URC: Sharks leave it late against Ulster

Ulster had an early scare when Jack Murphy was charged down in his own 22, but the flyhalf won the race and touched the ball down over his own try line for a goal line drop out.

The hosts struck after seven minutes as they cut the Sharks' defence open. Jacob Stockdale made a break, carrying deep into the 22 before he cut inside feeding Nathan Doak. The scrumhalf then offloaded to Cormac Izuchukwu, and the big lock found Jack Murphy on the wing to finish over in the corner.

Ulster breached the visitors' defence again two minutes later. The Sharks were on the attack but a loose pass went to ground outside the Ulster 22. Doak hacked the ball clear, Zac Ward grabbed it and passed to a galloping Jude Postlethwaite who raced under the posts, making Murphy's conversion a formality.

A constant threat from fullback, Stockdale was the catalyst for Ulster's third try in 30 minutes. The home side turned the ball over just outside their own 22, Stockdale went from deep using his pace to carry into Sharks territory. The Irish international chipped the last defender and gathered his own kick, before putting Doak under the posts. Murphy added the extras.

The Sharks finally opened their account on 33 minutes with a try from Springbok winger Makazole Mapimpi. Lock Jason Jenkins made a break carrying deep into the Ulster 22, the forwards battered at the line, before the ball was spun wide for the Springbok to go over in the corner for an unconverted try. Stockdale was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on in the build-up.

Mapimpi crossed again just before half time, but the try was ruled out for a forward pass and Ulster went into the break with a 19-5 advantage.

The Sharks looked poised to get a second try early in the second stanza, but as the pack drove for the line, Scott Wilson was able to dislodge the ball and force a knock-on.

The Durban franchise did get a second try at the 60-minute mark. They patiently worked the ball through multiple phases before flanker Manu Tshituka burst under the posts with flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse converting.

The sides were level with ten minutes to play as Sharks replacement, Jurenzo Julius, went over following some good work by the forwards and Hendrikse.

Ulster tried to get another attack going, but couldn't get the ball into the areas they needed to be in.

The Springbok-laden side then snatched the win after winning a penalty deep in the Ulster 22. Hendrikse slotted the penalty for the three-point lead in the dying embers of the match.

Scorers

Ulster 19

Tries: Jack Murphy, Jude Postlewaite, Nathan Doak

Cons: Jack Murphy x 2

Sharks 22

Tries: Makazole Mapimpi, Manu Tshituka, Jurenzo Julius

Cons: Jordan Hendrikse x 2

Pens: Jordan Hendrikse

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