Sharks into Challenge Cup final after stunning comeback win over Clermont
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The men from Durban looked dead and buried before two late tries saw them pip their French opponents and become the first South African side to reach a European final.
Flyhalf Siya Masaku was a hero for the Sharks on the day, kicking six penalties and two conversions for a 22-point haul – including the clutch late conversion from out wide that put them in front – while Springbok stars Vincent Koch and Makazole Mapimpi scored their two second-half tries.
The Sharks will now face the winner of the other semi-final between Gloucester and Benetton in the Challenge Cup final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Friday, May 24.
Masuku opened the scoring as early as the fourth minute when he slotted the first penalty but Clermont struck back soon after when Jurand crossed for his first five-pointer after Bautista Delguy and Peceli Yato laid the groundwork in the build-up.
The Sharks son took the lead as Masuku kicked two penalties in quick succession before Belleau added a three-pointer of his own which meant Clermont held a slender 10-7 lead by the 16th minute.
However, the games topsy-turvy nature continued when Masuku put his side back in front as he nailed another penalty before Jurand gathered a cross-field kick from Belleauon his way over the try-line again.
Clermont grew in confidence as the match progressed but Masukus brilliance off the kicking tee kept his side in the match and two further penalties from the Sharks fly-half saw regaining the lead.
Despite that, the French outfit did not panic and on the half-hour mark Belleau and Julien Heriteau combined to set up Newsome for his try. Belleau added the extras and also succeeded with a couple of penalties which gave Clermont a 28-18 lead at half-time.
The Top 14 side continued where they left off after the interval when Belleau slotted his fourth penalty which meant the Sharks needed a response if they wanted to be victorious.
In the 51st minute, Jurand went over the try-line again but he was denied a hat-trick when television replays revealed a knock-on from him while crossing the whitewash.
That proved a crucial moment as Clermont were then reduced to 14 men when Delguy was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock on and the Sharks made full use of their numerical advantage as Koch barged over from close quarters on the hour mark.
Masuku made no mistake from the kicking tee which meant the final quarter would be a nail-biting affair as the Sharks were now trailing by just six points. However, five minutes later, Aphelele Fassi was then shown a yellow card for taking out a player off the ball.
Despite that setback, the Sharks finished stronger and with nine minutes to play they launched a counter-attack from inside their half, Masuku and captain Lukhanyo Am doing brilliantly to create the space for Mapimpi, who rounded off superbly in the left-hand corner.
Masuku showed his class to nail the difficult place-kick from close to the touchline which gave his side the lead and they held on for the victory in the games dying moments.