Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Murphy era at Ulster is off to losing start as Sharks finally bite

By PA
Sharks' Jaden Hendrikse tackles Ulster's Steven Kitshoff (Photo by Shaun Roy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

The Richie Murphy era at Ulster has got off to a losing start with their United Rugby Championship play-off bid taking a dent when beaten 22-12 by the struggling Sharks in Durban.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was the Sharks’ first league win since November as they climbed off the URC basement thanks to tries from flanker Phepsi Buthelezi, wing Eduan Keyter and hooker Bongi Mbonambi.

Siya Masuku landed two conversions and a penalty as the temperature nudged 30 degrees at Kings Park while Harry Sheridan and Kieran Treadwell claimed touchdowns for Ulster, with John Cooney kicking one conversion.

Video Spacer

Jaco Peyper opens up on the state of South African refereeing

Video Spacer

Jaco Peyper opens up on the state of South African refereeing

But even a losing bonus point eluded interim head coach Murphy in his first game at the helm following Dan McFarland’s departure, with Ulster temporarily going down to 13 players during the final quarter after captain Iain Henderson and centre James Hume were yellow-carded.

The Sharks were dealt an injury blow after just two minutes when number eight George Cronje suffered what appeared to be a serious knee problem and was carried off.

Fixture
United Rugby Championship
Sharks
22 - 12
Full-time
Ulster
All Stats and Data

It took both teams time to settle after a lengthy stoppage but a scrappy opening quarter ended with Ulster going ahead. Treadwell made initial headway, charging to within touching distance of the line, before Sheridan finished off and Cooney’s conversion opened up a seven-point lead.

The Sharks, despite welcoming back Springboks Makazole Mapimpi, Lukhanyo Am and Eben Etzebeth to their starting line-up, struggled for fluency before they conjured an equalising try out of nothing 13 minutes before half-time.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ulster were on the attack but they lost possession and Sharks full-back Aphelele Fassi cleared from his own 22, centre Ethan Hooker showed blistering pace to keep the chance alive and Buthelezi touched down, with Masuku adding the extras.

Ulster lost fly-half Billy Burns to a shoulder injury early in the second period and the visitors went behind to a well-worked Sharks try just four minutes later.

Sharp inter-play between forwards and backs ended with Mapimpi putting a kick in behind Ulster’s defensive line and Keyter finished brilliantly, with Masuku’s conversion making it 14-7.

Masuku then kicked a penalty but Treadwell’s score put Ulster back in contention approaching the hour mark before Mbonambi struck after referee Ben Whitehouse punished Henderson for a high tackle and Hume following a dust-up with Sharks flanker Vincent Tshituka, who was also yellow-carded.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Boks Office | Episode 37 | Six Nations Round 4 Review

Cape Town | Leg 2 | Day 2 | HSBC Challenger Series 2025 | Full Day Replay

Gloucester-Hartpury vs Bristol Bears | PWR 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 36 | Six Nations Round 3 Review

Why did Scotland's Finn Russell take the crucial kick from the wrong place? | Whistle Watch

England A vs Ireland A | Full Match Replay

Kubota Spears vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | JRLO 2024/2025 | Full Match Replay

Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 2 hours ago
'France may leave top players at home but will still be serious contenders in New Zealand'

You can translate here https://translate.google.com/?sl=auto&tl=en&op=websites


Thanks for the link, but I can read it clearly and it says the… Top 14 features almost twice as many matches as Super Rugby Pacific, but is two and a half times longer.


This article appears to be the basis of; https://www.rugbypass.com/plus/the-stats-show-the-club-v-country-wounds-may-never-heal/ which is the one that I referred to which refutes your perception.


Were they both say..

If we take the dominant clubs in each major championship, we see that Stade Toulousain, author of the Top 14 – Champions Cup double, only has seven players above 1000 minutes, far from the average previously cited.


Furthermore, none of these players are full-time starters for the French national team: Toulouse are ahead of the competition at this level, and are far more effective than their domestic rivals in protecting their premium players.

The premium players being treated best is clearly apparent. Is you’re player management as good as New Zealands, of course not. NZ players will obviously be more fresh, but if we take the total of each at the end of their seasons, theres not going to be much difference as I’ve said, LNR are already treating their players much better.


I’m sorry, but as I alluded to, you are a fan rather than a researcher, your picture that you think has been painted is wrong. Your linked article says everything I did above.


So while that article paints the French in a well rested light, however it’s not actually including EPCR, which in respect to Toulouse, is where they’ve put their stars minutes into. So I think it’s time to do your own research! Pick and player and lets see, one of each camp? An important player you think has played a lot, and an example of a fresh young lad. Then were can look to their minutes as see how close or far they are to examples of players who are going to play in July.


Trust me, I have already done this research (but wouldn’t mind look at examples from this year to see if it’s still the case/same as previous years).

40 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Can 'Tongan Thor' rediscover his strength before the Lions arrive? Can 'Tongan Thor' rediscover his strength before the Lions arrive?
Search