The Sharks have a chance to make amends in front of their home crowd next Saturday when they host the winless Scarlets.
The Sharks’ wait for their first win of the Vodacom URC season continues, after being beaten by Ulster in Durban on Saturday.
The visitors ran in four tries as they upset the Bok-laden Sharks 34-26 at the Shark Tank to consign John Plumtree’s side to their third defeat in four matches.
The Durban-based side lacked continuity for much of the first half, despite having most of their Springboks back in the team. However, the forward pack showed its dominance from the start, sending the Ulster scrum marching backwards on several occasions.
But the Irish club rarely looked flustered in that first 40, taking the points on offer through two good tries from fullback Mike Lowry after just six minutes and former Sharks winger Werner Kok, and the reliable boot of scrumhalf Nathan Doak who slotted both conversions and a penalty.
The Sharks, however, looked to have found a bit more fluidity and used their scrum and maul dominance to set up flanker Siya Kolisi to crash over for their first try.
Sadly for the hosts, flyhalf Siya Masuku was having an uncharacteristic off-day with the boot, missing the conversion as well as two penalty attempts earlier in the half.
The Sharks came out of the sheds looking a lot more determined, and their greater fluidity was rewarded 10 minutes into the second half when winger Makazole Mapimpi sprinted over. Masuku seemed to have found his kicking boots again, adding the extra two points to cut Ulster’s lead to eight points.
But just as things started to look up for the hosts, two tip-tackles on Lowry resulted in yellow cards for Vincent Koch and Mapimpi.
Ulster made their numerical advantage count as hooker Tom Stewart rounded off a fabulous team try. Mapimpi’s yellow card was then turned into a 20-minute red card.
As the rain started coming down in the final quarter, discipline issues cost Ulster as a yellow card brought some numerical parity. The Sharks then again used their powerful scrum to push the Ulstermen backwards and force a penalty try.
Ulster’s never-say-die attitude shone through five minutes later, when Callum Reid scored a controversial try to secure the bonus point (the replacement loosehead prop appeared to ground the ball short of the line). Doak’s conversion stretched their lead to 15 points.
A try by Springbok centre Andre Esterhuizen and conversion by replacement flyhalf Jordan Hendrickse sent some flutters among the visitors. But they held on for a rare victory over their hosts.
The Sharks have a chance to make amends in front of their home crowd next Saturday when they host the winless Scarlets.
SHARKS – Tries: Siya Kolisi, Makazole Mapimpi, penalty try, Andre Esterhuizen.
Conversions: Siya Masuku, Jordan Hendrickse.
ULSTER – Tries: Mike Lowry, Werner Kok, Tom Stewart, Callum Reid.
Conversions: Nathan Doak (3). Penalty goals: Doak (2).
This story was first published by sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission.
