This had all the elements of a great Champions Cup festival. The Sharks squad, featuring World Cup winners, will arrive at the Welford Road fortress to take on Michael Cheika's resurgent Leicester side for a valuable pool stage win.
There's only one problem. Already severely depleted by injuries, the Sharks' options were further reduced by the decision to keep star players such as Siya Kolisi, Andre Esterhuizen and Ox Nche at home. The only possible conclusion was that this game had long ago been written off as an X in the “L” column by Sharks head coach John Plumtree.
Managing resources is great and natural, but where that leaves the health of this great competition is another question. Plumtree's young side did their best to prove this was no mismatch and briefly took the lead thanks to Manu Situka's try. But in reality, this was a walkover. It's a waste of time for anyone interested in competitive sports.
Sharks have made eight changes to their XV since last week's home win against Exeter, with 15 players listed as absent due to injury, including Bongi Mbonambi, Eben Ezebeth and Lukanyo. -Am, Makazole Mapimpi was among the players excluded. However, the absence of Kolisi, Esterhuizen and Ntsche, who were fit but rested, was a disappointment to those who had invested in tickets.
leinster The win confirmed an impressive victory over Bristol. Clermont Auvergne 15-7 at Dublin's Aviva Stadium. Alivereti Raka scored early for Clermont, before Garry Ringrose and Jordie Barrett scored first-half tries for the Pool 2 favorites, with Leinster flyhalf Sam Prendergast adding a conversion and a penalty. . PA media
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ulsterTheir hopes of advancing from Pool 1 suffered another setback as they lost 40-19 to their opponents. Bordeaux bagel In Belfast. A week after conceding 60 points to holders Toulouse, Ulster led 19-14 at half-time with tries from Cormac Iztyuk, Nick Timoney and Werner Koch. But Bordeaux overpowered Ulster after the break with touchdowns from Damien Penault, Guido Petty, Louis Biel-Bialley and Hugo Boniface, a first-half penalty try and a goal from Tevita Tataf.
leinster The win confirmed an impressive victory over Bristol. Clermont Auvergne 15-7 at Dublin's Aviva Stadium. Alivereti Raka scored early for Clermont, before Garry Ringrose and Jordie Barrett scored first-half tries for the Pool 2 favorites, with Leinster flyhalf Sam Prendergast adding a conversion and a penalty. . PA media
The visiting team appeared to be up against that, especially as Leicester welcomed a national team that included South African fly-half Handre Pollard, Argentina's Julián Montoya and England lock George Martin. Plumtree were still able to name experienced prop Trevor Nyakane in the front row, and the Hendrickse brothers Jordan and Jaden at fullback and scrum-half respectively.
Ironically, it was the boots of two-time Springbok World Cup winner Pollard that hurt the frail Sharks. Leicester earned a bonus point after 35 minutes and by half-time they had scored five tries, all of them by South Africa's famous No.10. Pollard also got a territory kick, and Montoya added a try with a first-half double. The flyhalf finished with 17 points and won the Most Valuable Player award.
The Premiership club's record in the first weekend of the Champions Cup was worrying, with seven losses and one win. But due to the greatness of England's domestic competition, by the time Cheika's side went into battle here, Sale and Northampton had recorded encouraging wins, especially for a team that came into bat often.
Plumtree called it an “exciting opportunity to expose the next generation of talent” and the young Sharks must have felt like they were exposed to the cold wind blowing through Welford Road. After a minute's silence for former England international Tom Boyce, Siya Masuku's penalty put the visitors ahead. However, Pollard quickly put the Tigers in front, creating the perfect 50-22 field position for Montoya to run wild. The South African stepped up his game against his compatriot and added a pinpoint conversion from outside wide.
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Both Masuku and outside center Ethan Hooker made damaging runs through the rather heavy Leicester defence, with No. 8 Tzitska opening the scoring before Masuku's conversion gave them a three-goal lead. Built. It didn't last. After Montoya's second try put Cheika's side back in front, Sharks winger Edouan Keiter made an embarrassing error. Trying to keep the kick alive he lobbed the ball behind his back into the infield and Ollie Hassell-Collins gratefully accepted the invitation to score.
The match was plagued with injuries, with referee Andrea Piardi being sent off at half-time and replaced by Filippo Russo. In the 44th minute, Jacques van Poeltvliet ran in and Pollard naturally scored. Thanks to the Sharks, they steadied the ship and Hooker's sniper goal put them ahead before Leicester's Charlie Clare and Emeka Ilione scored eight tries in total for the hosts.
Cheika's team now sit in third place in the Premiership, officially earning them bonus points and their first win of the season in the Champions Cup. They play Ulster here on January 11th before traveling to Toulouse eight days later. This will definitely be a match that will test their mettle.
