Flanker Keegan Daniel scored a 16-second try to give the Coastal Sharks a perfect start en route to a 22-17 triumph over the Auckland Blues in a Super 14 thriller on Saturday.
Daniel dotted down again as the home team took a 19-3 halftime advantage and then withstood fierce second-half pressure to close out the game.
The Sharks, runners-up to compatriots the Bulls last year, have 17 ranking points from four outings, one more than their New Zealand opponents who scored 105 match points in two previous matches on tour in South Africa.
Captain and lock Johann Muller claimed the other Sharks try with scrumhalf Rory Kockott converting two and landing a penalty as he continues to deputize effectively for injured Springbok Ruan Pienaar.
Dynamic flyhalf Nick Evans scored a try and kicked two conversions and a penalty and replacement back Taniela Moa touched down for the Blues, who suffered their fourth consecutive loss to the Durban franchise.
"The team were outstanding in the first half only to fall asleep after the break. We must learn to put it together for 80 minutes," Muller said afterwards.
Blues skipper and lock Troy Flavell was gracious in defeat.
"The better team on the day won, but we are happy to go home with 11 points having set ourselves a target of one less," Flavell said.
When the New Zealanders failed to control the ball at the kick-off, hooker Bismarck du Plesses passed to Daniel and he dashed over under pressure from All Blacks wing Joe Rokocoko, making his 50th appearance in the competition.
Kockott failed to convert, but was on target after center Bradley Barritt set up Muller for a try in the corner and Daniel charged over having taken a quick tap penalty with the successful conversion opening up a 19-point gap.
Evans reduced the arrears with a penalty and dived over between the posts just two minutes into the second half for a try, which he converted as the Blues came back.
Kockott kicked a penalty 10 minutes from full-time, only for Moa to go over for a soft try. Evans' conversion left just five points between weary teams as the sauna-like conditions took their toll.
SIBLING RIVALRY: Marc Marquez was locked in a duel with his little brother, falling behind at one point before recovering for his first season-opening victory since 2014 Six-time world champion Marc Marquez yesterday won the MotoGP season-opening Thailand Grand Prix to complete a dominant debut weekend at his new Ducati Lenovo Team, having also romped to Saturday’s sprint. The Spanish great took the 26-lap grand prix by 1.732 seconds for his 63rd MotoGP victory from younger brother Alex Marquez, who is still seeking a first checkered flag, with Francesco Bagnaia third to complete an all-Ducati podium. It completed a perfect weekend for Marc Marquez, who took pole position, the sprint victory and the grand prix win for a maximum 37 points to open the 22-leg 2025 campaign. He led from
AC Milan’s slender hopes of reaching next season’s UEFA Champions League took another hit on Thursday with a 2-1 defeat at Bologna which left them eight points from Serie A’s top four. Sergio Conceicao’s team sit eighth, some way behind fourth-placed Juventus after losing an entertaining contest at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, a match which was rescheduled from October last year due to torrential rain and flooding. Swathes of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy, much of which is fertile agricultural land, had been left under water following a massive autumn downpour. Dan Ndoye prodded home the decisive goal in the 82nd minute
VALUABLE POINT: Relegation-threatened Valencia snatched a thrilling 3-3 draw at CA Osasuna thanks to a remarkable backheel volley by Umar Sadiq Barcelona on Sunday secured a comfortable 4-0 win over Real Sociedad to move back top of La Liga. Aritz Elustondo’s early red card gave Hansi Flick’s side a comfortable afternoon, with Gerard Martin, Marc Casado, Ronald Araujo and Robert Lewandowski on the score sheet. Atletico Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao on Saturday to temporarily knock the Catalans from their perch, while Real Madrid, third, lost at Real Betis Balompie. Flick was able to rotate his side a little ahead of the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 visit to face SL Benfica tomorrow and still move one point above Atletico. “There were a lot of things that
Former Australian motorcycle gang member-turned-golfer Ryan Peake, who served a lengthy jail term for assault, yesterday produced a “life-changing” maiden win to qualify for The Open Championship. Peake held his nerve for a one-stroke victory at the New Zealand Open, earning him a berth at the major in Portrush, Northern Ireland, in July, pending clearance to travel as a convicted criminal. The 31-year-old from Perth celebrated animatedly and was showered with champagne by friends on the 18th green of the Millbrook Resort course near Queenstown after a redemption story rarely seen in the refined sport of golf. Peake held back tears as he
RSS