Ulster beat Sharks to continue winning URC start

United Rugby Championship

Sharks (5) 26

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

Ulster (20) 34

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

Ulster maintained their 100% grounds successful nan United Rugby Championship pinch an awesome bonus-point triumph complete nan Sharks successful an incident-packed crippled successful Durban.

Michael Lowry, Werner Kok, Tom Stewart and Callum Reid scored for nan visitors, who backed up their wins complete nan Dragons and Bulls pinch a confidence-boosting consequence connected South African soil.

Fourteen points from Nathan Doak's footwear besides proved decisive for Richie Murphy's side.

Despite welcoming 5 Springboks backmost into their line-up, nan Sharks stay winless aft a sluggish and ill-disciplined display, though they picked up a prize constituent arsenic Siya Kolisi, Makazole Mapimpi and Andre Esterhuizen each crossed successful summation to a punishment try.

But nan Sharks' indiscipline proved costly arsenic Vincent Koch and Mapimpi were yellow-carded for lifting tackles connected Lowry, pinch nan second upgraded to a 20-minute reddish paper aft a bunker review.

Ulster extremity their South African circuit against nan Lions successful Johannesburg connected 25 October (12:45 BST) earlier nan autumn break.

Last season, Ulster were blameworthy of blowing a 19-0 lead to suffer 22-19 to nan Sharks successful Belfast successful April.

But pinch assurance precocious from a mates of early-season wins, nan Irish state held patient successful nan closing stages of a chaotic contest.

For overmuch of nan first half, everything seemed to beryllium going Ulster's way. They sewage disconnected to an perfect commencement erstwhile Lowry mixed good pinch Doak to unfastened nan scoring aft 5 minutes.

The visitors stretched their lead erstwhile Kok marked his first quality of nan play pinch a good individual try.

Ulster's origin was besides helped by nan Sharks failing to return their opportunities, pinch Jacob Stockdale holding up Eben Etzebeth connected nan effort statement moments aft Lowry's try, while Siya Masuku missed 2 kicks astatine goal.

While Ulster remained connected apical for overmuch of nan first half, South Africa skipper Kolisi barged his measurement complete nan statement to constrictive nan shortage earlier half-time.

The Sharks appeared a much wished outfit aft nan break and further ate into nan arrears erstwhile Mapimpi went complete aft Ulster backmost statement Sean Reffell was forced disconnected pinch a enarthrosis wounded having only replaced Juarno Augustus astatine half-time.

However, nan Sharks were near to rue their deficiency of subject arsenic Koch and Mapimpi were some sin-binned for lifting tackles connected Lowry successful nan abstraction of six minutes, pinch Mapimpi taking nan Ulster full-back retired astatine nan commencement of a move that ended pinch Stewart scoring nan distant side's 3rd try.

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

However, while it looked arsenic though nan hosts were building towards a rousing finale, a effort from Ulster prop Reid survived a tv lucifer charismatic reappraisal and gave his broadside a 15-point advantage.

Despite a precocious Esterhuizen try, it was capable to termination disconnected nan Sharks' situation arsenic Ulster celebrated a hard-fought triumph successful South Africa.

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)