Talking Points: Sharks set up intense play-off race

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Sharks claimed arguably the key result of the weekend in terms of the play-off battle with their hard-fought 22-19 victory up in Edinburgh taking them into the top eight.

They are now looking well-placed, with games in hand over all the teams around them.

The win has been labelled as ‘one of the greatest victories in the history of the franchise’ by Sharks boss Marco Masotti.

Congratulations @SharksRugby on one of the greatest victories in franchise history. So proud. Fear the Fin! #rugby #sarugby pic.twitter.com/OuyWccNyeC

— Marco Masotti (@MarcoMasotti_) January 28, 2023

The Durban-based team ended up being the only South African team to win, with the Stormers, Bulls and Lions all going down.

The Sharks’ win saw them overtake Edinburgh as they moved from ninth to eighth place on the log, while the Stormers held onto second place, and the Bulls finished the round in fourth place.

The Lions, meanwhile, find themselves in 13th position on the table with five rounds of matches remaining before the playoffs.

Looking ahead to Round 14 in three weeks time, Cardiff really must beat Benetton at the Arms Park if they are to put themselves back in the mix, having dropped from sixth to eleventh following three successive defeats.

Red-hot Glasgow Warriors will host third-placed Ulster in what should be a cracking contest, while the South African sides are in derby action, with three of their contingent currently in the top eight play-off spots.

The secret to Smith’s success

Franco Smith continues to work his magic with Glasgow Warriors who extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to nine matches with a 42-28 bonus point victory over the Dragons at his old Rodney Parade stomping ground.

So what’s the secret to the South African’s success in his first season at the helm following his move from Italy?

After warming up for next Saturday’s Six Nations opener against England at Twickenham with a 45-minute run-out, Scotland scrumhalf Ali Price gave his thoughts.

“Franco is a really good motivator. He has got the saying that you don’t have to lose to learn,” said the 58-cap Price.

“He is very good at keeping the feet on the ground and challenging boys to go out there week on week and put it in.

“He backs his players. We got out there, we put it in for each other and we put it in for him, friends and family. At the moment, we are on a good run and it seems to be working.

“We are building nicely and making good progress. We will obviously start to get a target on our backs from the other teams. We have to keep one step ahead to keep these wins coming.”

For the Springbok legend Smith, it was a happy return to a ground where he spent a season with Newport at the end of the 1990s.

“Having played here myself, I know the pride of the people. I know those changing rooms very well,” said the former Italy coach.

“I always knew it was going to be a big challenge and that’s the way we approached the game. We knew these guys could steal our joy, so we approached it like a final. It’s good to get five points out of it. I felt we scored some nice tries. We step on to the next challenge now.

“We have put 80 per cent of what we want across. It took six months. I think the next 20 percent will take a year. A lot of detail has still to be done. There is a progressive plan and we still need to improve.”

Scarlets turn the table upside down

Scarlets boss Dwayne Peel paid tribute to the clinical edge and defensive resolve of his team after their “huge win” over the  Bulls.

It was 15th against third going into the game, but Peel’s men turned the  URC table on its head with a 37-28 bonus point victory.

The Bulls rallied after trailing 14-30 early in the second half, but the home side dug deep to stay in front and sealed the spoils when Johnny McNicholl went over for their fourth try five minutes from time.

Having claimed just one victory in their first nine games this season, the Scarlets have now won seven of their last eight in all rugby.

“This has been a big block for us,” said former Wales scrumhalf Peel.

“We are seeing a side that wants to scrap and fight for every point and every tackle.”

On the performance against the Bulls, he said: “I thought we were particularly good in the first half. Then they came after us physically and had a bit of ascendancy in set-piece areas.

“It was a big effort to keep them out. There were some huge defensive sets. To see us defending as a team and scrapping for each other, that’s what a good side is.

“I am really pleased we came back in the end and managed to get over the line. I thought we were clinical when we had opportunities.

“I am delighted with the win. The  Bulls are obviously a top-end team. They came here fully loaded, so it’s a huge win for us.”

The luck of the Irish

Elsewhere, it was a case of maximum joy for the Irish sides, with all four provinces claiming bonus point victories.

Ulster kicked things off on Friday with an impressive 35-5 dismantling of the Stormers to move up to third in the table, with log-leaders Leinster making it 13 out of 13 the following day by seeing off Cardiff and Connacht defeating the Lions 43-24, either side of Munster claiming a 40-30 triumph on the road against Benetton.

The solitary South African winners were the Sharks, who held on to beat Edinburgh 22-19 in a gripping finish in the Scottish capital, while the Ospreys came from 24-14 down going into the final quarter to beat Zebre Parma 28-24 out in Parma on Sunday.

That bonus point victory takes Toby Booth’s Ospreys level on points with Cardiff in the battle to be the highest-placed Welsh team in the league. Like the Scarlets, they are on a really good run, now having won six of their last seven games.