Glasgow snatch late bonus points in Sharks loss

Action from the game

United Rugby Championship

Sharks (15) 28

Tries: Kolisi, Fassi, Williams Cons: Jo Hendrikse 2 Pen: Jo Hendrikse 3

Glasgow Warriors (12) 24

Tries: Horne 2, Darge, Matthews Cons: Horne, Hastings

Glasgow Warriors snatched two losing bonus points against a star-studded Sharks side in Durban with a dramatic late surge.

Back-to-back tries from Rory Darge and Johnny Matthews in the last two minutes earned two vital United Rugby Championship points for Franco Smith's side when they looked destined to come away with nothing.

The defending champions were in touch at the break thanks to two George Horne tries, with Sharks narrowly in front through Jordan Hendrikse's boot and tries from Siya Kolisi and Aphelele Fassi.

Hendrikse stretched Sharks' lead further after the restart, before Grant Williams' try gave Sharks - with 20 World Cup titles in their matchday squad - a 16-point lead with just 10 minutes to go.

With Gregor Brown in the sin-bin for a high tackle, Glasgow's hopes looked slim to none.

However, the Scottish outfit showed all their character and togetherness to fight to the end, and it was a stunning try that finished the contest.

Stafford McDowall punched a hole in midfield before hurling a pass out wide to Kyle Rowe, who tore into open space. The winger found Matthews in support and the hooker - as he so often does - found his way to the tryline.

Glasgow might consider this a missed opportunity, given it was indiscipline and uncharacteristically sloppy mistakes that allowed Sharks to forge an ultimately decisive lead.

The penalty count went against them in the second half and Williams' score came from a Jamie Dobie kick flying out on the full after Glasgow had won a scrum penalty.

Still, given the strength of the Sharks squad, Glasgow will take positives from running them so close.

They never say die and it is that grit, as well as their try-scoring capabilities, which will see them challenge at the business end of the league table again this season.

Their South African leg continues next Saturday against Stormers - a rerun of last season's quarter-final.

Line-ups

Sharks: Fassi, Keyter, Am, Esterhuizen, Mapimpi, Jo Hendrikse, Ja Hendrikse; Nche, Mbonambi, Koch, Etzebeth, Van Heerden, Kolisi, Tshituka, Buthelezi

Replacements: Mbatha, Nyakane, Dreyer, Jenkins, Venter, Williams, Masuku, Julius

Glasgow: McKay, Cancelliere, McDowall, Tuipulotu, Rowe, Jordan, Horne; McBeth, Hiddleston, Z Fagerson, Williamson, Cummings, M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey

Replacements: Matthews, Sutherland, Talakai, Samuel, Brown, Venter, Dobie, Hastings

Referee: Chris Busby