Sharks group making strides

Sharks defence coach Joey Mongalo (above) says the team knows they are in a results-driven business and is confident they will still pick up a couple of wins in the United Rugby Championship.

Positive results on the field have eluded the Sharks in the URC this season. The team haven’t been able to build up winning momentum.

The Sharks have only won once this term, losing a staggering nine games so far. This has seen them rooted at the bottom of the points table with only 10 points.

Although the team is hitting the right notes off the field, with the fans still backing them and management entering into strategic partnerships for the growth of the union, results on the field are still the ultimate measurement.

“We can’t get away (with the fact that) we are in a performance industry, we only get judged by winning,” Mongalo said this week.

“We all know that and are aware of the environment that we are in. Hence, we still strive to finish as high as we can, we want to win as many games as we can. That’s definitely a factor, and it will never go away,” he said.

Mongalo said as the coaching staff they are encouraged by the team’s progress despite the number of losses they have suffered this season.

“If you take the Leinster, Munster and Bulls away, those were the three games we were really blown away. Then, if you look at the whole lot, I can count six games where this team has come within a single score of winning.

“Because we see it like that and not to brush off the losses – there’s enough evidence there to show that this is a group that’s going somewhere. That’s what we take encouragement in. Hopefully, those little close losses will become wins,” he said.

The Sharks will hope to get their second win of the URC tomorrow when they take on the Lions at Ellis Park (kick-off 3pm). A win over the Lions can spark their charge to move up the points table.

“We want to see how far up we can finish, we really want to challenge ourselves,” he added.

We desire to still finish as high as we can, we want to win as many games as we can. Joey Mongalo