Sharks in bid to gain momentum
REVITALISED KINGS WILL BE TOUGH TO BEAT Lambie’s men intent on keeping up the pressure on Lions.
Judging by all reports from the Eastern Cape, the Sharks will be transported into a seething cauldron of hometown support at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth today when they take on the Southern Kings in a Super Rugby derby, but the visitors are optimistic that the feisty atmosphere will bring out the best in them.
“It’s going to be really tough down there because the Kings have been playing very good rugby, which is fantastic for the game because the region has a proud history. It’s awesome to know there will be a lot of spectators because it’s always nice to play in front of a big crowd,” coach Robert du Preez said.
“The Kings are a really good side, individually there are some very good players. Players like Lionel Cronje and Chris Cloete, and other guys too, were here in Durban before, so I’m sure they feel they have a point to prove. So it’s important for us to keep calm heads, we have a job to do.”
The Sharks will be boosted by the return of Pat Lambie at flyhalf, giving them a composed, experienced general, which will be crucial against a team that always provides a hard time to the opposition, even more so now that their confidence is up after successive wins for the first time in their history.
The likes of Philip van der Walt and Tendai Mtawarira, both recent Sharks’ captains, will be giving guidance to the fiery youngsters in the pack.
Victory is all the Sharks are focused on, giving them a continued buffer over the Jaguares in terms of the third South African Group qualifying spot, but also keeping alive their slim hopes of catching the rampant Lions.
“We want to build momentum before the June break, so we want a good performance,” said Lambie, who has also regained the captaincy.