Sharks add another New Zealand scalp to the tally
Sharks (10) 28
Chiefs (10) 24
Sharks— Tries: Robert du Preez, Lwazi Mvovo, Cameron Wright; Conversion: Robert du Preez (2); Penalties: Robert du Preez (3) Chiefs: Tries : Tyler Ardon, Charlie Ngatai, Solomon Alaimalo; Conversions: Marty Mckenzie (3) ; Penalties: Marty Mckenzie (1)
● The Sharks are proving to have a serious appetite for some Kiwi flesh.
Already this Super Rugby season they have claimed the scalps of the Highlanders and the Blues and they were horribly unlucky to lose by a point to the Hurricanes.
On a sunny Durban afternoon, they overcame a sluggish start yesterday to ultimately put away the stubborn Chiefs through tries from Robert du Preez, Lwazi Mvovo and Cameron Wright to continue their dominance over New Zealand teams.
The Sharks were hotly tipped to win this match as Chiefs coach Colin Cooper was denied the services of his All Blacks players who were forced to fly home to attend a national camp, and by a spate of injuries.
But the Chiefs gave a good account of themselves.
The Sharks have revived their faint chances of making it to the play-offs but it does not get any easier as their next match is against the hugely improved Jaguares at Estadio Jose Amalfitani in Buenos Aires.
The opening minutes of yesterday’s game were about Robert du Preez as he put the home side on the scoreboard with a penalty soon followed by the opening try that he converted to give the Sharks a 10-0 lead.
It did not take long before the Chiefs forced themselves into the game and through a try from Tyler Ardon from an attacking lineout with Marty Mckenzie converting.
The Sharks responded quickly with the impressive Curwin Bosch running into the Chiefs 22 area but he was stopped by Shaun Stevenson agonisingly close to the line as he tried to offload to Mvovo.
The Sharks paid for their earlier let-off as Chiefs levelled just after the half-hour mark through a penalty from Mckenzie and they went to the break tied on 10-10.
The Sharks increased their lead two minutes after the restart with Mvovo touching down after good interchanging play inside the Chiefs danger area, but Robert du Preez failed to convert.
The Chiefs took the lead for the first time in the match as they capitalised on the mistake of Andre Esterhuizen as Chiefs captain Charlie Ngatai crossed the line and allowed Mckenzie to convert.
The tempo of the match increased and the Sharks retook the lead a few minutes later through a penalty by Robert du Preez and they pulled away further with a well-taken try by Cameron Wright that was converted by Robert du Preez.
Robert du Preez scored his third penalty of the day before Solomon Alaimalo scored a try after the hooter had sounded that was converted by Mckenzie, but it proved to be too little too late.