Sharks win their Champions Cup clash against Chiefs despite ill discipline

In a pool invested with former winners, the Sharks will be thankful they won their opening Champions Cup clash against Exeter Chiefs in Durban with a bonus point.

They prevailed 39-21, largely on the back of a slick first half but they will have much to lament about their ill-discipline in the second.

Poor discipline was a feature of the clash with the Chiefs losing Greg Fisilau and Will Rigg to the bin inside the opening 31 minutes.

The Chiefs got onto the board first with a well worked try set up through the grind of their forwards. Dan Frost forced his way over in the 13th minute but the Sharks' riposte came with some swagger.

It was in fact, the Sharks' ability to take lumps out of the visitors' defence from deep that proved a feature of the first half. Slick passing and timeous support running saw backs and forwards probing holes in the Chiefs' defence as the hosts scored four unanswered tries between the 20th and the 26th minutes.

After falling behind the Sharks responded with a sweeping try in which Ox Nche, Ethan Hooker and Grant Williams featured prominently before Phepsi Buthelezi sprinted clear to score in the 20th minute.

Aphelele Fassi and Williams then showed why they are so devastating when operating in concert. Fassi took a quick throw-in, beat a defender and then fed Williams who surged before the ball eventually found the grateful hands of Makazole Mapimpi.

Williams then rounded off another sweeping move before the Chiefs, having lost Rigg to the bin, were caught short out wide, allowing Siya Kolisi to add his name to the scoresheet.

Frost added his second when a Sharks' defensive line-out went awry on the cusp of the break.

Kolisi revelled in the freedom that came with his new-found status as a No 8. The Sharks stole a line-out, Jordan Hendrikse took the ball up before providing the Bok captain a gap he galloped through with aplomb.

It was the Sharks' turn to let discipline slip in the second half. In the 71st minute wing Eduan Keyter joined locks Eben Etzebeth and Emile van Heerden in the sin bin and soon after Mapimpi was lucky to escape the same sanction.

The Chiefs, however, failed to capitalise, with their high error rate continuing to dog them.

Scorers

Sharks (26) 39 - Tries: Phepsi Buthelezi, Makazole Mapimpi, Grant Williams, Siya Kolisi (2). Conversions: Jordan Hendrikse (4). Penalties: Hendrikse (2).

Chiefs (14) 21 - Tries: Dan Frost (2), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. Conversions: Josh Hodge (3).