84th-minute drop goal sees Bulls sink Sharks in epic Loftus knockout

A late Chris Smith drop goal earned the Bulls a nail-biting 30-27 win against the Sharks in their absorbing United Rugby Championship quarter-final at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

A crowd of 22394 bayed on the Bulls in a tense last five minutes as they chose to end the game in regulation time.

After carrying the ball safely and dutifully in the Sharks' 22, Smith got into the pocket and landed his drop from a snap Embrose Papier pass.

Having lost to the Sharks twice in the round-robin stages, the win was especially satisfying for the Bulls fans, who sang Sweet Caroline after the final whistle.

The Sharks manned up well, but could look back at a wasteful first half, while the Bulls now look forward to a semi-final against Leinster or the Glasgow Warriors.

The Sharks could have and should have done better in the first half. They played all of the rugby and did so in the right areas of the field.

What they didn't have to show for their effort were the points. Instead, their over-elaborating allowed the Bulls to score the game's first try in the 13th-minute.

The visitors had taken the lead in the fifth minute from a Curwin Bosch penalty, but in trying to be creative, they went overboard.

A blind-side wrap-around move was well-read by Canan Moodie, who intercepted in the Bulls' 22 and hared downfield.

With the Sharks' pace merchants bearing down on him, they chased him down, but his smart in-field kick bounced favourably for Madosh Tambwe, who scored despite Makazole Mapimpi's close attentions.

The Sharks responded three minutes later when Bongi Mbonambi crossed over from a rolling maul, something the Sharks didn't use to the best effect.

The rest of the first half saw a fair bit of helter-skelter, but no further try-line incursions,