SHARKS assistant coach Joey Mongalo.
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Whatever the injustices the Sharks may have suffered in their loss to the Ospreys, there was nothing for them to peg their defeat on in Edinburgh on Friday night other than their own failures when they went down 33-28 at the Hive Stadium.
The Sharks were in front 21-14 going into the final quarter when Edinburgh turned on the afterburners to score three tries to secure the spoils and extinguish the Sharks' faint hopes of making the URC top eight.
A late try earned the Durbanites two bonus points, but it was too little too late. The hospital patient fighting for his life that defence coach Joey Mongalo had spoken about pre-game, had been taken to the mortuary.
The Sharks started like men on a mission when an impressive buildup propelled wing Edwill van der Merwe over for a try after six minutes.
Edinburgh hooker Ewan Ashman answered with a try that was quickly cancelled out by a maul try by Phepsi Buthelezi.
As the half progressed, the Sharks’ starting fizz began to wane as the home side came back, even though they were being out-scrummed.
The injury jinx that has plagued the Sharks struck again when Jaden Hendrikse, who had minutes before bravely stopped an Edinburgh drive over the line, took a head knock and was carted off the field.
He was soon followed by Siya Masuku. He had been playing out of position at inside centre when he limped off.
As the wind went from the Sharks’ sails, flanker Glen Young scored shortly before halftime for a 14-14 score at the break.
The Sharks began the third quarter with renewed vigour. A powerful surge by Andre Esterhuizen toward the tryline was the platform for Vincent Koch to score.
But that heralded a three-try blitz by the home side —wing Mosese Tuipoluto scored after finding space on the openside touchline, scrumhalf Hector Patterson then profited after his opposite number, Bradley Davids, had had a kick charged down; and the third try was a counter-attacking beauty from Darcy Graham.
Mongalo’s patient was flat-lining in his hospital bed, and a late try by Vincent Tshituka was a fruitless resuscitation.
Scorers
Edinburgh — Tries: Ewan Ashman, Glen Young, Mosese Tuipoluto, Hector Patterson and Darcy Graham. Conversions: Cammy Scott (2), Ross Thompson (2).
Sharks — Tries: Edwill van der Merwe, Phepsi Buthelezi, Vincent Koch, Vincent Tshituka. Conversions: Jean Smith 4.