The Sharks may have been pacesetters all season but they had to wait until the final second of their Currie Cup campaign to seal a berth in the final, when errant flyhalf Butch James kicked a match-winning penalty to give them a 28-25 win over the Cheetahs in a pulsating match played in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
But it was almost not to be for the Sharks as James fluffed a sitter with one minute remaining and the scores deadlocked at 25-25.
A draw, and a bonus point for scoring four tries, would have left them with three points and with Western Province sure to beat the Eagles that would have meant a Western Province versus Blue Bulls final.
But James slotted the winner to ensure the Sharks travel upcountry to play the Bulls at Loftus next week for the Currie Cup final.
Leading 15-10 at the break and with two tries already in the bag it looked like the Sharks would leave Bloemfontein smiling but a brilliant brace by Kennedy Tsimba almost scuppered their plans. The Cheetahs flyhalf scored twice after the break to take his team to a 22-15 lead but tries from replacement wing Heno Mentz and the completion of a double by former cheetah flank Charl van Rensburg ensured the match went to the wire.
With so much at stake they do not come much closer than this and when it really matter James crumbled, only to be given a reprieve when the Cheetahs first knocked on in the midfield with a minute remaining, and then gave away a penalty that even Lukas van Biljon would have kicked over.
The Cheetahs were again desperately unlucky, and after sharing in two draws this season, a third was a distinct possibility.
Tsimba did manage to pick up a few personal accolades, scoring his eighth and ninth tries of the campaign, picking up 232 points this season and also scooping the man of the match award despite playing on the losing side. — Sapa
Points:
Cheetahs: Tries: Ryno van der Merwe, Kennedy Tsimba (2); Conversions: Kennedy Tsimba (2) Penalties: Kennedy Tsimba (2)
Sharks: Tries: Solly Tsibilikya, Charl van Rensburg (2), Heno Mentz; Conversions: Butch James (1) Penalties: Butch James (2)