Sharks overpower Ospreys to clinch home quarter-final

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Winger Ethan Hooker starred as the Sharks came back to beat Ospreys at a slippery Kings Park on Friday night.

Hooker scored the third of the Sharks’ four tries as the hosts responded to an early deficit to score 21 unanswered points in a 29-10 victory. Jason Jenkins, Andre Esterhuizen and Phepsi Buthelezi each dotted down in the win.

The celebrations of a third win on the trot may be muted after the Sharks lost captain Eben Etzebeth to what appeared to be a serious knee injury in the first half.

Flyhalf Dan Edwards kicked a penalty to give the tourists an early lead, but Ospreys didn’t score again for 56 minutes as Jenkins and Esterhuizen crashed over for first-half tries converted by Siya Masuku and Aphelele Fassi respectively, and Hooker joined the party after the break to make it 21-3 at the end of the third quarter.

Ospreys started the final quarter with hooker Sam Parry the gunner in a successful attacking maul, though Buthelezi replied for the Sharks five minutes, linking up with Makazole Mapimpi for a great try in the corner. Masuku kicked a last-minute penalty to end the game and send the Sharks to change room to do a stocktake on Etzebeth’s injury.

The result improved the Sharks to an unassailable 58 log points in fourth place which guarantees Kings Park a quarter-final at the end of May.

Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images

 

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