Sharks run in six tries to beat Cardiff at the Arms Park
Sharks scored six tries and beat Cardiff 36-21 at the Arms Park on Friday, becoming the first side to win there in 2026. BBC Sport reported the result from the United Rugby Championship, the league that brings together teams from Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Italy and South Africa.
The win was a hard one to get. Cardiff had lost only one home game in the 2025-26 season, a defeat by Scarlets last December, and the home crowd came in expecting a strong finish to the autumn. Instead, the visitors took control early and never really let go.
At half-time Sharks led 17-7. A try is worth five points and is scored by grounding the ball over the opposition's try line, and the Durban side had already crossed the line several times by then. Their scorers were Ethan Hooker, Matt Romao (two), Jason Jenkins, Thomas du Toit and Ethan Bester.
Cardiff kept fighting in the second half. Josh Adams and James Botham (two) scored their tries for the home side, but they could not close the gap far enough to turn the match.
For Sharks, the result adds to a busy run of fixtures. They had already beaten Ospreys 41-24 in September, then Leinster 26-20 in early October, and then LOU Rugby 40-33 in the European Challenge Cup a week before this game. Playing three different competitions in quick succession is tough on squads, because a team has to keep its legs fresh and its heads clear while the games pile up.
For Cardiff, the defeat is a reminder of how much the home ground can help a side, and how quickly a lead can slip when a team is making mistakes. Their supporters will want an answer in the next round.
This was round four of the United Rugby Championship, so the table is still taking shape. Both teams have plenty of games left to show what kind of season they are going to have.
What stood out most was the scoring rate. Six tries in one match is a lot in any code of rugby, and Sharks spread them across their back line and forwards, which made them hard to read. Getting the ball wide quickly and keeping the pressure on for 80 minutes is a plan that takes discipline, and on this evening it worked.
