WP can expect ‘more of the same’ from Sharks
IT IS very new territory for the Sharks as they prepare for a final for the first time since 2013. A lot has changed since then, and only stalwarts Odwa Ndungane and Keegan Daniel were present that day, but the Sharks are not letting the occasion get the better of them.
After dominating this year’s competition since the second game of the season, the Sharks have been steadily improving a game plan that has been long in the pipeline. Determined and talented youngsters have been the foundation, along with a game plan that smacks a little of the 1990s, when the coach, Robert du Preez, made his own mark as a player.
Many of the youngsters in the team faced knockout rugby for the first time in their 37-27 victory over the Bulls at the weekend, but despite the fanfare and pressure, the Sharks really did not do anything more or less than they had done all season.
This is the approach Du Preez has also indicated the team will be taking when they meet Western Province again, the second time in three weeks, at home for the Currie Cup final.
“For us, it will be more of the same, we are not going to change anything,” the coach said. However, ever the perfectionist, Du Preez was already focusing on the workons for their final week of preparation.
“We have to sort out our exits because that was not great, and we could not get momentum in the second half. We gave away too many penalties, so we need to sharpen up there.”
However, the overall feeling from the coach was that it was a performance to be proud off as the Sharks first set the tone early on, and then had the character to stave off the resurgent Bulls in the second half.
It was a display worthy of being called a semi-final as both teams had their chances and neither was ready to roll over for the whole 80 minutes. The Sharks came out firing and they got on the the scoresheet within four minutes, and then added another converted try soon afterwards.
It was at that time the game could have already been called over as a contest, however the Bulls fought to be within one point before the halftime whistle, only for the Sharks to keep pushing out their lead.
Indeed, Bulls coach John Mitchell even made mention after the game that it was probably two soft tries that cost his team a chance in the final – the charge-down by Ruan Botha, and the opportunistic score by Louis Schreuder.
“It was a fantastic performance by the boys. There are a couple of things we know we have to work on, but it is great, it is job done,” Du Preez said. “We have not hit our straps yet, so hopefully we can put that together next week. Credit to the Bulls, I thought they played really well.”
Mitchell was not too disappointed with his side’s performance, more looking at the journey rather than the overall result. His bright rugby mind also picked apart some of the reasons why the Sharks had been such a success this year, complimenting their attacking platforms.
“The Sharks have very good platforms, and they like to create pressure from those platforms; they are very powerful as well,” the former All Black coach explained. “They like to carry, and are not afraid to offload, and they have a backline that can finish when that momentum is delivered. Then you have Curwin (Bosch) who can kick goals and dropkicks at vital moments. I am sure they will be better for the game they had against us.”
The Sharks will be facing Western Province in the final after the Cape side beat the Lions at home.
However, the hosts may well be without their sensational wing S’bu Nkosi, who limped off the field with what is suspected to be a dislocated elbow. The youngster was taken to hospital after the game to check for fractures; it does not bode well for the Sharks, nor the Springboks and their end of year tour.
This is the sixth final the Sharks and Province will be competing in since the Durban-based won their first cup back in 1990. The Sharks / Natal have won three of them in 1995, 2010, 2013. SYDNEY: Australia coach Michael Cheika is determined the Wallabies will not get carried away with their 23-18 victory over New Zealand on Saturday and warned them plenty of work lies ahead if they are to catch up with the world champions.
The victory in Brisbane snapped a seven-game losing streak against the All Blacks going back to the 2015 World Cup final and could hardly have come at a better time for the Australian game.
It was the first win for any professional Australian team over New Zealand opponents this year after the five Super Rugby franchises failed to achieve the feat in 26 attempts.
The off-the-field public relations disaster of reducing those five franchises to four for next year, a home defeat to Scotland and two losses to New Zealand in the Rugby Championship all also contributed to a feeling of a game under siege.
“I’m really pleased in particular for the fans. I’m not just saying that,” Cheika said.
“The ups and downs of the game, that’s what rugby’s about and to give them that type of enjoyment afterwards ... as the national team, we’re trying to unite everyone in the code when we turn up to play.
“(But) I’m very realistic, it’s one win, it was hard-earned. We’ll enjoy it for what it is, and then continue on with what we’ve got to do.”
Cheika’s long-stated ambition is to be the number one team in the world, a goal that would require Australia to beat New Zealand frequently enough to knock the All Blacks off the top of the rankings.
That would also result in the return to Australia after a decade-and-a-half of the Bledisloe Cup, the symbol of trans-Tasman Sea rugby supremacy that New Zealand retained for a 15th year courtesy of their wins in Sydney and Dunedin this year.
“I’m always got in the back of my mind that our duty is to bring home the trophy which we haven’t done,” Cheika said.
“As happy as I am, and I am very happy for the players because they have been working hard, the end game is to bring home the Cup and we came up short there this year.
“As enjoyable as that win was, the disappointment of not winning the cup still resonates with me.
“It’s obviously something we’ve got to try our best and our hardest to do next year, because you know New Zealand are only going to get better. “We’ve got to keep improving as well.”
Free-scoring fullback Israel Folau will be rested for Australia’s four remaining tests this year after negotiating a break as part of his contract.
The 28-year-old Folau scored his 12th international try of the season in Australia’s victory over New Zealand on Saturday.
Folau had provision in his contract for a stint at a Japanese club before he resumes Super Rugby next season but decided instead to take a few months off for the first time since switching to rugby union from Australian Rules in 2013.
“It’s a good time for him to have some time away from the spotlight, just sit down and relax,” Cheika said.
“He doesn’t get a lot of chance to do that, he’s been under the microscope every single day since he’s come to rugby.
“It’ll be a chance for him to get out of that for a moment, rest his body, rest his mind, take a breather and then get back into it from day one of Super Rugby.”
Folau has been a fixture in the number 15 shirt for Australia over the last four years, his dependability meaning few others have had a look-in for the position. – Reuters