Sharks ……….23 Edinbrugh …. 13

EDINBURGH suffered back-to-back defeats in South Africa as the Sharks – who had begun the day bottom of the table with two wins from 12 matches – turned up the power. Aphelele Fassi broke through after a scintillating break from a clearance kick for the first try and then set up Lukhanyo Am for the second before half-time.

No.8 Phepsi Buthelezi charged over to seal the Sharks' win, before replacement Boan Venter burrowed over for Edinburgh.

Duhan van der Merwe – recalled along with Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman and Jamie Ritchie following the Six Nations – made one of the few line breaks for Edinburgh in the first half and from that burst Ben Healy kicked Edinburgh's only points of the first period.

Van der Merwe was brushed aside by Springbok centre Am for the Sharks' second try and while Healy kept Edinburgh in touch with another penalty, Buthelezi's try put the game to bed. Venter's close-range effort in the last minute – with Charlie Shiel yellow carded – was a consolation.