Sharks eat Waratahs on road

c/o FoxSports
February 10, 2007

A MISTAKE-riddled performance proved costly for New South Wales Waratahs as it lost 22-9 to the Sharks in round two of the 14 in Durban overnight.

The Waratahs enjoyed plenty of possession, particularly in the last quarter, but poor handling and passing led to them squandering a number of chances.

Sharks five-eighth Butch James scored the only try of the game in the 78th minute to deny NSW the consolation of a bonus point for a narrow loss.

Normally reliable NSW goalkicker and wing Peter Hewat landed just three of his seven penalty attempts, missing three in a row in the first half.

Sharks kickers Percy Montgomery and Francois Steyn landed four out of six penalties between them with Steyn adding a drop-goal and Montgomery a conversion.

The Sharks led 9-6 at half-time in an undistinguished match which produced few fluent passages of play.

It gave the Sharks a first win over the Waratahs since 2001 and the second victory from as many matches this season.

The Waratahs have a win and a loss from their first two games

AAP