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The Sharks' play-off hopes in the URC (as well as the far loftier ideal of going all the way) remain intact following an entertaining if nervy 43-33 triumph over a worthy Benetton at Kings Park on Friday evening.
A maximum haul of five log points also means that they temporarily move into sixth position on the overall table pending Connacht and the Bulls' results later this weekend, while also dealing a body blow to the Italians' hopes.
Judging the wider implications of this performance very much depends on one's outlook.
Optimists will argue the Sharks' showed enough variety in terms of supreme forward power play and silky attacking nous among their playmakers in spurts to suggest that if they get their act together for longer, they'll be a handful.
RECAP | Sharks 43-33 Benetton
Pessimists (and realists to be honest) will once again bemoan the fact that the Durbanites lack the coherence and clear playing identity - Stormers and Springbok legend Schalk Burger made the point earlier this week - that renders them truly realistic contenders for the title their ambitious American owners crave.
The first half was a particularly painful affair to witness as the Sharks not only suffered from last weekend's hangover against Toulouse in conceding two tries within the first eight minutes - Joaquin Reira's punchy run into space and off-load to Nacho Brex for the second was particularly juicy - but also struggled to gain a foothold because they simply didn't seem to know what to do with the ball.
So static and unwieldy were their backline for the first 30 minutes that it really did seem as if they were trying to supply a ball to one of their Springbok backs amd then rely on them to create some form of magic.
As it would turn out, it was their vaunted, classy pack that would get them into the game.
Realising that their dominance at scrum time was immense and productive, the Sharks kept things tighter and less appealing and very soon got the results on the scoreboard.
Vince Tshituka's opening score for the hosts was borne out of some ponderous yet effective phase play from close range, while Grant Williams' first score of what would become a brace came from a second irrepressible scrum, where he could merely run in untouched after picking the ball up from the back.
Still, it those visits to the tryline merely got them back into the reckoning after the poor start.
A breather at half-time seemed to invigorate the Sharks backs as they would take over the bulk of the scoring in the final 40.
Flowing attacking play aling with vital width were hallmarks of Makazole Mapimpi and Siya Kolisi's tries, while Boeta Chamberlain's vision to put a grubber ahead for Williams to gobble up attested to his increasing authority in the No 15 jersey.
Yet they also needlessly and carelessly found ways to keep their advantage uncomfortably narrow.
They let a Rhyno Smith hoist bounce that allowed him to regather and nudge ahead for the prone Reira to gather, while they were fast asleep at an attacking lineout where pivot Tomas Albornoz peeled away brilliantly and darted in untouched to keep the tie alive.
At least the Sharks had the awareness late on to keep things tight again and allow for Curwin Bosch's unerring boot to make the game safe.
Point scorers:
Sharks 43 (14)
Tries: Grant Williams (2). Makazole Mapimpi (2), Vince Tshituka, Siya Kolisi,
Conversions: Curwin Bosch (5)
Penalty: Bosch
Benetton 33 (14)
Tries: Sebastian Negri, Nacho Brex, Joaquin Reira. Edoardo Padovani, Tomas Albornoz
Conversions: Albornoz (4)
