Sharks circle to take a bite out of Edinburgh
EDINBURGH exited the EPCR Challenge Cup after suffering a 36-30 quarter-final defeat against the Sharks in Durban.
Despite leading narrowly at halftime, Edinburgh were ultimately undone by a Sharks team that put poor United Rugby Championship form to one side.
Prop Pierre Schoeman, flanker Hamish Watson and hooker Dave Cherry – in the game’s final play – scored Edinburgh’s tries, while flyhalf Ben Healy kicked three penalties and three conversions.
But Sharks’ superior firepower was underlined through touchdowns from centre Lukhanyo Am, flanker James Venter and hooker Bongi Mbonambi.
Fly-half Siya Masuku converted all three tries and kicked four penalties for an 18-point haul, while Curwin Bosch booted a late penalty as Sharks moved into a semi-final against Clermont Auvergne following their 53-14 victory over Ulster.
Healy kicked two early penalties for Edinburgh, but the Sharks hit back through a 17th-minute try when Makazole Mapimpi shredded the visiting defence before sending his fellow South African World Cup winner Am over to score.
Masuku added the conversion, and Edinburgh were undone again 10 minutes later by another highclass Sharks score.
Mapimpi and full-back Aphelele Fassi were the architects, getting in behind Edinburgh’s defence, then possession worked its way to lock Eben Etzebeth and he found an unmarked Venter for the try.
Masuku converted, but Etzebeth was then yellow-carded for a lineout infringement and Edinburgh capitalised on their temporary one-player advantage when Schoeman crashed over from close range and Healy added the extras.
It was an impressive end to the first half by Edinburgh, and Healy completed his penalty hat-trick to secure a 16-14 interval advantage.
Two Masuku penalties put the Sharks back in front, and Mbonambi broke clear of a maul for a try that Masuku converted.
Ulster saw their hopes of reaching the semi-finals crushed by Clermont at Stade Marcel-michelin as the French heavyweights ran in seven tries. Nick Timoney touched down twice for Ulster, with both scores converted by scrum-half John Cooney, but the visitors had no answer to Clermont’s pace and all-court game.