Effort wasn't matched by execution as the Hurricanes fell to a 32-15 loss to a fired up Sharks team in Durban.

Tries to prop Reggie Goodes and fullback James Marshall were signs of the Hurricanes ability on attack, but handling errors and turnovers at the breakdown thwarted the visitor's efforts.

Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd said it was a disappointing result, but not one the squad would dwell on for too long as they reset their focus on playing the Reds at Westpac Stadium in Wellington next Saturday.

"We are massively disappointed obviously. We wanted to win the game and play well and we didn't do either, so that's a huge disappointment.

"The Hurricanes haven't won here since 2004. I'm not sure if it's in the way we approach the game, or the preparation, or the performance, but clearly whatever it was wasn't good enough today.

"We need to put our heads down and make sure we give ourselves the best chance to regroup and go ahead next week."

The Hurricanes will not come home from South Africa empty handed though after banking five competition points for their 50-17 win over the Lions in Johannesburg.

That result means they remain in seventh position on the competition points table despite the fourth loss of their Investec Super Rugby season.

Against the Sharks the Hurricanes started promisingly, dominating possession and territory and building phases through the strong ball carrying of hard working lock Michael Fatialofa and dynamic hooker Dane Coles.

However, it was the Sharks who drew first blood with a counter attack try sparked by man of the match and No 8 Keegan Daniel and scored by wing JP Pietersen.

It was a movement that summed up the trend of the first half as the home side fed off the Hurricanes mistakes.

The Hurricanes drew level with a try to loose head prop Reggie Goodes, who burrowed over after an inside ball from fullback Marshall at first receiver to make it 8-all heading into halftime.

Pietersen got his second try shortly after the break when a loose pass from Brad Shields gifted the Sharks seven points and halfback Michael Claassens was over shortly afterwards when he took a quick tap to give his side a healthy 22-8 lead.

A Patrick Lambie penalty stretched the margin further and a try to No 8 Dan du Preez essentially sealed the result with about 10 minutes to play.

The Hurricanes didn't stop fighting and Marshall capped a strong match with an excellent try after good build up work from replacements Mark Abbott, Blade Thomson and Willis Halaholo, but it was too little too late.

Boyd paid tribute to the way the Sharks had played, particularly in defence where they successfully held up the Hurricanes ball runners and disrupted them on the ground.

"They had passive line speed and allowed us to play, but once we got into that contact area they dominated that. We struggled to get go forward ball and that affected the way they are able to play.

"We knew what we were going to get and what we got was exactly what we thought we were going to get, but we didn't cope with it well enough.

"The try just before halftime and a couple immediately after halftime we were chasing the game and had to alter alter things a little bit.

"But at the end of the day we didn't get our own way at the breakdown. They played very well. They had a reasonably good tour of New Zealand, came back here for the first time in three weeks and it's starting to get to the point in the competition where you need to consider the situation on the log with the playoffs.

"They correctly identified they probably needed to win this week to stay in touch and I think we will be in the same situation next week."

Consistent Hurricanes No 8 Victor Vito said ball retention simply hadn't been good enough to allow them to capitalise on the chances they created on attack.

"If anything I feel like we didn't take care of ball well enough and gave them too many opportunities. They are a team that's really good on capitalising on our mistakes. You could see that with the free style they played.

"We felt like we were well in it and that we'd weathered the initial storm and we could come back... They stole a lot of ball around our ruck and we just needed to get that clean out a little earlier."

Scorers:

Hurricanes 15 (Reggie Goodes, James Marshall tries; Beauden Barrett pen, Jason Woodward con). Sharks 32 (JP Pietersen 2, Michael Claassens, Daniel du Preez tries; Garth April pen, 2 con, Patrick Lambie pen, con). HT: 8-8.