Ulster pipped by Sharks at the death in blow to URC play-off hopes
Ulster 19
Sharks 22
DESPITE CONSTRUCTING A 19-0 lead against the Springbok-laden Sharks, Ulster were unable to hold on and this defeat has dented their hopes of now making the URC play-offs.
The South Africans only led when Jordan Hendrikse slotted a 77th minute penalty and held on, even though Ulster threw everything at getting a score back.
After a shaky enough looking start, Ulster were out of the traps nice and early. Six minutes were on the clock when Jacob Stockdale raced through, Ulster recycled, and Cormac Izuchukwu offloaded to Jack Murphy to score. The out=half missed but was spot on with his next attempt just three minutes later.
Ulster's second arrived when a ball hacked downfield by Nathan Doak was collected by Ward and Jude Postlethwaite ran in unopposed.
Nine minutes had gone, and Ulster led 12-0.
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Ulster's Stuart McCloskey with Jordan Hendrikse Sharks. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
The hosts then increased their lead on the half-hour and again Stockdale was the architect as he chipped, collected and then put Nathan Doak over under the posts.
Murphy's conversion then made it 19-0.
The Sharks finally responded and on penalty advantage, Makazole Mapimpi scored in the left corner, and though Jordan Hendrikse missed the conversion, Ben Whitehouse showed Stockdale a yellow card for an act of foul play and the hosts were down to 14.
They were then breached once more by Mapimpi who got over in the same corner only for his effort to be ruled out for a forward pass which allowed Ulster to end the first half leading 19-5.
On the hour, the Sharks got over for their second try when on penalty advantage, Manu Tshituka smashed and Jordan Hendrikse converted to cut Ulster's lead to seven.
Ulster's Werner Kok and Siya Kolisi of Sharks after the game. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
It was all Sharks now and on 69 minutes, sub centre Jurenzo Julius weaved through a tiring Ulster defence to dot down at the posts, allowing Jordan Hendrikse convert to tie things up at 19-all.
However, the momentum was all with the visitors. A penalty in the 77th minute, put over by Jordan Hendrikse, saw the Sharks lead for the first time.
ULSTER: J Stockdale, W Kok, J Postlethwaite, S McCloskey, Z Ward; J Murphy, N Doak; A Warwick, R Herring, S Wilson; A O'Connor, C Izuchukwu; Matty Rea, N Timoney, J McNabney.
Replacements: T Stewart for Herring (70mins) , C Reid for Warwick (62mins), B O'Connor for Wilson (74 mins), M Dalton for Izuchukwu (74 mins), K Treadwell for O'Connor (70 mins).
SHARKS: A Fassi, E Hooker, L Am, A Esterhuizen, M Mapimpi, J Hendrikse, J Hendrikse, O Nche, B Mbonambi, V Koch, V Tshituka, J Jenkins, J Venter, M Tshituka, S Kolisi.
Replacements: H Jacobs for Koch (HT), J Julius for Am (52 mins), F Mbatha for Mbonambi (62 mins), N Mchunu for Nche (62mins), P Buthelezi for J Venter (62 mins), B Davids for Jaden Hendrikse (73 mins)
Referee: B Whitehouse (Wales).
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