Sharks feast on Dragons in Newport

The Sharks completed their Challenge Cup pool campaign with a bonus-point victory over Dragons in Newport to progress to the playoffs as the top seeds.

Having already secured a home playoff going into the final round, the Sharks claimed a 29-9 victory on Sunday night, scoring late tries in each half after falling behind early in the match.

The result sees the Sharks end the group stages comfortably on top of Pool 1 with 17 points and a points difference of 88, making them the highest-ranked team in the competition.

Meanwhile, a loss sees Dragons miss out on the playoffs entirely and the home side will be disappointed after starting promisingly with a six-point lead.

It’s the first time this season that the Sharks have won back-to-back games and director of rugby Neil Powell will be pleased with how his side responded to going behind.

Late first half flurry

Two tries in the final 10 minutes of the first half from Jaden Hendrikse and Ox Nche gave the Sharks a 12-6 lead at the break, even though Dragons had enjoyed far more possession and territory.

The Sharks had the better of the second half, as a gusty wind and driving rain made keeping the ball difficult for both teams. Gerbrant Grobler scored the first try of the second half in the 70th minute and lock partner Le Roux Roets put the game beyond doubt with a try of his own, securing the bonus point in the process.

There was still time for Werner Kok to finish off a breakaway try with the final play of the game, ensuring the Sharks return to Durban with a morale-boosting win.

This story first appeared on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission. For the original story click here.