Sharks have a plan for Champions Cup return

The Sharks are aiming to use the Challenge Cup to book a spot in Europe’s top-tier rugby competition, the Champions Cup, next season. This after the chances of qualifying through the United Rugby Championship (URC) have become slim for the Durban-based franchise rooted at the bottom of the table.

In nine URC outings this season, the Sharks have claimed a single victory and lost the other eight games. They need to finish in the URC top eight to guarantee their place in the Champions Cup next season. Another option to get a place in Europe’s top rugby competition in the next campaign is to make the Challenge Cup final. The Sharks have accomplished the first step of the mission by qualifying for the round of 16 of the tournament with a game to spare.

Sharks director of rugby Neil Powell, who is holding the fort in coach John Plumtree’s absence, has spoken about how the Challenge Cup has given them a chance to start over after a tough period in the URC.

“Knowing that if we win the Challenge Cup we can have an automatic qualification to the Champions Cup, the motivation is there for us to make a step up in the [European Professional Club Rugby Challenge Cup],” Powell said before their last match of the pool stage against the Dragons on Sunday. From a URC perspective the goal we have set ourselves ... is probably based on the fact that we want to qualify for the Champions Cup, [and it] will be to finish in the top eight in the URC.”

Under Powell, the Sharks achieved a convincing victory over Oyonnax at Kings Park Stadium in Durban at the weekend that helped to book a place in the round of 16.

“I hope this is the turning point for us, not only in the Challenge Cup but also in the URC,” Powell said. “I won’t say it has become the easier way [of qualifying for the Champions Cup] because you still have to play the knockout games against quality opposition, and this is probably one of the games [against the Dragons] in the pool we see as a knockout game.

“Because if we do well in this one, we will manage to secure a home round of 16 and quarterfinals. If we lose, some of the other teams in the pool get results and it can mean we will play away in the round of 16 and away [in the] quarterfinals,” he said. “We all know how tough it is, especially when you go to France. It’s going to be tough, especially when you get to the knockout stages, if we don’t do well this weekend and if we don’t secure a home round of 16 and quarterfinal.”

The Dragons will be eager to get a victory against the Sharks to secure a spot in the next round. The match is to be played at Rodney Parade in Wales. Kickoff will be 7.30pm, SA time.*