Relentless early second-half pressure produced two tries for the Sharks and a 22-10 triumph over the Queensland Reds in Durban, South Africa, on Saturday in a fiery Super 14 clash.
The result kept the Durban franchise second on the southern hemisphere inter-provincial championship standings with 25 points, eight less than six-time champions the Canterbury Crusaders of New Zealand.
They are the only two teams that can boast 100 percent records at the halfway stage of the 14-round group phase of the competition. The South Africans start the Australasia leg of their program next weekend.
PHOTO: AFP
After conceding a try late in the first half to change over at 10-10, the Sharks began the second period by camping in the visitors' half at a cool, overcast Absa Stadium.
The Sharks came agonizingly close to crossing the line several times before outstanding veteran fullback Stefan Terblanche went over in the corner on 63 minutes for an unconverted try.
Samoan debutant Epi Taione, Rory Kockott and Odwa Ndungane also featured in a sweeping movement -- although television replays suggested it included a forward pass.
Within five minutes. last year's runners-up struck again through workaholic hooker Bismarck du Plessis, who charged over from close range for a try which Kockott converted to open a 12-point gap they retained until fulltime.
However, it took heroic defending to keep the Reds at bay as they brought play deep into Sharks territory and launched repeated assaults on the tryline, first in a bid to get back into the game and then to snatch a bonus point.
Fullback Chris Latham, leading the Brisbane outfit in the absence of injured scrumhalf Sam Cordingley, came closest by squeezing over the line -- only to be held up.
In a full-blooded finish to the final fixture of the weekend, tempers boiled and New Zealand referee Chris Pollock narrowly avoided having to use his yellow card.
Terblanche opened the scoring after nine minutes, dropping a goal after a weaving run from scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar.
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