It was emphatically confirmed on Sunday that South Africa will not have a team in the Champions Cup playoffs after the country’s last hope, the Sharks, were thrashed 66-12 by Union Bordeaux Bègles in their final group match at the Stade Chaban-Delmas in France.
After Ulster’s bonus-point 52-24 win over Exeter on Friday night, the Sharks faced a few scenarios — that they could lose the game but would need to finish with 28 points or less than Bordeaux to qualify on points difference.
But French superstar winger Damian Penaud ensured, with his six tries, that they failed to do so in the southwest of France, meaning that the Sharks will drop to the second tier and compete in the Challenge Cup round of 16 as defending champions.
The Sharks were flat in the second half and let Bordeaux pile on 47 points without response.
The teams had gone to the break at 19-12 but in the second stanza, Bordeaux showed why they are the best team in France.
They started the game slowly as the Sharks were all over them. Some brilliant hands from the Sharks led to Siya Masuku crossing over the whitewash for a well-worked team try just four minutes into the game. Five minutes later the SA team silenced the crowd as they went over for another well-worked team try through Yaw Penxe.
Sharks’ Champions Cup hopes go up in smoke against rampant Bordeaux
French superstar winger Damian Penaud’s six tries send Durban team packing in emphatic fashion
Image: Timothy Rogers/Getty Images
It was emphatically confirmed on Sunday that South Africa will not have a team in the Champions Cup playoffs after the country’s last hope, the Sharks, were thrashed 66-12 by Union Bordeaux Bègles in their final group match at the Stade Chaban-Delmas in France.
After Ulster’s bonus-point 52-24 win over Exeter on Friday night, the Sharks faced a few scenarios — that they could lose the game but would need to finish with 28 points or less than Bordeaux to qualify on points difference.
But French superstar winger Damian Penaud ensured, with his six tries, that they failed to do so in the southwest of France, meaning that the Sharks will drop to the second tier and compete in the Challenge Cup round of 16 as defending champions.
The Sharks were flat in the second half and let Bordeaux pile on 47 points without response.
The teams had gone to the break at 19-12 but in the second stanza, Bordeaux showed why they are the best team in France.
They started the game slowly as the Sharks were all over them. Some brilliant hands from the Sharks led to Siya Masuku crossing over the whitewash for a well-worked team try just four minutes into the game. Five minutes later the SA team silenced the crowd as they went over for another well-worked team try through Yaw Penxe.
Bordeaux struck back immediately after Penaud finished off a slick pass in the right corner of the field.
The Sharks went down to 14 men after fullback Hakeem Kunene was sent to the sin bin for a dangerous tackle.
The home team quickly made use of the numerical advantage with a try from Penaud who intercepted the Sharks’ frenetic play.
The home team grew further in confidence and controlled the majority of possession. They too were dealt a blow after Connor Sa was also sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes for a high tackle.
But undeterred and on the stroke of halftime, Penaud completed his hat-trick.
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Whatever motivation John Plumtree passed down to his charges in the dressing room with the team only trailing by seven points appeared to miss the mark.
It was all Bordeaux from the moment they stepped on the field for the last 40 minutes of the game.
Maxime Lucu started the Sharks’ downfall and then it was Yoram Moefana. Penaud continued his display with a fourth try for the day. And he was not done as Matthieu Jalibert put in a beautiful cross-kick to find Penaud again, who scored his fifth.
With the Sharks’ defence in disarray with five minutes to go, the dangerous Penaud secured his double hat-trick.
In the dying minutes of the game, Jacques Nguimbous ran a fantastic line and finished off another well-worked Bordeaux try to put the final nail in the Sharks’ coffin.
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