Sharks 18-13 Jaguares: Sharks battle past physical Jaguares
Last Updated: 08/04/17 5:47pm
The Sharks grounded out an 18-13 victory over the Jaguares in an error-strewn Super Rugby match at Kings Park stadium in Durban.
Endless handling errors by both teams and many penalties led to a stop-start match that offered minimum entertainment.
Success was important for the Sharks as they and the Jaguares seem likely to fight for a quarter-finals place in the competition.
South African sides Western Stormers and Golden Lions are favoured to win the Africa 1 and 2 conferences, leaving the Sharks and Jaguares to fight for best runners-up slot.
However, on the evidence of this match, neither the Durban nor Buenos Aires outfits will be contenders for a trophy lifted last year by the Wellington Hurricanes of New Zealand.
Sharks scrum-half Cobus Reinach opened the scoring on six minutes, breaking from deep in his half after a turnover and outpacing the defence.
Argentine fly-half Nicolas Sanchez slotted two penalties then missed two others before a penalty by full-back Curwin Bosch put the Sharks 8-6 ahead at half-time.
The hosts stretched their advantage to nine points on 44 minutes when centre Andre Esterhuizen barged over off a Reinach pass and Bosch converted.
Sanchez was yellow carded just before the hour for an early tackle on rival fly-half Innocent Radebe, a late inclusion for Garth April.
But the visitors overcame the numerical handicap and skipper and hooker Agustin Creevy scored a try which winger Bautista Ezcurra converted.
Bosch completed the scoring two minutes from time with a penalty awarded for illegal scrumming by the South Americans.
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