Ulster beat Sharks to continue winning URC start

Ulster made it three wins from three this season

United Rugby Championship

Sharks (5) 26

Tries: Kolisi, Mapimpi, penalty try, Esterhuizen Cons: Masuku, Jordan Hendrikse

Ulster (20) 34

Tries: Lowry, Kok, Stewart, Reid Cons: Doak 4 Pens: Doak 2

Ulster maintained their 100% record in the United Rugby Championship with an impressive bonus-point win over the Sharks in an incident-packed game in Durban.

Michael Lowry, Werner Kok, Tom Stewart and Callum Reid scored for the visitors, who backed up their wins over the Dragons and Bulls with a confidence-boosting result on South African soil.

Fourteen points from Nathan Doak's boot also proved decisive for Richie Murphy's side.

Despite welcoming five Springboks back into their line-up, the Sharks remain winless after a sluggish and ill-disciplined display, although they picked up a bonus point as Siya Kolisi, Makazole Mapimpi and Andre Esterhuizen all crossed in addition to a penalty try.

But the Sharks' indiscipline proved costly as Vincent Koch and Mapimpi were yellow-carded for lifting tackles on Lowry, with the latter upgraded to a 20-minute red card after a bunker review.

Ulster end their South African tour against the Lions in Johannesburg on 25 October (12:45 BST) before the autumn break.

Fast start for Ulster

Last season, Ulster were guilty of blowing a 19-0 lead to lose 22-19 to the Sharks in Belfast in April.

But with confidence high from a couple of early-season wins, the Irish province held firm in the closing stages of a chaotic contest.

For much of the first half, everything seemed to be going Ulster's way. They got off to an ideal start when Lowry combined well with Doak to open the scoring after five minutes.

The visitors stretched their lead when Kok marked his first appearance of the season with a fine individual try.

Ulster's cause was also helped by the Sharks failing to take their opportunities, with Jacob Stockdale holding up Eben Etzebeth on the try line moments after Lowry's try, while Siya Masuku missed two kicks at goal.

While Ulster remained on top for much of the first half, South Africa captain Kolisi barged his way over the line to narrow the deficit before half-time.

Ulster wing Werner Kok (right) was outstanding against his former side

The Sharks appeared a more determined outfit after the break and further ate into the arrears when Mapimpi went over after Ulster back row Sean Reffell was forced off with a shoulder injury having only replaced Juarno Augustus at half-time.

However, the Sharks were left to rue their lack of discipline as Koch and Mapimpi were both sin-binned for lifting tackles on Lowry in the space of six minutes, with Mapimpi taking the Ulster full-back out at the start of a move that ended with Stewart scoring the away side's third try.

With the Sharks already dominating the scrum, Ulster's discipline faltered, and after prop Tom O'Toole was yellow-carded for a build-up of his side's infringements, referee Ben Whitehouse awarded the hosts a penalty try.

However, while it looked as though the hosts were building towards a rousing finale, a try from Ulster prop Reid survived a television match official review and gave his side a 15-point advantage.

Despite a late Esterhuizen try, it was enough to kill off the Sharks' challenge as Ulster celebrated a hard-fought win in South Africa.

Line-ups

Sharks: E van der Merwe; E Hooker, J Julius, A Esterhuizen, M Mapimpi; S Masuku, G Williams; O Nche, B Mbonambi, V Koch, E Etzebeth, M Orie, S Kolisi, V Tshituka (capt), P Buthelezi.

Replacements: F Mbatha, S Matanzima, R Dreyer, B Hlekani, E Tshituka, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, L Am.

Sin-bin: Koch (52), Mapimpi (57)

Ulster: M Lowry; W Kok; J Hume, S McCloskey; J Stockdale; J Murphy, N Doak; S Crean, T Stewart, S Wilson; I Henderson, H Sheridan; D McCann, N Timoney, J Augustus.

Replacements: R Herring, C Reid, T O'Toole, J Hopes, S Reffell, C McKee, J Flannery, J Postlethwaite.

Sin-bin: O'Toole (62)

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)