Two gifted first-half tries — both the result of errors that arose from apparent touch-rugby tactics — gave the trampled Eastern Province Mighty Elephants 10 points they badly needed to give them a sense of respectability in their Absa Currie Cup rugby encounter against a rampant Sharks side on Friday night.
But by then they were facing a difficult uphill task as the Sharks — five to the good at half-time — piled in a total of 10 tries in a record 67-15 victory after leading 38-10 at the break. It was the highest score to date by a Sharks side against Eastern Province, with 10 tries to three in the final count.
The bonus point was earned by the Sharks in just 21 minutes. In the end, wing Henno Mentz set the pattern, completing his hat-trick after 44 minutes, as it became a romp for the home side, as the not-so-mighty Elephants were trampled into disarray.
The first try was a cross-field movement of grand handling skills with fullback JP Pietersen providing the extra man in the line to send wing Henno Mentz in for a grand score. Flyhalf Herkie Kruger converted and then added a penalty goal after another weaving run by Mentz was scuttled at the last moment.
A converted pushover try to eighth man Jacques Botes at the 13-minute mark made it 17-0.
Worse was to follow for the red-hooped men from Eastern Cape as, in rapid succession, Warren Britz and Mentz got converted tries to make it 31-0.
Adrian Jacobs, playing on the wing, possibly lost a further three tries for the Sharks in this period when he tried to go the extra mile rather than offload to a teammate.
A charge down by centre Sam Willard and then an interception by flyhalf Clinton van Rensburg gifted two tries to the Elephants on either side of a fifth to centre Rudi Keil for the Sharks. While Kruger was again on target, Elephants fullback Justin Peach missed both his conversion attempts.
Jacobs finally got his try one minute into the restart to extend the 38-10 half-time lead further and Kruger was again on target with an easy conversion. Then Mentz completed his hat-trick as Kruger was off target for the first time with his conversion attempt. It brought up the half-century for the Sharks.
With flank JJ Pienaar yellow-carded for an obstructing infringement near the line, Sharks scrumhalf Dave von Hoesselin added to the Eastern Province’s woes with an eighth try with 18 minutes left to play.
The Elephants, in a rare breakaway, got a third unconverted try through fullback Justin Peach.
Replacement scrumhalf Bennie Nortjie got into the act for the Sharks to make it nine tries in a 62-15 lead — Kruger missed the conversion as he did again when centre Waylon Murray added another just before the final whistle.
Other matches
In other Currie Cup matches, the Leopards scored six tries to beat the Border Bulldogs 52-33 at Olen Park in Potchefstroom on Friday night to keep their hopes of progressing to the second round of the cup alive.
Flank Luke Watson and right wing Egon Seconds scored a brace of tries each in a resounding 42-16 Currie Cup win for Western Province over Griquas at Newlands on Friday night.
Province led 21-6 at half-time and dominated the match from the start. They scored six tries, all of which were converted by fullback Earl Rose.
The Pumas dominated the latter stages of their Absa Currie Cup rugby encounter against the Griffons in Welkom on Friday night to run out 31-19 winners.
The visitors held a narrow 14-13 lead at half-time.
The match was level at 19-19 midway through the second half, but the Griffons blew their chances by making too many errors. — Sapa