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The QR Reds scored four tries to three but were unable to prevent the Sharks claiming a 30-28 victory in their Investec Bank Super 14 match in Durban.

The Reds came away from the match with two bonus points but were disappointed at the number of penalties they conceded, which ultimately cost them the game after they had led 21-9 early in the second half.

The Reds had a chance to snatch victory when a stunning breakout by Digby Ioane from the Reds' 22 was stopped by the Sharks deep in their own half and they somehow regained possession right on fulltime, to the relief of the Absa Stadium crowd.

Centre Will Chambers scored two tries running off flyhalf Quade Cooper's skilful passing, while another slick Cooper pass to replacement prop Greg Holmes, who scored a try in his 50th Super Rugby game, got the Reds back into the game after the Sharks had put on 21 unanswered points to lead 30-21 at the 65 minute mark.

Cooper himself scored the Reds opening try 10 minutes in with a jinking run to the line and would have claimed clear man of the match honours in a winning side after opening up the Sharks defence on several occasions. The official man of the match was the Sharks' flanker and try scorer Jacques Botes.

Cooper also kicked four from five for a personal tally of 13 points, taking him past 100 points for the season (104).

Chambers had an impressive run-on debut at outside centre, running a good angle and beating three tacklers to put the Reds ahead 14-9 right on halftime and grabbing his second two minutes into the second half after a Cooper midfield break put the Reds on full attack. Cooper's pass found him with three defenders still to beat but his hard running into contact got him over the line, in a vindication of Head Coach Ewen McKenzie's decision to select him in the centres.

In the forwards flanker Daniel Braid was a welcome return from injury with a typically non-stop performance, while backrower Jake Schatz was solid in defence at No 8.

The Reds' scrum was solid throughout despite being up against a Springbok-heavy front row but the Reds' lineout faltered in the second half and their forwards were also unable to counter the Sharks' rolling maul.

It was a creditable performance by the Sharks in their first game back at home after their Australasian tour, who were battling to keep their season alive. After being unable to contain the Reds in the first half they changed tactics in the second half to apply pressure through the forwards and at the breakdown and were rewarded with their three tries.

Reds captain Will Genia conceded that the Reds' discipline let them down and the Sharks caused problems at the maul and breakdown.

"Coming out after halftime we thought we started really well and thought we did enough to win the game. But credit to the Sharks, they absorbed a lot of our pressure and then came home very, very strong," Genia said.

"We played to their strengths (and) discipline let us down. They just put it into touch and then drove it about 20 metres every time they had a maul."

McKenzie said the Sharks were very physical at the breakdown and were able to disrupt the Reds ball at the ruck without attracting penalties to the same extent as the Reds.

"They were very physical and we didn't do enough to counter that. They also got away with some things that we were penalised for, but good luck to them."

McKenzie said his players deserved credit for scoring four tries and continuing to play their attractive and exciting style of rugby right to the final whistle.

"It was a contrast in styles of rugby and on the night the Sharks were able to do enough to win. If a couple of things had gone our way it could have been different. But they (the Reds) are a young side and they showed they were prepared to keep attacking right to the end.

"It's not all gloom and doom. Not too many sides score four tries here and we'll take two bonus points from it."   

McKenzie said there were no serious injuries to the Reds from the game.

The loss left the Reds three points outside the top four, level with the Chiefs and Brumbies.

The Reds boosted their "Goat count for Africa" campaign by five goats, one goat donated for each try they scored, plus a "bonus goat" for the bonus point-earning fourth try. The initiative provides farm goats to African villages through the Oxfam Unwrapped donor program.

Sharks 30 (Jacques Botes, Odwa Ndungane, JP Pietersen tries Ruan Pienaar 3 cons 3 pens) bt QR Reds 28 (Will Chambers 2, Quade Cooper, Greg Holmes tries Cooper 4 cons) at ABSA Stadium. Referee: Chris Pollock (NZL).