Chiefs offer little resistance to Sharks

Sharks 28 Chiefs 8

The Chiefs are all but out of this year's Super 12 competition after a 24-8 defeat at the hands of the Sharks at Owen Delany Park in Taupo.

The four tries-to-two victory earned the Sharks a bonus point and puts them back at the top of the Super 12 points table on 33 - four ahead of the Brumbies.

The visitors dominated from the start, needing only three minutes to take the lead through 120-kg tighthead prop Brent Moyle.

He received the ball from a touchline ruck, pushed past lock Mark Cooksley and stormed over.

Five minutes later a Chiefs throw-in soared over Cooksley into the arms of openside flanker Charl van Rensberg, who ran 20 metres for a soft try converted by Butch James.

At 12-0 the game was quickly slipping away from the Chiefs, whose only reply was a Glen Jackson penalty.

Sharks halfback Craig Davidson scored his side's third try, which was converted by James, giving the South Africans a 19-3 halftime lead.

There was better news for the Chiefs early in the second half, when a 25-metre burst from halfway by openside flanker Marty Holah set up winger Roger Randle for his 100th first class try.

At 19-8, the Chiefs were back in the game.

But the Sharks then stepped up a gear. A forward pass denied A.J. Venter a try, while Stefan Terblanche was held up over the line by a stunning tackle from Chiefs' fullback Loki Crichton.

They eventually scored their bonus-point-earning fourth try in the 70th minute when Terblanche took a pass near the touchline and went over unopposed.

A late comeback by the homeside resulted in Scott McLeod going over the tryline, only to have his try disallowed after a touchjudge spotted reserve Tama Tuirirangi throwing punches.

Tuirirangi was shown the red card, marring a game which had been without major incident.

- HERALD ONLINE STAFF and REUTERS