Leicester pile on points and pain on depleted Sharks | Champions Cup

All these ingredients for a festive crackling in the fixture Champions Cup. The Sharks team would arrive with the World Cup winners at Welford Castle and face a resurgent Leicester City’s Michael Cheika with a priceless scene on the line.

One doubt. Already hit hard by injury, the Sharks’ options were further limited by the decision to leave star names such as Siya Kolisi, André Esterhuizen and Ox Nché at home. The only possible conclusion was that this match had long been written as a cross on the “L” column by Sharks head coach John Plumtree.

Managing resources is fine and natural, but where does that leave the integrity of this great competition is another question. Plumtree’s young team worked hard to prove that this was something other than a mismatch, and they briefly conducted an experiment with Manu Tshituka. But this is a walkover; a waste of time for anyone interested in competitive sports.

The Sharks counted 15 players out due to injuries when the naming 15 featured eight changes from last week’s home game against Exeter: Bongi Mbonambi, Eben Etzebeth, Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi were among them. But the absence of Kolisi, Esterhuizen and Nché – fit but rested – was a disappointment to everyone who had invested in the ticket.

The visitors seemed to be against it, then especially of Leicester A host of internationals have been recruited including South Africa fly half Handré Pollard, Argentina’s Julian Montoya and England close George Martin. Plumtree could still name experienced first-rower Trevor Nyakane, along with the Hendrikse brothers, Jordan and Jaden, at full-back and scrum-half respectively.

Ironically, it was Pollard, a two-time Springbok World Cup winner, who poured out his pain on these callous sharks. Leicester had a good point sealed after 35 minutes and scored five half-time tries, all converted by the metronomic South African to no 10. He also said Pollard’s territorial kick and added effort to go with Montoya’s first-half double. A fly half is completed with 17 points and the player of the game is adjudged.

The club’s performance in their first Champions Cup campaign was worrying – seven defeats and one win – but by the time Cheika’s men went into battle here, Sale and Northampton had taken their victories to heart, especially for those who often go in to bat. for the supposed whiteness of England’s domestic competition.

Plumtree called this an “exciting opportunity to expose some of our talent to the next generation” and his young sharks must have felt exposed to the cold winds whipping around Welford Road. After a minute’s silence for Tom Voyce, the former England winger, Siya Masuku’s penalty put the visitors in front. But Pollard soon put the Tigers on the front foot, creating a perfect 50-22 field position for Montoya to crack over. The African was in the mood against his own, with the added punctuation of a conversion from wide.

Masuku and Ethan Hooker from outside center damage both attacked through a slightly heavy Leicester defence, and after No 8 Tshituka scored, Masuku’s conversion sealed a three-point lead. It didn’t last. Montoya’s second attempt at the back of Cheika’s men before a narrow error by Eduan Keyter, the Sharks wing, lobbed the ball infield behind his back, and Ollie Hassell-Collins accepted the invitation to score with gratitude.

The injury-ravaged opportunity extended to the officials, when referee Andrea Piardi was forced off at half-time, replaced by Philippe Russo. Jack van Poortvliet scored on 44 minutes and Pollard naturally converted. Credit to the Sharks, they steadied the ship and Hooker’s sniping score came ahead of Leicester’s Charlie Clare and Emeka Ilion, making it eight for the hosts.

Cheika’s side are third in the Premiership and have duly delivered a good point with this, their first of the season in the Champions Cup. They host Ulster here on January 11th before traveling eight days after Toulouse: what will really be a test of their fighting spirit.