South Africa’s Coastal Sharks maintained their perfect start to the Super 15 season with a commanding 39-12 win over Australia’s Western Force yesterday.
Also beaten in their first outing, the Force lost Mitch Inman to a dislocated elbow in just the seventh minute and a couple of minutes later had David Pocock limp off with a knee injury.
Already down 7-3 after an early Odwa Ndungane try, the Force then were reduced to 14 men in the 18th minute.
Reserve Rory Sidey, who came on from Inman, was sent off for the remainder of the match for a spear tackle on Ndungane.
Just moments after Ndungane was carried off, the Sharks extended their lead when they won a lineout and drove over the line for a Bismarck du Plessis try.
The boot of James O’Connor kept the Force alive through penalties, but in the 34th minute, Steven Sykes picked up a loose ball and lumbered over for a third try.
The Sharks sealed the win when a period of sustained pressure ended with Willem Alberts bustling over for the bonus-point try in the 70th minute.
The Force finished the match with 13 men after Nick Cummins was sin-binned in the 77th minute, with Patrick Lambie grabbing a try in the dying seconds.
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