An 81st minute penalty via the educated boot of Rhyno Smith handed the Sharks their second win of their campaign and the visiting Boland their first defeat in the South Section of the competition.

Smith also scored the all-important fourth and bonus-point try taking them to a temporary third position ahead of the Toyota Free State XV, who will be in action on Saturday against SWD.

Bok speedster Lwazi Mvovo added his name to the try scorers along with Sicelo Tole. Smith kicked an additional two conversions taking his personal score to 14 points in the match.

The scoreline rightfully suggests a very tightly contested match towards the end of the second half.

The home side started strongest and after half an hour were leading 19-8. Boland found their groove though and scored just before the break when Valentino Wellman dotted down. Flyhalf Garrick Mattheus converted Wellman's try taking the score to 19-15 as the players headed into the locker rooms for the halftime break.

Boland picked up where they left off in the first half, with two tries after the restart to take a 28-19 lead, before the home side started their comeback.

With 10 minutes to go Smith stepped up and proved his worth. The Paarl-born player snatched the victory away from the visitors with a try, conversion and a penalty.

Scorers:

Cell C Sharks XV - Tries: Penalty Try, Sicelo Tole, Lwazi Mvovo, Rhyno Smith. Conversions: Smith (2). Penalty: Smith.  

Boland - Tries: Shilton van Wyk, Valentino Wellman, Shirwin Cupido. Conversions: Garrick Mattheus (2). Penalties: Mattheus (3).