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Sharks Edge Out Stormers 21-15 with Kolisi’s Contribution in Vodacom Rugby Championship
Despite having beaten the Sharks in their last six encounters, the Stormers were unable to find the try zone in a closely contested match at Kings Park Stadium on Saturday, falling 21-15 to a Sharks side bolstered by several Springbok players.
The Stormers did manage to capitalize on a Sharks error when Aphelele Fassi intercepted an offload but subsequently lost the ball. This led to a penalty try being awarded to the Stormers because they had a numerical advantage on the short side, and Fassi received a yellow card in the closing moments of the match.
Entering the match with a streak of six wins in the Vodacom Rugby Championship against the Sharks, including two from the previous season, the Stormers were confident.
However, the Sharks quickly asserted their dominance, with Ethan Hooker scoring after evading several desperate defenders from the Stormers. Siya Kolisi soon added to the tally, powering through three Stormers players to score his try.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu opened the scoring for the Stormers with a drop goal in the 23rd minute but missed a follow-up penalty. He later left the field due to a head injury suffered in a collision with Trevor Nyakane, making way for Manie Libbok.
The Sharks managed to control the first half, taking a 14-3 lead at halftime and benefiting from a sin-bin for Ruhan Nel.
In the second half, the Sharks appeared ready to extend their lead through Hooker, but a try was disallowed due to an obstruction penalty on Vincent Tshituka, who was deemed to have impeded Stormers player Andre Hugo-Venter.
Andre Esterhuizen, vying for the Springbok number 12 jersey, added a try for the Sharks, finishing off a quick offload from Grant Williams.
The final moments were thrilling. Fassi made a key interception to thwart a possible Stormers try but then knocked the ball on. The Stormers mounted a late charge, with Libbok seemingly scoring, but it was ruled that he had knocked the ball forward during the ruck.
This narrow victory marked a significant triumph for the Sharks, who had struggled in previous matchups against the Stormers.
