The Sharks were initially made to work for their 44-15 Currie Cup Round Five win over the Leopards in Rustenburg on Friday, but once they had broken the hosts' early resistance it became one-way traffic.

With the Blue Bulls losing to the Free State Cheetahs, and Griquas causing another upset by beating Western Province, the Sharks' five-pointer takes them to second spot on the log with 18 points - five behind log-leaders Griquas (23) and three ahead of Province and the Lions, both on 15.

Patience and composure saw The Sharks initially contain a competitive Leopards outfit before staging a strong second-half performance that led to the six-tries-to-two victory and consign the hosts to their fifth straight defeat - while the Sharks eared a valuable bonus point.

The Sharks had to wait until nearly half-an-hour before they went over for their first try - scrumhalf Charl McLeod scoring from a quick tap penalty, eluding the defence and getting the try with Argentinean import Juan Hernandez converting.

A penalty either side of the try saw the visitors go into the half-time break leading 13-3 - with a solitary penalty to Leopards flyhalf Clayton Durand inside the first quarter.

Hernandez gave a good account of himself, playing very well in his first outing

. He unfortunately suffered a dead leg early on, played through it but was replaced after half-time.

The Sharks dominated territory in the first half, but were unable to capitalise on the opportunities they created.

Guy Cronje came on for Hernandez in the second half and despite the loss of the starting flyhalf, The Sharks got on the board early - after a sweeping movement that started as a counter-attack in their own 22, went through five or six pairs of hands and ended with fullback Stefan Terblanche scoring in the corner. The touchline conversion from Cronje hit the post and bounced away, The Sharks taking their lead from 10 points to 15.

The Leopards bounced back with a converted try to wing Jovan Bowles, but The Sharks struck again after an exciting break from Lwazi Mvovo - which failed to herald immediate results, but led to a penalty and yellow card against hooker Gavin Williamson.

The Sharks kicked to touch, won their line-out, and Jacques Botes finished off the move to score his team's third try. Cronje's conversion took the lead back to 15 points with The Sharks well in command.

Five minutes later, Charl McLeod scored his second try and crucially, his team's fourth to register the bonus point in a move involving good work from Chris Jordaan and Ryan Kankowski. Cronje's conversion was successful.

Things turned from bad to worse for the home side as Craig Burden, on for Skipper Badenhorst, scored his team's fifth try, with the conversion The Sharks had built up a sizeable and by then, with 10 minutes to play, an unassailable lead, the margin now 29 points.

Chris Jordaan scored his team's sixth try in the closing stages of the game, again an effort ending in the corner with the difficult conversion failing as his team took the score to 44-10.

The Leopards scored a late consolation try in the corner on the full-time hooter with the conversion failing and The Sharks running out worthy 44-15 victors.

The scorers:

For the Leopards:
Tries: Bowles 2
Con: Durand
Pen: Durand

For the Sharks:
Tries: McLeod 2, Terblanche, Botes, Burden, Jordaan
Cons: Hernandez, Cronje 3
Pens: Hernandez 2

Yellow card: Gavin Williamson (Leopards)

Teams:

Leopards: 15 Russell Jeacocks, 14 Jovan Bowles, 13 Deon van Rensburg, 12 Berndt Theissinger, 11 Jan van Zyl, 10 Clayton Durand, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 RW Kember, 7 Wilhelm Koch (captain), 6 Andre Swanepoel, 5 Edrich Linde, 4 Rudi Mathee, 3 Barend van der Walt, 2 Gavin Williamson, 1 Divan Kotze.
Replacements: 16 Marthinus van der Westhuizen, 17 Philip Lemmer, 18 Rynard Landman, 19 Bennie Adams, 20 Theo van Wyk, 21 Bom Samaai, 22 Danie Dames.

The Sharks: 15 Stefan Terblanche (captain), 14 Chris Jordaan, 13 Andries Strauss, 12 Riaan Swanepoel, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Juan Hernandez, 9 Charl McLeod , 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Jean Deysel , 6 Keegan Daniel, 5 Albert van den Berg, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Skipper Badenhorst , 1 Patric Cilliers,
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Dale Chadwick, 18 Michael Rhodes, 19 Jacques Botes, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Guy Cronje, 22 Waylon Murray

Referee: Pro Legoete
Assistant referees: Tiaan Jonker, Peet Badenhorst

With thanks to Sharks Rugby