Sharks hold out QR Reds
The Sharks scored two tries in the last quarter of the match and then held out a determined late charge by the QR Reds to claim a 22-10 victory in their Investec Super 14 match in Durban.
The two sides were locked at 10-all after an inspirational try by recalled Reds flanker David Croft in the shadows of halftime and the two sides were locked on that score until the breakthrough came for the Sharks in the 62nd minute.
The Reds looked to have been hard done by in both Sharks tries, the first appearing to involve a forward pass and the second following a knock-on at the base of the ruck which went undetected.
In the end the victory was built on the Sharks' impressive defence, which denied the desperate Reds the late try that would have earned them a bonus point.
However the Reds weren't short on commitment and courage in defence, either, holding out the Sharks for long periods in the first half and only conceding a try from a mistake against the run of play.
Their ability to keep the ball alive through deft handling by forwards and backs kept the Sharks under pressure, but they failed to capitalise on the few half chances that could have made the difference.
They did pounce on a Sharks' lineout error to set up Croft's try, scored when he beat three defenders to barge his way over following a scything run to the line. Clinton Schifcofske's sideline conversion equalled the score at 10-all as the two sides went to the halftime break.
The Reds were well in the game in the second half until the Sharks gained a much-needed lift from their star studded bench, which included French international flyhalf Frederic Michalak and Tongan World Cup backrow hero Epi Taione.
Reds' captain Chris Latham said the match against the undefeated Sharks, who boast one of the best defensive records in the competition, was one of the most physical games the Reds had played this season.
"I'm very proud of the boys. We stuck it to them," Latham said.
"We said before the game that they're a team that likes to get in front early and we really needed to stick with them. We went in (to halftime) at 10-all and we really believed we had a shot at them. But to their credit they really brought the game to us in the second half and we just couldn't get our hands on the ball.
"When they used the ball they used it well. They've got 11 Springboks and a lot of them are good backs so we had our work cut out for us. But we were in there, we were in with a show and when we had our opportunities we just didn't capitalise and we just didn't control that possession."
The Reds have taken just two competition points from their two matches in South Africa so far, but will be looking to finish their tour on a high next week against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
Although disappointed with the loss, the 2008 Reds again showed they were a much improved team on last year, especially with their determination to fight it out for the full 80 minutes.
"I think we did a lot better than a lot of people thought we would," Latham said.
"(I'm) very proud but, obviously, we came out to win and we didn't so that's a disappointing part of it."
QR Reds' Head Coach Phil Mooney said his players finished the match with no serious injuries.
Sharks 22 (Ndungane, Terblanche, du Plessis tries, Pienaar, Kockott cons, Terblanche dg) def QR Reds 10 (David Croft try, Clinton Schifcofske con, pen)
