Sharks stutter to bonus victory over Benetton to climb up URC ladder

The Sharks were far from their fluid best but they got the job done with a 29-7 win past Benetton at the Stadio Communale di Monigo in Treviso on Saturday.

After the Stormers narrowly lost on the same day, the Sharks used the opportunity to climb past their compatriots and the Ospreys on the United Rugby Championship (URC) ladder into seventh.

Benetton was without 24 players who were on Six Nations duty for Italy and the Sharks were expected to put them to the sword, despite the heavy South African contingent in Treviso.

SCOREBOARD | Benetton 7-29 Sharks

The Sharks scored four tries in the end but their star-studded team sheet did not reflect in the quality of rugby on display.

Sharks lock Ruben van Heerden got proceedings underway when he corkscrewed over the line for the first try of the afternoon as early as six minutes in.

Fullback Aphelele Fassi then rounded off a good Sharks move that started with Sbu Nkosi plucking an aerial ball and wrestling it from Dewaldt Duvenage.

The Sharks moved the ball through the hands, something they’d not done enough of until then, for Fassi to finish down the left wing.

No 8 Phepsi Buthelezi bashed his way to the try line after the Sharks muscled forward from a 5m lineout close to the Benetton in-goal area.

Benetton came out of the sheds motivated to stay in the fight while the Sharks looked sluggish and tepid.

Considering the star quality at their disposal, onlookers would have expected the Durbanites to press their feet on the throats of the men from Treviso. But Benetton refused to wilt, even though they played eight minutes a man down.

After 12 putrid minutes of rugby, Fassi came up with something sumptuous when he fielded a high ball in the middle of the park, scythed through defenders.

Fr