United Rugby Championship: Sharks 5-21 Edinburgh - Scottish side claim landmark win
- Published
Blair Kinghorn (left) and Emiliano Boffelli scored Edinburgh's tries in a memorable away victory
United Rugby Championship |
|---|
Sharks (0) 5 |
Try: Du Toit |
Edinburgh (7) 21 |
Tries: Kinghorn, Boffelli Cons: Boffelli 3 |
Returning Scotland international Blair Kinghorn crossed twice as Edinburgh subdued Sharks to earn the first United Rugby Championship win by a northern hemisphere side in South Africa.
On a sodden surface in rain-lashed Durban, Edinburgh led at the break through a Kinghorn try before Thomas Du Toit's score reduced the arrears.
However, Emiliano Boffelli - who kicked three out of three conversions - and Kinghorn completed a landmark win in a superb away performance to end Sharks' run of four straight victories.
Edinburgh remain fifth in the table, with Sharks dropping to seventh after Stormers' win over Ulster.
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 break inside the Sharks' 22, allowing Kinghorn to cross unopposed.
Boffelli's conversion made it 7-0 and Edinburgh's cause was helped when Curwin Bosch failed to find the target with a penalty chance from in front of the posts.
The visitors ended a stamina-sapping first 40 minutes by losing lock Pierce Phillips to the sin-bin, paying the price for repeated team infringements.
Sharks should have collected an equalising try, but Ox Nche knocked on with the 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 number eight 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 victory.
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