Siya Kolisi signed off at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Sharks colours with two first-half tries as a heavily youthful Sharks side completed their URC season with a 54-19 win over Zebre, following last week's 46-7 dismantling of Benetton with another eight-try performance.
The match served as Kolisi's final appearance for the Sharks before his off-season return to the Stormers, and he marked the occasion with a pair of tries. The first came from a lineout — a short throw to Ox Nche, the concept credited to lineout coach Warren Whiteley, opened the gap that Kolisi surged through to restore the lead. Zebre had briefly led through a sharp finish from wing Simone Gesi, though the visitors had made 11 changes from the side beaten by the Bulls the previous week.
The more compelling story, however, was the youth on display. JP Pietersen fielded a side with an average age of under 24, and it was last year's U20 World Cup-winner Vusi Moyo who caught the eye most, controlling play from flyhalf on debut with a composed kicking game, accurate conversion-taking and a physical short-range finish for a second-half try. The 18-year-old Zekhethelu Siyaya, who had started at flyhalf last week before reverting to fullback, crossed for his first URC try at Kings Park in the 29th minute with a jinking individual run.
Wing Lihlehile Bester and Jaco Williams also impressed, the latter finishing in the corner off a move initiated by captain and inside centre André Esterhuizen and carried by Nick Hatton. The experienced core of Esterhuizen, Nche and Vincent Koch provided ballast around the younger players throughout.
With back-to-back eight-try outings to close the campaign, the Sharks will now face a critical off-season question: whether the recruitment department can retain the talent that has flourished in these final dead-rubber fixtures.