Sharks pack up for forward battle with Jags
SHARKS coach Sean Everitt says his forwards will be no shrinking violets when they do battle with a Jaguares pack tomorrow at Jonsson Kings Park that is close to the one that represented Argentina at last year’s World Cup.
“We are up for the challenge, we’re ready for battle,” he said.
“We have been criticised over the last five games because our setpiece hasn’t performed as well as it should,” he admitted.
“I think there was a big improvement against the Reds last week, but we know that the Jaguares are the Pumas in disguise and we are playing against an international pack.
“The Jaguares have used their maul very effectively,” he continued.
“They came from a big deficit to beat the Reds by scoring three maul tries, so we know that is a big threat. But then we defended the Reds maul extremely well and that is probably the reason we won the game.
“So our guys have improved in that area and, at the same time, we mauled the Reds 20 metres twice. It will an interesting tussle and we have a few tricks up our sleeve.”
Speaking of the Reds in Brisbane last week, Everitt says it was perhaps even hotter than when the Sharks hosted the Bulls on January 31.
“I don’t know what the humidity will be like on Saturday but we have a plan to change a few things if we need to, although we are not going to take away what we have been doing. The guys are flourishing in the way that they are playing, they are really enjoying themselves as the public can see.”
In that Bulls game in round one, the match 23 fielded by Everitt is almost identical for this round six match, the only change being on the bench where Madosh Tambwe is named this week and Boeta Chamberlain was included in week one.
Back in the side on the right wing is Springbok Sbu Nkosi, who came home after the first match on tour against the Highlanders because of a hamstring injury. He replaces Tambwe, who was a revelation on tour but the combative Nkosi was also going to win his place back.
“Madosh filled in really well so it is unfortunate that he drops out but in saying that, Sbu is fresh and is dying to get back on the field so he has brought a lot of energy at training, which is what the team needed.
“It was the reason we rested the two loosies last week (James Venter and Tyler Paul), because they would be energised for this match. And it has worked for us – the guys have been amazing at training.”