Sharks leave nothing to chance

The Sharks will select the strongest available team for their final Currie Cup round-robin game against Western Province. Photo by Steve Haag/Gallo Images

The Sharks will select the strongest available team for their final Currie Cup round-robin game against Western Province. Photo by Steve Haag/Gallo Images

Published Oct 9, 2014

Share

While Western Province are set to rest and rotate players for this Saturday’s Currie Cup clash at Newlands, the Sharks will understandably select the strongest available team for what could still be a decisive encounter.

With Province already guaranteed to finish in top spot on the log, WP coach Allister Coetzee has understandably expressed his intent to employ some widespread squad rotation as he looks to “protect” some battle-weary players before next weekend’s semi-finals.

It’s the advantage of enjoying an eight point buffer at the top of the table, but it’s also sure to make Province at least somewhat vulnerable in this Saturday’s re-match of last year’s final, which the Sharks comprehensively won.

And after three successive victories in recent weeks, the Durban side should be confident in their ability to end the pool phase on a winning note - a result that could still earn them a home semi-final.

Just a few weeks ago, a semi-final berth looked to be in possible jeopardy after back-to-back defeats to the Pumas and Griquas, but the Sharks have found some real synergy and form over the last month.

Last Friday’s win over the Lions has drawn them back within two log points of the second-placed team from Johannesburg, and so there will still be plenty to play for on Saturday.

Beneficially, the Sharks will take on Western Province only after the Lions and Cheetahs have faced off at Ellis Park, and so before their game kicks-off, they will know whether second spot is still up for grabs.

Yet even if the Lions emerge victorious and reduce the Newlands encounter to a dead-rubber, the Sharks will be determined to make another statement about their title credentials.

This week, the defending champs will be without both hooker Kyle Cooper (ankle injury) and Paul Jordaan (fractured hip), but they have been boosted by the return of Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach.

Reinach should come straight back into the mix, while S’bura Sithole will shift to outside centre in place of Jordaan, with experienced Tondera Chavhanga returning to the starting line-up on the wing.

Up front, young Monde Hadebe is in line to start his first game of the season as Cooper’s replacement, and Matt Stevens will rotate in for Lourens Adriaanse at tighthead prop.

Forwards coach Paul Anthony said they were determined to improve on their set-piece performance after a shaky display in that regard last Friday.

“I think our scrummaging has improved, but it’s still not where we’d like it to be. We’ve assessed our weak points, though, and we’re continually working hard on them. We also want to improve our lineouts, we slipped up there a bit (against the Lions), but we know where we went wrong and we’ve addressed that. We want to get our set-piece to a point where both our lineout and scrum are really operating well, while also ensuring our defence remains strong.”

And regardless of what team Western Province opt to field on Saturday, Anthony emphasised the respect they had for the table-topping Capetonians.

“They’re not number one on the log for nothing, they’ve been playing really well. Western Province attack from turnover, they’re defensively astute, and their players are intelligent in the way they go about things. They make the right choices and take the right options – that’s been their strength on the counter. They have a good eye for where to launch their attacks from, and they have lots of speed out wide. So your defensive lines have to be outstanding, and you can’t afford to concede turn-over ball.” - Daily News

Related Topics: