Sharks Champions Cup

Sharks vs Harlequins . Eben Etzebeth of the Cell C Sharks
Heineken Champions Cup Round 1 Pool A, Hollywood Kings Park, Durban, South Africa – 10 Dec 2022 Photo: Steve Haag Sports/INPHO/Shutterstock/BackpagePix (

Brave Sharks outgun Harlequins in Kings Park thriller

The Sharks showed courage to hold off a Harlequins comeback despite being outnumbered for much of the last 20 minutes of the match.

Sharks Champions Cup

Sharks vs Harlequins . Eben Etzebeth of the Cell C Sharks
Heineken Champions Cup Round 1 Pool A, Hollywood Kings Park, Durban, South Africa – 10 Dec 2022 Photo: Steve Haag Sports/INPHO/Shutterstock/BackpagePix (

The Sharks showed courage to hold off a Harlequins comeback despite being outnumbered for much of the last 20 minutes of the match.

Ten tries were evenly split between the two teams and the difference proved to be the big boot of Curwin Bosch.

Sharks dominate first half

After a bright start from Harlequins which saw left wing Josh Bassett cross for the first of his two tries, the Sharks took control of the match.

The Sharks dominated the setpiece and their finisher Makazole Mapimpi scored twice in the first half of the match.

Sharks
Makazole Mapimpi of the Sharks. Photo: SA Rugby

Bongi Mbonambi was the scorer of the Sharks first try but would later spark a downward spiral that nearly cost his team dearly.

Werner Kok got in on the try-scoring act after the break but with the Sharks leading 29-14 after 55 minutes, things suddenly hit the skids.

Mbonambi picked up a yellow card just minutes before Ox Nche saw red after a head-to-head collision.

That set the stage for Esterhuizen, who notched up two tries in five minutes to get Harlequins back into the contest. 

Just as Harlequins looked like they were going to complete an unlikely comeback, the Sharks found another gear to send Chamberlain across as the hosts managed to end the tie on top in the final minute.

Bosch let the clock wind down before slotting a final conversion that denied the Harlequins a losing bonus point.

The Sharks travel to France to take on the Bordeaux-Begles in round two on Friday evening, while Harlequins will also play host to French opposition when they welcome Racing 92 to Twickenham Stoop next Sunday.

Scorers:

Sharks 39 (22) – Tries: Bongi Mbonambi, Makazole Mapimpi (2), Werner Kok, Boeta Chamberlain. Conversions: Curwin Bosch (4). Penalty Goals: Curwin Bosch (2).

Harlequins 31 (14) – Tries: Josh Bassett (2), Will Evans and Andre Esterhuizen (2). Conversions: Tommasso Allan (2), Will Edwards.