Staff Reporter.
The Cell C Sharks XV held out for a hard-fought 13-6 victory over the Windhoek Griquas to keep pace with the top two sides in the Carling Currie Cup.
With the scoreboard reading 6-10 at half time, the Sharks looked to extend their slender lead after the restart from the penalty spot, but Bonilla missed his attempt to the left of the uprights.
The Argentinian flyhalf, though, did nail his second attempt from out in front in the second stanza, and Etienne Fynn’s men will return to Durban thankful for a 13-6 victory, to remain third in the Currie Cup standings.
On the other side, Griquas had several opportunities to breach the visitors’ defence and will rue their missed opportunities.
After a stuttering start to the encounter, Ruben van Heerden received from the lineout about 10 metres from the Griquas line. The maul was set and Mbatha broke away and went over with support from Wiehahn Herbst. Bonilla added the extras.
George Whitehead struck a penalty for the hosts’ first score of the match, only for Bonilla to reply in kind and restore the visitors’ seven-point lead.
Sharks skipper James Venter was yellow-carded for a side entry at ruck time, before Griquas had a chance before the break to pull level as they played the short side before working their way infield, building some phases on attack.
Rynhardt Jonker made a break with Munier Hartzenberg on an inside switch, but failed to get the offload away and was tackled into touch. However, referee Adriaan Jacobs brought them back for a penalty and Whitehead slotted it over to narrow the gap to four points as the siren sounded.
Meanwhile the Pumas once again had too much firepower for a young Lions team as they scored seven tries to claim a bonus-point win and do the double over their opponents in Mbombela on Wednesday.
While the Currie Cup match was not quite as one-sided as the 50-9 win for the Pumas in Johannesburg in January, Jimmy Stonehouse’s team was still too strong for the Lions as they claimed a 45-10 victory.
With the result, the Pumas, for now, go level on 15 points with fourth-placed Griquas, who welcome the Sharks to Kimberley later on Wednesday. The Lions, meanwhile, remain rooted to the bottom of the table still looking for their first win of the season.