Streetwise Sharks blow Gloucester away in European Rugby Challenge Cup final

Fierce defence, scrummaging dominance, kicking accuracy and the odd touch of magic; South African teams have a trusty formula for big games. Now they have a first taste of ‘European’ silverware, too, after Gloucester succumbed to a streetwise clinic from the Sharks – starring two thirds of the Springboks Bomb Squad that defied England last year – in this one-sided Challenge Cup final.

Ox Nche and Vincent Koch, propping either shoulder of Bongi Mbonambi, milked set-piece penalties out of Gloucester to complement a sublime try from Phepsi Buthelezi. All of that built a 13-point half-time lead that the Sharks, captained by the imperious Eben Etzebeth, were unlikely to relinquish.

Indeed, John Plumtree’s charges turned the screw in the second period. Siya Masuku accumulated 21 points and James Venter, the relentless flanker, registered almost as many tackles. “The plan was to apply pressure to the Gloucester pack,” explained Plumtree afterwards. “We thought that was their strength.”

Chasing a second trophy of the season, having landed the Premiership Cup two months ago, George Skivington’s side were out to vindicate the subsequent decision to prioritise this competition over league commitments. Infamously, that had brought about a 90-0 drubbing in Northampton. Would a double dispatch the humiliation of such an afternoon? That was the hope, which only really glimmered for 15 minutes.

“I don’t think anyone threw the towel in, but we were blown away for most of that game,” admitted Skivington, who cited a failure to capitalise on early impetus. “We made some bold decisions to try and go hard at this tournament. Not to win it is gutting.”

Gloucester’s form in the Challenge Cup had been decidedly more assured than their Premiership efforts. Similarly, despite a sparkling roster littered with World Cup winners, Sharks have endured a grim United Rugby Championship campaign comprising 13 losses from 17 matches to date. Etzebeth later revealed a motivation to put a “silver lining” on this term.

The atmosphere was predictably partisan. It took less than 10 seconds for familiar chants of ‘Gloucester, Gloucester’ to swell and Sharks’ indiscipline characterised the opening exchanges. Aphelele Fassi chased his own kick and tackled an airborne Zach Mercer before Makazole Mapimpi caught Santiago Carreras on the jaw.

A maul offence made it three penalties in as many minutes and, though Sharks muscled an attempted shove into touch, Gloucester maintained pressure. Caolan Englefield sniped, Ollie Thorley trucked to within five metres and Fassi was sent to the sin bin for creeping offside. Finally, on the back of a fifth penalty, Chris Harris stretched out towards the line. Etzebeth, however, slid in and forced the ball loose. Nche earned a scrum penalty and Sharks escaped.

Spearheaded by a fearful front row of Nche, Mbonambi and Koch, with the considerable Etzebeh in the engine room, Sharks worked a second set-piece infringement against the put-in. Whereas Gloucester had sent penalties to touch, Sharks went for goal and Masuku split the uprights. A long-range attempt from Carreras faded wide but Englefield, the scrum-half who represented England A in February, levelled it up with a fine strike from even further out. That would only spark the Sharks, though.

Koch dented the Gloucester midfield and offloaded to Buthelezi, who slipped three tackles and accelerated into space, selling a wicked dummy to score. Masuku converted and added his second penalty as the Sharks squeezed, with Koch plucking a loose ball before striking a sweet 50:22. Just over half an hour in, Gloucester’s scrum was creaking badly and leaking penalties. When Masuku made it 16-3, Mathieu Raynal ominously told Lewis Ludlow to “find a solution”.

To his credit, Skivington endeavoured to do just that as quickly as possible, replacing his starting front row. Mayco Vivas, Santiago Socino and Kirill Gotovtsev promptly splintered the Sharks. A promising position was squandered, though, when Grant Williams intercepted Mercer. Masuku slotted two further penalties before dinking a shallow chip over the defensive line for Fassi to recover.

Etzebeth flipped an offload towards the Sharks left and Mapimpi scuttled down the touchline. When the ball was moved back towards centre-field, Fassi scythed over easily. Gloucester responded with Albert Tuisue’s pushover, but the next episode of the Masuku show arrived on the hour-mark when Carreras fumbled a high ball, the Sharks fly-half spearing a kick-pass to an unmarked Mapimpi.

With 10 minutes remaining, Nche, Mbonambi and Koch were all taken off. Trevor Nyakane, another World Cup champion who had made the trip from Paris, where he is playing for Racing 92, hollered “Bomb Squad” in recognition of his compatriots.

Adam Hastings and Jonny May, two Gloucester leavers, combined for a Stephen Varney try that was disallowed, encapsulating a hapless night. Skivington’s men did reward their faithful fans with two pieces of futile brilliance. A flurry of offloads led to a finish for Socino and then Thorley broke to set up Freddie Clarke. Still, Sharks prevailed to make the Champions Cup for 2024-25, keeping Leicester Tigers as the Premiership’s eighth qualifier.

Late scores could not gloss over Gloucester’s inferiority. The same was true of their cup success amid a tough season. Work is required over the summer, as Skivington already knew.

Match details:

Gloucester: S Carreras; J May (J Hathaway, 75), C Harris, S Atkinson (M Llewellyn, 56), O Thorley; A Hastings, C Englefield (S Varney, 56); J Ford-Robinson (M Vivas, h-t), S Blake (S Socino, h-t), F Balmain (K Gotovtsev, h-t), F Clarke, A Clark (A Tuisue, 56), R Ackermann (J Clement, 65), L Ludlow, Z Mercer.

Sharks: A Fassi (C Bosch, 76), W Kok, E Hooker, F Venter, M Mapimpi; S Masuku, G Williams (C Wright, 73); O Nche (N Mchunu, 70), B Mbonambi (F Mbatha, 70), V Koch (H Jacobs, 70), E Etzebeth, G Grobler (L Labuschagne, 75), J Venter (D Richardson, 75), V Tshituka, P Buthelezi. Replacement not used: E Keyter. Yellow card: Fassi 7

Scoring: 0-3 Masuku penalty, 3-3 Englefield penalty, 3-8 Buthelezi try, 3-10 Masuku conversion, 3-13 Masuku penalty, 3-16 Masuku penalty, 3-19 Masuku penalty, 3-22 Masuku penalty, 3-27 Fassi try, 3-29 Masuku conversion, 8-29 Tuisue try, 10-29 Hastings conversion, 10-34 Mapimpi try, 10-36 Masuku conversion, 15-36 Socino try, 17-36 Hastings conversion, 22-36 Clarke try.

Referee: M Raynal

Attendance: 34,761