The Durbanites suffered a second loss in as many weeks at home following last week’s disappointing result against the Jaguares and they let themselves down with a lack of patience on attack and committing too many handling errors.
The Reds took a 14-7 lead into the break following two opportunistic tries that also exposed the home side’s patchy defence in the first half.
Bryce Hegarty caught the home team out cold with his try in the first minute when he dotted down under the sticks for a 7-0 start and he was followed over the line in the 18th minute by Chris Feauai-Sautia. Kerron van Vuuren crossed the line for the hosts when he crashed over under a heap of bodies from a driving maul.
Tate McDermott (Reds) and Dan du Preez (Cell C Sharks) each scored tries for their teams in the second half and while the Cell C Sharks fought hard to wipe out the deficit, it was the Queenlanders who ran out deserved winners in the end.
Robert du Preez’s outfit now travels to Australia where they will play the Waratahs in Sydney next week, followed by clashes against the Crusaders in Christchurch and Chiefs in Waikato.
Scorers:
Cell C Sharks 14 (7) - Tries: Kerron van Vuuren, Daniel du Preez; Conversions: Robert du Preez, Curwin Bosch.
Reds 21 (14) - Tries: Bryce Hegarty, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Tate McDermott; Conversions: Bryce Hegarty (2), Hamish Stewart.
