Mighty battle looms in Sydney
THE niggle between the Stormers and the Brumbies in Cape Town last week was something to behold, but it could pale in comparison with what is shaping up to be a mighty battle between the forward packs of the Sharks and the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday.
On the surface, you would not think there was much riding on a routine fixture between an 11th-placed South African side and a local team that is well placed for a spot in the play-offs.
But stoking the fire for this match is the uncomfortable fact that the Durban team have not lost six matches in a row since 2000, and are fed up at being ridiculed, while the Waratahs have been given a tongue-lashing by their colourful coach, Michael Cheika, after their loss to the Force at the weekend.
Cheika wants no more “pussy-footing around”.
His team are seventh, and it is inconceivable to him that the champions will back up their defeat by the 15th-placed Force with a home defeat to the side in 11th place.
It is not going to happen for Cheika, and when you play a South African team, it starts with getting your retaliation in first, the Wallabies coach will be reminding his charges.
“We know what is in it for them, they have their title ambitions,” Gold said from Sydney.
“But because we are out of the play-offs, does that mean we are going to roll over and die? I don’t think people realise how much pride there is in the Sharks jersey. We will fight to the death in every match. Do people appreciate how much we hate losing? This is going to be a bloody tough contest.”
The Sharks have twice this season seen how the unfancied Force have won their derbies with the New South Wales team. They have done it by getting up the noses of the Waratahs’ forwards and stopping the smooth flow of possession to a very talented backline.
The Sharks will want to do the same, while Cheika is telling his forwards to toughen the heck up.
“Physically, this could be our toughest challenge to date,” Gold said. “They’re a very physical team, probably the most physical Australian team, but we saw what the Force did to them at the weekend by matching them from a physical point of view.
“We take that as a warning of what we can expect up front. That’s the challenge for us.” If the Waratahs pack dominate their Sharks counterparts, they have a lethal backline that would love to cash in on some good ball.
“They have some fantastic playmakers in Kurtley Beale, Israel Folau and Adam AshleyGold said. “Their team is based on a big, strong pack, but they move the ball well, so we’re really going to have to get our defensive shape right.
“Their front row has played probably 80 or 90 times together, and all of them are Wallabies,” Gold said.
“Then you add the likes of (140kg) Will Skelton into the mix, Dave Dennis and others, you can see why they’re the reigning champions.
“They’re a formidable team, one through 15, they’re a very well-balanced team with threats everywhere, and they are hungry to get back on track.”
If the Waratahs are hurting after just one defeat, how are the Sharks feeling? They last won a match on March 28, against the Force team that beat the Waratahs last week.
The Sharks have lost five on the trot since they admittedly got out of jail against the Force in Durban, when flyhalf Sias Ebersohn missed a sitter that cost the Force the game.
It could have been six losses, and that has to hurt for a teammany felt were genuine title contenders.