Overview

• Ulster beat the Sharks 34-26 at the Sharks Tank to take five points in what head coach Richie Murphy called a big statement win.
• The hosts fielded 13 Springboks in the starting XV with four more on the bench but could not match Ulster’s clinical finishing.
• The defeat leaves the Sharks 14th on the URC table with three points and no wins from four matches this season.
• Key moments included Vincent Koch’s yellow card and Makazole Mapimpi’s yellow upgraded to red, which Plumtree said swung the contest.
• Plumtree flagged fresh concerns with a reported serious knee injury to Ruan Dreyer and the prospect of disciplinary action for Mapimpi, as questions over the team’s identity intensified.