Sharks win 10-try thriller against Harlequins

Makazole Mapimpi notched a brace for the hosts in a five-try performance, Bongi Mbonambi, Werner Kok and Boeta Chamberlain also crossing the whitewash in a historic afternoon for South African club rugby.

Harlequins played their part, Josh Bassett and André Esterhuizen dotting down twice each for the visitors in addition to a solo effort by Will Evans. They took advantage of a yellow card for Cell C Sharks’ Mbonambi and a red card for Ox Nche to produce a tense finale.

It was Harlequins who opened the scoring after a series of lineouts deep in Cell C Sharks territory. After the rolling maul was thwarted on the right flank, Quins switched play the entire width of the field with Nick David finding Bassett on the extreme left to touch down. Tommy Allan added the conversion

Cell C Sharks responded within the opening quarter of an hour with a powerful maul off the back of a lineout, Mbonambi dotting down in the corner. Curwin Bosch added the extras before kicking a long-range penalty to give the hosts a 10-7 lead.

Mapimpi added Cell C Sharks’ second try of the afternoon with a delightful solo run and finished under the posts, again Bosch competent with the conversion from the tee.

A wonderfully worked set piece saw Mapimpi dot down for a second time. Scrum-half Jaden Hendrikse backhanded the ball to the wing off the back of a scrum, Mapimpi untouched as he crossed the whitewash.

Harlequins responded with a late first-half try from flanker Will Evans – he rumbled over off the back of a well worked rolling maul by the visitors, the score 22-14 at the interval.

Cell C Sharks added to their lead ten minutes into the second period when Kok lofted a ball over the Harlequins defensive line and dotted down in the corner himself.

The hosts then got themselves in card trouble with Mbonambi sent to the sin bin after persistent penalties and Nché sent off for a dangerous tackle.

That set the stage for Esterhuizen, who notched two tries in five minutes to get Harlequins back into the contest. Just as Quins looked like they were going to complete an unlikely comeback, Chamberlain crossed for the hosts to end the tie as a contest in the final minute.

Sharks travel to France to take on Union Bordeaux-Begles in round two on Friday evening, while Harlequins play host to French opposition themselves when they welcome Racing 92 to Twickenham Stoop next Sunday.