We won’t hold back: Tera
THE Sharks have won eight of their last 10 matches against the Reds but given that both teams are just about starting from scratch, the outcome of this morning’s match is critical to both teams as they re-launch themselves.
The Reds have been very poor over the last three seasons and have a new coach in Nick Stiles, while the Sharks enter a new era under Robert du Preez.
Both sides have new coaching staffs, new teams and are determined to start afresh.
The Sharks began rebuilding in last season’s Currie Cup under Du Preez and disappointed their fans when they failed to make the semifinals of a weakened domestic competition. They have much of the same team doing duty this season apart from the vital inclusions of halfbacks Patrick Lambie and Cobus Reinach, both of whom have been conspicuous by their absence for most of the last three Super Rugby campaigns.
The Reds have bought wisely, and their pack includes seasoned Wallabies in Stephen Moore (Brumbies), Scott Higganbotham (Japan) and the evergreen George Smith (Japan).
Both sides have much to prove and Sharks vice-captain Tera Mtembu hopefully summed up it when he said: “We are two teams determined to play attacking rugby and I reckon this is going to be a thrill-a-minute game. We are mainly focussing on ourselves and how we want to play, but from what I gather, the Reds are on the same page. Both teams want to score tries and start their Super Rugby campaigns on the right note.”
Mtembu is in the side at No 8, replacing Keegan Daniel, who broke an arm in a warmup game against the Cheetahs. Mtembu, in turn, is coming back from two years of knee injury. After captaining the Sharks in the 2014 Currie Cup, he suffered a serious knee injury, ruling him out of 2015, and then in his comeback match the next year, he suffered the same injury.
Funnily enough, he replaces Daniel at No 8, a player who was his hero when both were at Dale College in Kings Williams Town.
“I have had my run of bad luck and for me it is just a privilege to be back playing rugby and in the Sharks team, not to mention being in a leadership role. I never gave up hope and here I am playing again in a young Sharks team that is so excited about the season ahead. I am so grateful,” the ever-humble Mtembu said.
“I aim to take this opportunity with both hands, as do all of the players in this Sharks team. There is no player in this squad that takes anything for granted.”
Another player from the Eastern Cape, Lwazi Mvovo, plays his 100th Super Rugby match, and Mtembu has nothing but warming praise.
“Lwazi is one of those guys who does realise that he is a role model, and that is great, because he is not even aware of how much the squad looks up to him,” Mtembu said.
“He has had a fantastic pre-season in inspiring others, and we are expecting a lot from him this season. A hundred caps is a massive achievement.
Mtembu will be up against a highly experienced loose trio featuring a legendary ball stealer in Smith and the robust ball carrier Higganbotham, but he is adamant that the Sharks will not be looking at individuals in the Reds line-up.
“We acknowledge them, as well as Moore (the current Wallabies captain and hooker), but for us it is all about putting in practice what we have been doing in training, and that is making sure the set-pieces function and then being positive about the opportunities presented to the backs,” Mtembu said. “We are not going to be holding back, and nor will the Reds, so I anticipate a game to remember.”