Sharks hit back to down Griffons in Currie Cup opener

It was the visitors, who are newly-promoted from the First Division, who started strongly when centre Carel-Jan Coetzee went over for atry that was converted by Jaywinn Juries.

Juries then added penalty after the hosts were penalised for an errant scrum as the Griffons went 10-0 ahead midway through the first half.

The ganme took a turn 10 minutes later though when Griffons wing Granwill Matthys received a yellow card for tripping Yaw Penxe.

The Sharks opted for line-out close to the poles and the dicison paid off when Fez Mbatha went over for a try that was not converted by flyhalf Lionel Cronje.

Juries added another penalty but the Sharks and Mbatha was on th scoresheet again, peeling away from a driving maul for his second try.

Cronje again missed the target from the conversion as the Griffons took a shock 13-10 lead into the halftime break.

Juries kicked a long-range three-pinter to extend the visitors' lead to six points early after the interval.

It was at the 50-minute mark though that the Shrks kicked into gear and showed why they were the favourites when Damon Royle went over for their third try of th game.

Replacement Bradley Davids succeeded with his first attempt from the kicking tee to add the two extra points.

The Sharks then put some breathing space themselves between them and their opponents with replacement prop Khutha Mchunu going over the whitewash from yet another driving maul.

Davids put his team 13 points ahead with an excellent conversion from the touchline and things started to unravel for the Griffons.

Replacement prop Xolani Jacobs was yellow-carded for cynical play with 12 minutes remaining and Davids added a penalty to round off the scoring.

The Griffons ended the game with 14 men after Ludio Williams was sent off for a dangerous clear-out.