Werner Kok hat-trick helps Sharks edge fellow United Rugby Championship strugglers Scarlets

Limerick, Ireland. 21st Oct, 2023. Werner Kok of Sharks during the United Rugby Championship Round 1 match between Munster Rugby and Hollywoodbets Sharks at Thomond Park in Limerick, Ireland on October 21, 2023 (Photo by Andrew Surma/ Credit: Sipa US/Alam

A hat-trick from Ulster-bound Werner Kok helped the Sharks defeat Scarlets 32-27 to pick up just their fourth win of the United Rugby Championship season.

Both teams are out of the play-off picture with three games remaining but the South Africans will hope to end a disappointing season on a high note.

Vincent Koch also crossed for the Sharks with fly-half Siya Masuku kicking three conversions and a penalty.

Ryan Elias, Kemsley Mathias and Ioan Nicholas scored tries for the home side with Sam Costelow kicking the rest of their points.

Click here for scorers

Scarlets were quick out of the blocks and took an early 3-0 lead through a Costelow penalty after the Sharks were penalised for offside.

But the Sharks immediately hit back when a clean lineout win and quick hands stretched Scarlets’ backline and Kok ran in for the simplest of tries on the right wing.

Masuku and Costelow traded penalties before the Scarlets went ahead with a superb try.

Tomi Lewis broke through down the left and after he was felled 20 metres out the ball was played inside and hooker Elias ploughed his way through a gaping hole in the Sharks defence in slide in just to the right of the posts with Costelow’s conversion making it 13-10.

It was the Sharks who went into the interval ahead after knocking on the door at the Scarlets line before Koch picked the ball up from the back of a ruck and dived over under the posts and Masuku’s conversion sent them into the interval 17-13 to the good.

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Masuku booted an early penalty for the visitors before the Scarlets battled back to level the scores with half an hour remaining.

Johnny Williams punched a hole in the Sharks defence and as the South Africans were retreating the Welsh region’s forwards went to work and prop Mathias picked up from the ruck and power over with Costelow sending over a simple conversion.

But back came the Sharks again with Kok going in for his second try of the evening after he latched onto a well-weighted kick to the corner from Masuku to touch down unopposed.

Kok completed his hat-trick with six minutes remaining to put the game out of reach for the Scarlets and it was another perfectly weighted kick from Masuku that picked out Kok in the corner for the easiest of tries before Nicholas scored a consolation try for Scarlets.

The teams

Scarlets: 15 Ioan Nicholas, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Johnny Williams, 12 Eddie James, 11 Tomi Lewis, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Vaea Fifita, 7 Dan Davis, 6 Taine Plumtree, 5 Sam Lousi, 4 Morgan Jones, 3 Sam Wainwright, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Kemsley Mathias

Replacements: 16 Shaun Evans, 17 Steff Thomas, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Jac Price, 20 Carwyn Tuipulotu, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Dan Jones, 23 Ryan Conbeer

Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Lukhanyo Am (c), 12 Ethan Hooker, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Vincent Tshituka, 7 Lappies Labuschagne, 6 Phepsi Buthelezi, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Ox Nche

Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Corne Rahl, 20 Gerbrandt Grobler, 21 Jaden Hendrikse, 22 Boeta Chamberlain, 23 Francois Venter

Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)

Assistant Referees: Ben Breakspear (WRU), Dewi Phillips (WRU)

TMO: David Sutherland (SRU)