Ross loss would have a huge impact on us – Ryan
WALES back-row Ross Moriarty suffered a serious-looking injury on a chastening night for the Dragons in Durban, losing 51-3 to the Sharks.
Moriarty got himself into an awkward position when trying to stop the rampaging Phepsi Buthelezi just short of the half-hour mark and came away from the collision clutching his left knee and writhing in agony.
The 27-year-old received treatment on the pitch before being carted off, bringing an end to his first match back in the side since Wales’ Guinness Six Nations campaign.
Moriarty only returned to action shortly before the Six Nations having undergone shoulder surgery earlier in the season. Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Werner Kok touched down for the Sharks before a pair of penalty tries - both for deliberate knock-ons - and an Anthony Volmink touchdown carried the hosts beyond the half-century with the help of 17 points kicked by Curwin Bosch.
Bosch booted the Sharks into a 6-0 lead with a pair of penalties as the hosts dominated the early stages before Josh Lewis halved the deficit in the 16th minute.
The margin was back to six by the end of the first quarter thanks to another three points from Bosch’s boot, but the visitors were dealt a blow when Moriarty departed.
The Dragons conceded the game’s first try soon after he was replaced by Taine Basham, with Nche driving over under the posts.
Bosch added the extras and was on target again after Mbonambi touched down from a driving maul in the 33rd minute. Kok carved a route through the Dragons defence as he embarked on an unstoppable run to go over seven minutes into the second half, with Bosch taking the score to 30-3.
The bonus point was in the bag for the Sharks when a deliberate knockon by Lewis was punished with a penalty try and 10 minutes in the sin bin. Lewis Jones committed the same offence with the same outcome only five minutes later, temporarily reducing the Dragons to 13 men and extending the Sharks’ lead further.
Volmink scored the final try 13 minutes from time and Bosch moved the scoreboard beyond 50, while the Dragons were shown a third yellow card – this time for Ben Fry – before time was up.
Discussing Moriarty’s injury after the match, Dragons director of rugby Dean Ryan said: “We’ll have to wait and see. He has injured a knee and I am not quite sure to what extent that is.
“We don’t have many bodies like Ross, so when we lose them the impact is huge.”