‘Dangerous’ Lions made it tough, says coach

Ken Borland

Sharks coach Robert du Preez praised his team for their firsthalf performance, which saw them leading 18-3 at the break in their Currie Cup semifinal against the Golden Lions in Durban at the weekend, but admitted he was a worried man in the second half as his side eventually struggled home 33-24 to book themselves a second successive final.

“I’d like to commend my side for their first half, they were clinical and ruthless and they showed again that when they are patient and put the phases together, then they can be devastating. But we tend to get ahead of ourselves now and again and in the second half I was very, very worried because the Lions showed what a quality side they are, and in the end I was just very pleased to win,” Du Preez said after the triumph, which the Sharks ultimately sealed with a 75th-minute try by powerhouse No 8 Daniel du Preez (right).

The Sharks had led 23-3 when they scored after just 18 seconds in the second half, but they then lost focus and had to endure some ugly moments in the next half-anhour. None more so than when lock Hyron Andrews passed the ball five metres behind his own backline, straight to Lions wing Courtnall Skosan, who jogged over for a gift try.

“Semifinals are probably the toughest games to play because anything can happen, and that pass was scary. It was us who were going to score and then suddenly we had to go all the way back.

“The Lions are a dangerous side, if you make one or two slipups against them then that’s what you get. However, I was very pleased with the effort, the guys were able to fight to the end after conceding three tries,” Du Preez said.

The Sharks will now get down to the business of trying to rectify what happened in last year’s final against Western Province, who have home-ground advantage this year after coming to Kings Park in 2017 and upsetting the odds.

“In any final, and I know it sounds like a cliché, but the team that takes their chances, uses their opportunities, and whose discipline is really good usually wins the trophy.

“It’s going to be a tough game for us because the boys are sore,” Du Preez said.