The Sharks and the Waratahs played to 24-24 draw in a Super Rugby match at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.
But the home side will be disappointed with the result after dominating most of the encounter. However, simple mistakes and a lack of finishing cost them on the day.
The visitors opened the scoring in the fifth minute of the match when scrumhalf Jake Gordon went over the line after a scrum close to the Sharks' line.
The Sharks hit back with a penalty in the 12th minute, before Lukhanyo Am sliced through the Australian team's defence to score his first try of the day five minutes later. Flyhalf Robert du Preez converted the try to level the scores at 10-10.
Am scored his second try shortly after halftime to give the Sharks the lead. Inside centre André Esterhuizen took the ball up after clean ball from the lineout and then some good passing got the ball to Am. Am then ran a brilliant line to score.
But that lead was short lived, as the Waratahs captain Michael Hooper crossed the tryline in the 56th minute. The Sharks butchered a quick lineout, allowing Hooper to get the ball and canter in to score.
The Sharks dominated much of the second half, and it looked like they would win the match when flyhalf Du Preez scored eight minutes from time. However, the Waratahs would earn a draw in the 77th minute when substitute scrumhalf Mitch Short scored after a brilliant run.
Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson acknowledged their scrum came under pressure in the second half but felt overall his tight five did an excellent job, and he was unhappy with the Tahs' overall performance.
"I thought we were pretty poor tonight to be frank,' Gibson said.
"At times we lacked ball control, we turned the ball over too much and put a lot of pressure on ourselves.
"I'm certainly not happy about our performance.
"We're not walking away rejoicing at all. We looked at our own performance and had a pretty honest assessment in the changing room and probably know that we need to get much better if we're going to be competitive in this competition."
NSW scored at the death to beat the Stormers in their opening game last week and again showed good fitness and resilience, following their sloppy execution through the match.
"What I am pleased about with the team is around the fight in our team, we don't give up," Gibson said.
"We're fit and we're giving our best so that's a good foundation to grow from."