Sharks beat Pumas 19-42 in Round 4 of Super Rugby Unlocked at Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit.
The Sharks are back to winning ways after a comfortable six-try to three bonus-point victory in Mpumalanga.
The visitors dominated the first 40 minutes, scoring four tries to one as they cruised to a 21-point lead at the break.
However, the hosts fought back with two Erich Cronje scores after the interval, either side of Van Vuuren’s 67th-minute five-pointer, which kept the men in black honest.
Van Vuuren also grabbed a second-half brace when the hooker scored in the dying embers of the Super Rugby contest. The try sealed his team a valuable bonus-point.
Sean Everitt’s side took a commanding 28-7 lead at halftime. Manie Libbok, Madosh Tambwe, Dan Jooste, and Sbu Nkosi all crossed for the visitors.
Super Rugby Unlocked Round 4 Video Highlights: Pumas v Sharks, Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Curwin Bosch kicked four conversions, while the hosts managed one converted try when Francois Kleinhans crashed over before the half-hour mark.
Pumas fight back after the break, dominating for long periods as they went toe-to-toe with the Sharks
The home team dominated the third quarter, they were camped on the Sharks‘ try-line but could not convert.
Eventually, after a set-piece attack inside their half, they doubled their lead.
The try came from a wonderful counter-attack saw Cronje score near the sticks. Fiela Boshoff converted to cut the deficit to 14 points on 56 minutes.
Sanele Nohamba received a 65th-minute yellow card for repeated infringements inside the ‘Red Zone’ by the Durbanites.
The referee had warned the east coast side, but the pressure from the hosts was too much.
Playing with 14 men inspired the Sharks. They went down the field to score from another driving maul. Van Vuuren, on for Jooste, flopped over the whitewash.
Bosch, kicking at 100%, slotted his fifth successive conversion to open up a 21-point lead with 11 minutes remaining.
Cronje scored his second try in the corner after a sublime triple cut-out pass by Ginter Smuts, with eight to play. Neil Marais missed the conversion.
The joy was short-lived because there was still time for the Everitt’s charges to claim the bonus-point.
Van Vuuren crashed over for his second score at the death following another driving maul.
Bosch added his sixth conversion to cap a perfect performance from the tee.
Business as usual for the Sharks
Final Score: Pumas 19 (7) Sharks 42 (28)
Scorers
Pumas
Tries – Kleinhans, Cronje (2)
Pen –
Con – Boshoff (2)
Drop –
Cards –
Sharks
Tries – Libbok, Tambwe, Jooste, Nkosi, Van Vuuren (2)
Pen –
Con – Bosch (6)
Drop –
Cards – Nohamba (Yellow, 65′)
Match Officials
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant Ref 1: Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant Ref 2: Egon Seconds
TMO: Marius Jonker
Teams
Pumas
15 Devon Williams, 14 Neil Maritz, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Wayne van der Bank, 11 Etienne Taljaard, 10 Fiela Boshoff, 9 Ginter Smuts, 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 Willie Engelbrecht, 6 Francois Kleinhans, 5 Pieter Jansen van Vuren (captain), 4 Darrien Landsburg, 3 Ruan Kramer, 2 AJ le Roux, 1 Liam Hendricks
Replacements: 16 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 17 Stepan de Jager, 18 Brendon Valentyn, 19 Phumzile Maqondwana, 20 Chriswill Willemse, 21 Neil Marais, 22 Ali Mgijima, 23 Dewald Maritz, 24 Daniel Maartens, 25 HP van Schoor, 26 Kwanda Dimaza
Sharks
15 Manie Libbok, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am (captain), 12 Marius Louw, 11 Madosh Tambwe, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Sanele Nohamba, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Dylan Richardson, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 JJ van der Mescht, 3 John-Hubert Meyer, 2 Dan Jooste, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16. Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Mzamo Majola, 18 Michael Kumbirai, 19 Ruben van Heerden, 20 Thembelani Bholi, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Jeremy Ward, 23 Yaw Penxe
