Edinburgh outplay Sharks in Durban rain

URC REPORT: Edinburgh ended the wait for a Northern Hemisphere victory in South Africa by beating the Sharks 21-5.

The game was played in torrential rain in Durban – accompanied by more than 80 percent humidity and a temperature of 23 degrees – yet Edinburgh acclimatised brilliantly.

They underlined their play-off credentials in style, claiming a memorable win against South Africa’s form team as their Scotland international fly-half Blair Kinghorn scored two tries.

Fullback Emiliano Boffelli also claimed a try and added three conversions in an outstanding display by Mike Blair’s men.

The Sharks replied with a touchdown from prop Thomas Du Toit, but flyhalf Curwin Bosch missed three kicks at goal that would have kept his team in contention.

Bosch missed an early chance when he drifted an angled penalty wide as both sides tried to adapt in testing conditions under foot.

The Sharks exerted early pressure, but they had centre Marius Louw yellow-carded by Italian referee Andrea Piardi after he tackled Kinghorn in the air.

And with Louw still off, Edinburgh pounced for an outstanding try as skipper Mark Bennett made a high-class break inside the Sharks’ 22, allowing Kinghorn to cross unopposed.

Boffelli’s conversion made it 7-0, but the Sharks’ forward power soon surfaced, especially in the scrums, where their front row of Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Du Toit established supremacy.

It was backs to the wall at times for Edinburgh, yet their cause was helped when Bosch failed to find the target with a penalty chance from in front of the posts.

Edinburgh ended a stamina-sapping first 40 minutes by losing lock Pierce Phillips to the sin-bin, paying the price for repeated team infringements.

But the visitors held on, absorbing further Sharks pressure as they took a seven-point lead into the interval.

The Sharks looked to make an immediate second-half impact, and they should have collected an equalising try, but Nche knocked on with the Edinburgh line at his mercy.

Four minutes later, though, they finally breached Edinburgh’s defence, and it came after more heavy-duty work from their forwards, with Du Toit touching down.

Bosch could not convert, with Edinburgh then taking play back into the Sharks’ half through No.8 Ben Muncaster’s powerful charge, and Boffelli crossed for another impressive try before adding the extras.

It proved the game’s decisive score, with the Sharks unable to find a way back into the contest as Kinghorn’s late opportunist effort sealed the deal.

Man of the Match

A week after being part of Scotland’s disappointing end to the Six Nations when they were comprehensively beaten by Ireland in Dublin, flyhalf Kinghorn bounced back in style.

He scored two tries and mixed and matched his game expertly as the rain poured down.

Play of the match

It was a magnificent all-round display by Edinburgh as they became the first northern hemisphere team to win a URC game in South Africa this season.

Kinghorn’s second try 11 minutes from time clinched victory, and he displayed brilliant soccer skills, twice kicking the ball on as surface water splashed underneath his feet, outpacing chasing Sharks defenders and claiming a virtuoso touchdown.

The scorers:

For Sharks:
Try: Du Toit

For Edinburgh:
Tries: Kinghorn 2, Boffelli
Cons: Boffelli 3

Yellow cards: Marius Louw (Sharks, 13 – dangerous play, tackling a player in the air); Pierce Phillips (Edinburgh, 41 – repeated infringements)

Teams:

Sharks: 15 Anthony Volmink, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Ben Tapuai, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Gerbrandt Grobler, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Khuta Mchunu, 19 Le Roux Roets, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 James Venter, 22 Jaden Hendrikse, 23 Boeta Chamberlain.

Edinburgh: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Ramiro Moyano, 13 Mark Bennett (captain), 12 James Lang, 11 Freddie Owsley, 10 Blair Kinghorn, 9 Ben Vellacott, 8 Ben Muncaster, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Magnus Bradbury, 5 Jamie Hodgson, 4 Pierce Phillips, 3 Lee-Roy Atalifo, 2 Dave Cherry, 1 Boan Venter.
Replacements: 16 Adam McBurney, 17 Harrison Courtney, 18 Luan de Bruin, 19 Glen Young, 20 Connor Boyle, 21 Charlie Shiel, 22 Jaco van der Walt, 23 Chris Dean.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Griffin Colby, Stephan Geldenhuys (both South Africa)
TMO: Egon Seconds (South Africa)

Additional source: @URCOfficial