corner. From there, Matthews found Alex Samuel before the maul smuggled Darge over the whitewash for the score. The conversion drifted wide from Hastings, but the Warriors had their eye on a bigger prize.

Their endeavour was rewarded with the game’s final play, and in scintillating style. Great work from Sebastian Cancelliere saw the winger break from his own five-metre line to the Glasgow 10-metre line, before McDowall hit the accelerator to race through a gap. The centre’s pass to Rowe was pinpoint, and whilst the winger was grabbed just short by Fassi, the offload inside found Matthews for a superb score. Hastings added the extras, and Glasgow’s brace of bonus-points was secured.

Two points in the bag – a return to Stellenbosch now awaits the Warriors, as perennial playoff contenders DHL Stormers lie in wait next Saturday.