mens
united-rugby-championship
Makazole Mapimpi scored a try in the closing seconds to earn the Sharks an 18-17 United Rugby Championship win away to Edinburgh.
Sean Everitt’s side looked on course for a fourth successive home win only to be stunned right at the death by their South African visitors.
The result improves the Sharks’ prospects of securing home advantage in the play-offs, while Edinburgh remain in eighth ahead of the weekend fixtures.
The home side were forced into a late reshuffle when Wes Goosen, previously ever-present this season, withdrew with a back injury. Mosese Tuipulotu came into the starting line-up, with Jack Brown taking his place among the replacements.
The Sharks, with 12 Springboks internationals in their starting line-up, got on the board first when Emile van Heerden won the turnover and Jordan Hendrikse knocked over the penalty from just inside the Edinburgh half.
Fixture
United Rugby Championship
Edinburgh
Sharks
The fly-half then tried again from the tee from even further out after Edinburgh had been pinged for coming in at the side but this time his effort was short and wide.
It was the home side, though, who landed the opening try with a spectacular move started by a Jamie Ritchie offload.
The ball went wide through hands before arriving at James Lang who finished with a flourish in the corner.
Edinburgh were in the ascendancy at this point and only a tap tackle from Lukhanyo Am denied Ross McCann a score down the opposite wing.
The home team, though, continued to press for another opening and got their reward midway through the opening period.
Ritchie was the scorer, rounding off another flowing move started by Ross Thompson and crossing the line after swapping passes with Matt Currie.
Edinburgh were looking in control as half-time approached but another Jordan Hendrikse penalty kept the Sharks within touching distance.
The visitors then moved into the lead with their first try just two minutes into the second half. Am was the creator, throwing a dummy before bursting through a gap and teeing up Aphelele Fassi to score. Jordan Hendrikse made the extras.
Am was then one of three players to be shown a yellow card in quick succession, with Eben Etzebeth and Sam Skinner also sent to the sin bin for sparking a brawl.
Edinburgh took full advantage of the resulting penalty, with Ali Price finding Ewan Ashman who dived over from close range.
Jordan Hendrikse then missed two makeable penalties to leave Edinburgh with a four-point lead heading into the last 20 minutes.
The home side then thought they had landed their fourth try only for some brilliant defence from Siya Kolisi to deny Magnus Bradbury who was held up.
That proved costly when Siya Masuku fed a pass wide for Mapimpi to score in the corner with the clock in the red.
