Last bite for Sharks
If the Highlanders beat the Rebels, the Durban side’s destiny is in their hands
WHEN THE Highlanders announced their team to face the Rebels in Dunedin yesterday, it was not only the New Zealanders who were concerned, but also the Sharks. The Highlanders, assured of a place in the quarter-finals, decided to leave out a host of star players, which has done the Sharks no favours.
The Sharks are at the mercy of the Highlanders, knowing that should the Kiwis beat the Melbourne based-side, their fate in making the quarter-finals then rests in their hands; they will then have to beat the Jaguares to make it to eighth on the overall log.
However, instead of fronting up some of their star players, the Highlanders have gone with a policy to rest some of the bigger names.
Both Ben and Aaron Smith are given a break, but Lima Sopoaga will lead things from flyhalf in his final match for this club before departing for Wasps in England.
It may be a weakened side for the Highlanders, but all the Sharks can do is hope when their game plays out tomorrow morning.
“This game all depends on what happens in the morning, when the Rebels and Highlanders meet, and hopefully the Rebels lose and it will be in our hands,” coach Robert du Preez said.
“Ben Smith is not playing, and Aaron Smith is not playing, but you look at the rest of the team, they are a very good side, and there is no weak Kiwi side, so they are still a very good team.”
The final game of the season for the Sharks will obviously mean very different things depending on the result of the game in Dunedin, however, regardless of what that result is, the side from Durban will simply be putting their thoughts to their Argentine opposition.
“The Jags are all international players, so it will be physical and it is always physical,” Du Preez said of the upcoming challenge.
The Sharks will be without their Springbok winger Sbu Nkosi, who could also be out of action for some of the Rugby Championship, having suffered an injury that is worse than expected.
“Sbu has a little fracture on the bottom of his foot and will probably be out for about eight weeks, so it is heartbreaking, but they (injuries) are part of the game,” Du Preez explained, before going on the discuss his able replacement, Kobus van Wyk. “But we have Kobus who has done very well in the cameos he has had with us, he comes on and makes a big impact, and wants an extended run.”
It is do or die for the Sharks, even before they play this match, but all they can hope for is favourable results to at least give them a chance to to fight for a right to be in the quarter-finals.