Ulster takes a full-house home from the Shark Tank
MATCH REPORT: Irish Province Ulster moved to within striking distance of the defending champion Stormers in second place on the United Rugby Championship standings.
Ulster beat the Sharks 31-24 on a steamy afternoon at Kings Park in a match that saw both teams score four tries each.
Grant Williams, Thaakir Abrahams, Ntuthuko Mchunu and Henry Chamberlain scored tries for the hosts - with flyhalf Curwin Bosch adding two conversions.
The Ulster tries came from hooker Tom Stewart (two), centre Stewart Moore and lock Harry Sheridan.
While Bosch missed a penalty and two conversion attempts, Ulster goalkicker John Cooney slotted a perfect five from five - four conversion and a penalty.
* To recap all the drama, CLICK HERE!
It is a massive win for Ulster who bounced back from last week's defeat in Glasgow.
It also moves the province up to third in the URC standings and boosts their play-off hopes this season.
Two maul tries laid the foundations for the win - with replacement hooker Tom Stewart claiming both.
Just 71 seconds were on the clock when scrumhalf Grant Williams took advantage of successive defensive lapses to accelerate over the line as part of an impressive start by the Sharks.
A period of Ulster dominance followed, however, with a John Cooney penalty followed by a breakthrough at the line-out that saw Stewart touch down.
The Sharks regained the initiative when wing Thaakir Abrahams raced on to a chip ahead, evading a despairing tackle by Craig Gilroy in the process.
For all their instinctive back play, the Durban-based franchise were proving fallible at the maul and Ulster helped themselves to a second try with Stewart once again providing the finishing touch.
Aaron Sexton was almost over in the left corner, but he was bundled into touch at the last possible moment and three minutes into the second half the visitors extended their lead through Moore.
It was an opportunistic score by the Ulster inside centre who, having seen Williams roll the ball over his own whitewash as the Sharks were about to clear their line, came around the side of the ruck and touched down.
Prop Ntuthuko Mchunu went over from close range after a series of forward carries to slash the deficit to five points, but lock Sheridan showed tremendous strength to cross despite the attention of several defenders, restoring some breathing space.
The Sharks refused to throw in the towel and when Werner Kok broke from deep inside his own half, full-back Boeta Chamberlain was on hand to finish.
Despite heavy pressure in the last 10 minutes, they were unable to unpick the visiting defence again.
The scorers
For the Sharks
Tries: Williams, Abrahams, Mchunu, Chamberlain
Cons: Bosch 2
For Ulster
Tries: Stewart 2, Moore, Sheridan
Cons: Cooney 4
Pen: Cooney
Teams
Sharks: 15 Henry Chamberlain, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Thaakir Abrahams, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Phendulani Buthelezi (captain), 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Dylan Richardson, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Reniel Hugo, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Dan Jooste, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Replacements: 16 Fezokuhle Mbatha, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Emile van Heerden, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Lionel Cronje, 23 Yaw Penxe.
Ulster: 15 Mike Lowry, 14 Craig Gilroy, 13 Luke Marshall, 12 Stewart Moore, 11 Aaron Sexton, 10 Jake Flannery, 9 John Cooney, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Nick Timoney, 6 Jordi Murphy, 5 Harry Sheridan, 4 Alan O’Connor, 3 Jeff Toomaga-Allen, 2 John Andrew, 1 Rory Sutherland.
Replacements: 16 Tom Stewart, 17 Andy Warwick, 18 Gareth Milasinovich, 19 Cormac Izuchukwu, 20 Dave McCann, 21 Dave Shanahan, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Ethan McIlroy.
Referee: Sam Grove-White
Assistant referees: Cwengile Jadezweni, Griffin Colby
TMO: Andrew McMenemy