'Tahs hit back against Sharks

The Waratahs fought back from eleven points down to seal a morale-boosting 34-30 Super Rugby victory over the Sharks at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.

It took them a while to get going but the Sydney outfit showed guts and character to claim a bonus-point win that propels them up the table.

Tries were claimed by Brendan McKibbin, Bernard Foley, Tom Carter and finally Tom Kingston, who crossed for the critical score late in the piece.

Lwazi Mvovo, Keegan Daniel and Bismarck du Plessis scored for the Sharks, who will feel they deserved to win after dominating large spells.

They started much the brighter too and opened the scoring in the third minute when centre Meyer Bosman put a flying Mvovo away down the left. Lambie, who scored 15 points in all, converted.

McKibbin, in for Sarel Pretorius at scrum-half, responded soon after for the Waratahs from the kicking tee before Lambie replied with a three-pointer of his own to make it 3-10 on 16 minutes.

McKibbin was enjoying his first start and crossed for a try on 21 minutes as he darted over from close range after Adam Ashley-Cooper had been stopped just short. He added the extras to level matters and give the hosts real hope.

Daniel showed force to cross and restore the Sharks' seven-point lead with a converted try before McKibbin knocked over another three for the 'Tahs to make it 13-17 at the break.

Upon the turnaround it had looked like the Sharks were on the verge of an away victory and a possible try bonus-point when powerful hooker Du Plessis went over in the 50th minute after coming off the back of a maul and slipping the tackle of fringe defender Kingston.

But then came the Waratahs' revival as first Foley finished off a good spell to go over on the left and then before the hour a converted try from the recalled Carter put the hosts ahead.

Lambie then kicked two penalties to take the Sharks up to a 27-30 lead but it was not to be as Wycliff Palu found Kingston out wide to score in the corner. Barnes converted superbly.

The scorers:

For Waratahs:
Try: McKibbin, Foley, Carter, Kingston
Con: McKibbin 3, Barnes
Pen: McKibbin 2

For Sharks:
Tries: Mvovo, Daniel, B du Plessis
Con: Lambie 3
Pen: Lambie 3

Waratahs: 15 Bernard Foley, 14 Tom Kingston, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Tom Carter 11 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 10 Berrick Barnes, 9 Brendan McKibbin, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Chris Alcock, 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson (c).
Replacements (from): John Ulugia, Paddy Ryan, Sitaleki Timani, Lopeti Timani, Jono Jenkins, Sarel Pretorius, Daniel Halangahu, Peter Betham, Brackin Kauraria-Henry.

Sharks: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Tim Whitehead, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Patrick Lambie, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Keegan Daniel (c), 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Anton Bresler , 4 Jandre Marais, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Dale Chadwick.
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Nick Schonert, 18 Steven Sykes, 19 Jacques Botes, 20 Frederic Michalak, 21 Marius Joubert, 22 Louis Ludik.