EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – What looked like a potential pathway to the United Rugby Championship play-offs turned into another crushing disappointment for the Sharks, as they surrendered a commanding 21-14 advantage to fall 33-28 to Edinburgh on Friday night.
JP Pietersen’s men will be left wondering how they managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory after dominating large portions of the contest, only to watch their season slip away in a devastating 10-minute collapse.
Early promise
The visitors couldn’t have asked for a better start to their must-win encounter. Within six minutes, they had carved open the Edinburgh defence through patient phase play before releasing the ball wide, where Edwill van der Merwe finished expertly in the corner.
Jean Smith’s superb conversion from the touchline put the Sharks ahead 7-0.
Edinburgh’s response came via the boot and brawn of Ewan Ashman, who bulldozed through two would-be tacklers in the 15th minute for a converted score that restored parity at 7-7.
The Sharks’ forward pack flexed their muscles shortly after, setting up the perfect platform from an attacking penalty. The resulting maul provided Manu Tshituka with a simple finish for a converted try that restored their seven-point buffer at 14-7 in the 19th minute.
Defensive heroics
Jaden Hendrikse produced a moment of individual brilliance to deny Edinburgh a maul try of their own, holding up the ball carrier as the home side’s lineout move threatened to breach the Sharks’ resistance.
However, Edinburgh found their equaliser five minutes before the break when Grant Gilchrist’s incisive running created space for Glen Young to stroll over, making it 14-14 after they had turned defense into attack from a Sharks clearance.
The Sharks appeared to have seized control of their destiny in the 56th minute when replacement prop Vincent Koch powered over from close quarters.
Smith’s routine conversion stretched the lead to 21-14, putting the visitors within touching distance of a crucial victory.
The collapse
What followed was a masterclass in how to throw away a winning position.
Edinburgh struck back almost immediately through a sweeping move that sent Mosese Tuipulotu racing down the left touchline, his pace proving too much for the Sharks’ cover defense in an unconverted try that made it 21-19.
Two minutes later, the home side completed their remarkable turnaround.
Ewan Ashman’s charge-down created the opportunity for Hector Patterson to capitalise, with Ross Thompson’s conversion putting Edinburgh ahead 26-21 with 16 minutes remaining.
The knockout blow came soon after through some scintillating rugby from the hosts.
Darcy Graham’s electrifying break shredded the Sharks’ defensive line before he kicked ahead and collected his own chip to score under the posts. Thompson’s simple conversion made it 33-21 with 10 minutes left on the clock.
Vincent Tshituka managed a late consolation score for the Sharks, but by then the damage was irreparable. The final whistle confirmed not just another frustrating defeat, but the end of any remaining playoff ambitions.
For a team that has made a habit of letting winning positions slip this season, this latest capitulation will sting the most – coming at a time when they could least afford it.
SOURCE: KickOff
