New Zealand thrashed the Sharks 54 to 0 in an international friendly match on 11 August 2026. The result ended a run of competitive outings for both sides, though it read like a mismatch from the start.
The Sharks had been stringing together reasonable results in recent weeks. They beat Zebras 54 to 19 in May, then lost narrowly to Pumas and Cheetahs before falling to Stormers 36 to 28. Against Bolennd Cavaliers just three days earlier they managed 19 points in a 19 to 12 win. This time they never got going.
New Zealand have been on a different plane. They beat Wales 52 to 26 in November, then swept through France, Italy and Ireland in July with scores of 34 to 32, 47 to 17 and 40 to 21. A 38 to 21 victory over Stormers on 7 August set up this friendly. They took the Sharks apart.
The table goes out the window in these games. What matters is the gap between sides when the whistle blows. New Zealand showed why — the Sharks simply had no answer.