Tigers claw Sharks in Champions Cup battle

There were times early on in their Champions Cup clash on Saturday night where the Sharks were full of energy and effort, but ultimately the weight of their errors and the feisty nature of the Leicester Tigers overwhelmed them.

In their 56-17 defeat some of the realities of playing in the Champions Cup also became all too apparent as the much-weakened visiting team to the English Midlands were mauled in the half-hour leading up to the break.

The Tigers had clawed their way to a whopping 35-10 lead by halftime and there was no clear sign as the teams disappeared into the tunnel that the Sharks would re-emerge with a plan or necessary resolve to turn things around.

In fact, when Jack van Poortvliet scored the Tigers' sixth try three minutes after the resumption the writing was on the walls all the way down Welford Road.

While the Sharks in the first half did not lack desire to take the ball up and make things happen, they often lacked cohesion, and inevitably precision. And the Tigers were ready to pounce. There were other errors that were more glaring, perhaps no more head dropping than the one that allowed Ollie Hassell-Collins to score in the 27th minute.

To be fair, by then the Tigers were well on their way to earning their stripes.

The Tigers, after seeing the Sharks grab the lead through Emmanuel Tshituka advanced the scoreboard, much through their own endeavour but the Sharks aided and abetted their own downfall in the half-hour before the break period.

By the break the hosts had run in five tries all of which Handré Pollard converted. He bagged the man of the match award.

The Sharks did well to contain the tail-up Tigers for much of the second half.

The match served as another sobering reminder of what is required to be competitive in two cross-continental competitions.

Prioritising home matches is a generally accepted practice and the Sharks in their selection in this game were very cognisant of their derby commitments in the United Rugby Championship against the Bulls and the Stormers either side of Christmas.

Their selection hand however was mostly forced by a crippling injury list. Though the Stormers are also hamstrung by the high number in the infirmary, the one afflicting the Sharks which includes seven Springboks, borders on the ridiculous.

Hooker Bongi Mbonambi, prop Braam Reyneke, lock Eben Etzebeth, hooker Fez Mbatha, lock Gerbrandt Grobler, scrumhalf Grant Williams, flank James Venter, centre Jurenzo Julius, prop Khwezi Mona, centre Lukhanyo Am, wing Makazole Mapimpi, wing Marnus Potgieter, props Ryan Dreyer and Vincent Koch, as well as flank Vincent Tshituka are all on the mend.

In a pool infested with four Champions Cup winners the Sharks cannot afford to drop the pace. Serial winners Toulouse are due to meet Exeter Chiefs away at Sandy Park on Sunday.

Elsewhere in Pool 3 Castres edged Munster 16-14 in a match marked by ill-discipline on Friday.

Meanwhile the Lions ran out 43-35 victors over Section Paloise (Pau) in their Challenge Cup clash at Ellis Park on Saturday.

The Lions somewhat lost their lustre after making a raft of substitutions after lock Ruben Schoeman's try in the 61st minute.

They then held a 40-23 lead but the French outfit ran in two more tries to lend the final score some respectability.

Scorers

Leicester Tigers (35) 56 — Tries: Julian Montoya (2), Ollie Hassell-Collins, Solomone Kata, Handré Pollard, Jack van Poortvliet, Charlie Clare, Emeka Ilione. Conversions: Pollard (6), Jamie Shillcock (2).

Sharks (10) 17 — Tries: Emmanuel Tshituka, Ethan Hooker. Conversions: Siya Masuku (2). Penalty: Masuku.