DURBAN – Grim-faced one week, all smiles the next. That is how it was on Saturday night for Sharks coach Sean Everitt who in the space of seven days at Jonsson Kings Park had seen his players transform from deadbeats against Griquas to victors over a very strong Western Province side.
“Congratulations to the team,” the beaming coach said. “This time last week I was sitting in the same chair saying we needed a big bounce-back against WP, and we got that. All credit to the players for their perseverance after that horrible loss.”
Anyone who saw the Sharks train last week will testify that the players did everything in their power to turn matters around. And they did.
“I could not have asked for a bigger effort at training,” Everitt agreed. “We worked really hard on our set piece in training - Nick Easter and Etienne Fynn did a great job. Nick looked after the line-outs and the maul defence and Etienne the scrumming. We knew what was coming after what Province had done to the Bulls the week before.”
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Probably the most refreshing aspect of the Sharks’ performance was their energy and enthusiasm.
“The whole campaign for us is about growth, and I think we grew a lot in a week in terms of the effort the guys put in.” Everitt said. “The whole campaign is about growth as individuals, as a group, and as a brand, so we are very proud of what the guys have achieved in a small space of time.”
This week the Sharks have a Currie Cup bye before returning next week to play the Pumas away.
“We had confirmation last week that there are no easy games,” Everitt said of the threat presented by the Nelspruit-based team.
“Griquas had a tough game on Friday night, the Pumas pushed them all the way. We know that if we slip up against the Pumas we are going to make it very difficult for ourselves to get a home semi-final, never mind final.
So we won’t take our foot off the gas.”
@MikeGreenaway67
The Mercury