Match Details

Sharks (SA)

VS

Brumbies

10

Durban Kick off times: 5:00pm (Local) Sat 24 Mar 2:00am (AEDT) Sun 25 Mar

21

The Brumbies have revived their 2007 Investec Super 14 hopes with an upset 21-10 win over the previously undefeated Sharks in Durban on Sunday morning.

The Australian outfit produced its best performance of the season and held a handy 18-0 lead at half-time courtesy of tries to utility back Julian Huxley and lock Adam Wallace-Harrison and penalties to Huxley.

The Sharks threw everything at the Brumbies in the second half, but a massive defensive effort by the ACT-based team restricted the home side to just 10 points. The win is the Brumbies first every super rugby victory at Durban and moves them back to the top half of the table, while the Sharks slip to second after suffering their first loss of the campaign.

Huxley, playing at inside centre following the return of Wallabies flyhalf Stephen Larkham to No.10, went over for a try in just the second minute after he pounced on a grubber kick from wing Mark Gerrard.

Huxley converted his own try and then pushed the Brumbies out to a 10-0 by slotting over an easy penalty attempt after Sharks no-nonsense pivot Butch James hit George Gregan high and late inside his own 22.

The Brumbies held all the momentum and territory, and were duly rewarded for sustained pressure when Mark Chisholm, who has been outstanding in his past few matches, charged at the corner only to be brought down just short tryline. The Australian's arrived en masse to push the play over the chalk where Wallace-Harrison claimed the five-pointer.

Huxley missed the conversion but the 15-0 lead left the Sharks shell-shocked and silenced the massive home crowd at Absa Stadium.

The Brumbies forwards, led by rampaging performances from flanker Jone Tawake and No.8 Stephen Holies, were tearing the Sharks defence apart.

Another high shot, this time by wing JP Pietersen on Brumbies fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper, gave Huxley an opportunity to push his team out to an 18-0 lead in the 34th minute.

The Sharks had their first genuine chance to score when flanker Adrian Jacobs made a break down the left wing but Morne Steyn's inside pass to Pietersen was knocked down and the Brumbies took the 18-0 lead into half-time.

The Sharks finally got on the board in the 44th minute via a penalty to scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar.

Gregan went close to scoring the Brumbies third try in the 53rd minute but was held up just short of the line by Johan Muller.

Huxley, who was awarded man of the match honours, restored the visitors' lead just three minutes later when Pietersen failed to release the ball while under pressure in the tackle.

Sensing their unbeaten record was in real danger of being broken, the Sharks stepped up the intensity in attack and spent almost 15 camped inside the Brumbies 22.

But fantastic disciplined stonewall defence from the Australian repelled almost every attack until Jacobs burst through for a late try one-minute before the final siren. James converted but it was too late for the Sharks and the Brumbies picked up the crucial away win to remain in the title hunt.

Brumbies 21

Tries: Huxley, Wallace-Harrison

Conversions: Huxley

Penalties: Huxley 3

Sharks 10

Tries: Jacobs

Conversions: James

Penalties: Pienaar

HT 18-0