Sharks finish third on the Super Rugby ladder after impressive win.
Long-time leaders the Sharks had to settle for third place on the Super Rugby league standings despite a clinical 34-10 away win over Western Stormers on Sunday.
The Durban outfit ran on to the pitch at a cold Newlands stadium in Cape Town needing a 35-point bonus-point victory to snatch second place from the Crusaders.
But the improbable target soon became impossible and two tries in the final four minutes gave the Sharks a flattering scoreline.
Finishing third on the combined standings means the Sharks miss out on a bye next weekend and a home semi-final.
Instead, they must host the New Zealand Otago Highlanders next Saturday and, if successful, play record seven-time champions Crusaders away a week later in the semi-finals.
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