Sharks became the first team to beat Cardiff at Arms Park in 2026, securing a victory in the United Rugby Championship (URC). Cardiff had not lost in the Welsh capital since a defeat to the Scarlets last December, which was their only home loss in the 2025-26 season.
The visitors dominated by scoring six tries. They led 17-7 at half-time, with Ethan Hooker, Matt Romao and Jason Jenkins scoring in the first half. Cardiff’s only first-half try was the work of Josh Adams. A Sharks try was disallowed after a TMO review due to a forward pass in the action preceding Zekhethela Siyaya’s grounding.
Cardiff turned the game with a James Botham double. Thomas du Toit brought the Durban side back into the lead within the final quarter, and the Sharks secured the win through Ethan Bester, while Romao added a final try. Cardiff were outplayed and struggled in set pieces, remaining without points.
Cardiff fielded six of the seven players from the Welsh Nations Championship team: wing Adams, forward Liam Belcher, second row Teddy Williams, and third rows Alex Mann, Botham and Taine Basham. Springboks centre Andre Esterhuizen lasted only 20 seconds after injuring his right Achilles tendon while jumping for a high ball.
Hooker grounded in the second minute after a pass from Jurienz Julius. Adams scored after a pass from Cam Winnett, preceded by a break by former Sharks player Le Roux Malan. Jarrod Evans converted for Cardiff’s first try. Romao scored a try in the 27th minute. The Sharks earned a penalty with time expiring, kicked a lineout, and second row Jenkins eventually broke through.
Cardiff reduced the deficit to three points when Botham grounded from close range after a penalty from a lineout at the start of the second half, and Evans converted Botham’s first try. Botham scored a second try after breaking away from a moving lineout, followed by a scuffle. Du Toit scored the Sharks’ bonus try. The win was secured in the 74th minute when substitute hooker Bester directed a moving lineout over the line. Cardiff had a five-day break before their match following a defeat by Northampton and were chasing two bonus points in the closing stages.
The match was refereed by Andrea Piardi (France), with Ben Whitehouse and Carwyn Sion (Wales) as touch judges, and Stefano Penne (France) as TMO. Cardiff’s team: Winnett; Adams, Malan, Emanuel, Millard; Evans, Mulder; Sio, Belcher (captain), Sebastian, McNally, Williams, Mann, Botham, Basham. Replacements: Lloyd, Southworth, Assiratti, Manz, Paea, A Davies, Sheedy, Bowen. Sharks’ team: Siyaya; van der Merwe, Julius, Esterhuizen (captain), Hooker; Lombard, Jaden Hendrikse; Ganyane, Swart, Jacobs, Jenkins, van Heerden, Romao, M Tshituka, Hatton. Replacements: Bester, Nche, du Toit, Lewies, V Tshituka, van Zyl, Masuku, Williams. Cardiff tries: Adams, Botham 2; conversions: Evans 3. Sharks tries: Hooker, Romao 2, Jenkins, du Toit, Bester; conversions: Lombard 2, Masuku. Final score: Cardiff 21, Sharks 36.
