United Rugby Championship: Cardiff 23-17 Sharks

Cardiff fly-half Rhys Priestland kicked 13 points to help his side secure a gritty victory over Sharks.

The hosts opened up a 17-point lead thanks to tries from Matthew Morgan and Willis Halaholo but Sharks reduced the deficit to seven points at half-time.

Sharks managed a second-half score from Marnus Potgieter but two Priestland penalties sealed the win in front of more than 8,000 fans.

Cardiff lost Wales squad member Ellis Jenkins to a first-half rib injury.

The flanker, one of 10 Wales autumn squad call-ups from the region, had returned to the Cardiff starting side.

Aled Summerhill was a late withdrawal with Jason Harries replacing him on thr wing, while Owen Lane and Halaholo formed a new centre partnership.

Full-back Matthew Morgan replaced Hallam Amos, who this week announced he will retire at the end of the season to concentrate on his medical studies.

Sharks made three changes to the side that claimed their first United Rugby Championship win with a 27-13 success at Ospreys last weekend, with wing Anthony Volmink and back-row duo Dylan Richardson and Phepsi Buthelezi starting. Richardson was this week named in the Scotland squad.

There was also a late change to the referee with Scotland's Sam Grove-White unavailable due to illness and replaced by Welsh official Gareth Newman.

It was the recalled Wales squad fly-half Priestland who opened the scoring after a galloping run from lock Rory Thornton.

Morgan then produced a brilliant individual effort to somehow cut through the Sharks defence and score a try which Priestland converted.

After Ruan Pienaar missed a penalty, Jenkins was forced off and replaced by Shane Lewis-Hughes who was outstanding on his first appearance of the season alongside captain Josh Turnbull.

Cardiff extended their lead with a well-worked lineout try for Halaholo following a slip pass from hooker Kirby Myhill.

Sharks responded with a short-range effort from prop Thomas du Toit and a Boeta Chamberlain penalty reduced the half-time deficit to 17-10.

Sharks dominated the opening second-half exchanges but struggled to break down a defiant home defence.

Priestland initially failed to extend the lead to 10 points with a simple penalty miss but made amends a couple of minutes later.

Sharks retaliated with patient build-up before releasing wing Potgieter to score in the corner with Chamberlain converting.

Priestland had the final word, though, with a third penalty to seal the victory.

Cardiff director of rugby Dai Young: "We played some real good stuff first half and I thought we learned a lot of lessons from last week.

"In the second half I thought we were really brave. We struggled to get out of our 22 but everybody could see what it meant to the players to get a victory here.

"We have to tap the boys on the back and we showed great attitude to come away with a win.

"We showed what it meant to us and were focused on our defence. We were coming off the line, matched them for physicality and found a way to win."

Cardiff: Matthew Morgan; Jason Harries, Owen Lane, Willis Halaholo, Josh Adams; Rhys Priestland, Tomos Williams; Rhys Carré, Kirby Myhill, Dillon Lewis, Seb Davies, Rory Thornton, Josh Turnbull (capt), Ellis Jenkins, Will Boyde

Replacements: Kristian Dacey, Rhys Gill, Dmitri Arhip, Teddy Williams, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Lloyd Williams, Ben Thomas, Hallam Amos.

Sharks: Curwin Bosch; Marnus Potgieter, Jeremy Ward, Murray Koster, Anthony Volmink; Boeta Chamberlain, Ruan Pienaar; Ntuthuko Mchunu, Kerron van Vuuren, Thomas du Toit, Ruben van Heerden, Hyron Andrews, Dylan Richardson, Henco Venter, Phepsi Buthelezi (capt).

Replacements: Dan Jooste, Khwezi Mona, Wiehahn Herbst, Reniel Hugo, Gerbrandt Grobler, Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, Tian Meyer, Werner Kok.

Referee: Gareth Newman (WRU)

Assistant referees: Elgan Williams & Wayne Davies (WRU)

TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)