Sharks coach left to rue Toulouse defeat: 'We were really in it'

The Durban-based outfit gave a good account of themselves at the Stade Ernest Wallon and were trailing their hosts 14-10 at half-time and 26-20 after 67 minutes before Toulouse scored four tries in the game's closing stages to clinch their victory.

A big disappointment... walking into the changeroom after the game, it was dead quiet. You could see the disappointment on the guys' faces and in the environment in the changeroom," said Powell after the game.

Powell identified an incident which happened midway through the second half as a decisive moment in the game's outcome.

With the score 26-17 to Toulouse, the Sharks launched an attack from which Grant Williams crossed the whitewash for the second time after gathering a pass from Makazole Mapimpi. However, the score was disallowed after television replays showed a forward pass from Williams in the build-up to the try.

"For most of the game we were really in it," said Powell. "The turning point was that try that was disallowed because of a forward pass. I think if we scored that we probably could have gotten a bit of momentum and tried to stay on top of them to finish strong in the game.

"But unfortunately the try was disallowed. I feel that was probably the turning point in the game."

Despite his team's poor finish, Powell was full of praise for their efforts.

"[It was a] big effort, big fight. The guys really tried hard and they left everything out there on the field. [But] just too many mistakes again," he added.

"Especially if you get into the knockout stages, it's really important to be a lot more clinical¦ try to eliminate your team mistakes and individual mistakes and unfortunately we weren't as clinical as we would have hoped to be.

"If it's knockout stages and away games as well¦ against a very good Toulouse team that understands what it takes to be successful in these types of competitions.

"But like I said¦ a massive disappointment. I felt we really gave it our all and we were in it for probably 65, 67 minutes in that game and then unfortunately we couldn't finish it."

The Sharks' focus now shifts to the United Rugby Championship (URC) where they are hoping to reach the play-offs. They are currently occupying eighth position on the table and three points adrift of Connacht who are in sixth place.

The Sharks will resume their URC campaign with a clash against Benetton in Durban on Friday before also hosting Munster in their final league match on April 22.

"We'll have to get over the disappointment and move on because our next game in the URC is on Friday," said Powell. "As we get on the plane we have to make sure that we shift our focus back to the URC and that Benetton game on Friday night."