Sharks v Lions - teams and prediction
PREVIEW: ‘We need to get winning.”
That succinct sentence delivered a powerful message from the Sharks to the Lions, ahead of their United Rugby Championship Round Eight catch-up match in Durban on Saturday.
Stuck in last place on the URC table, with just one win from eight starts, the game takes on almost a ‘life-or-death’ status if they are to revive their play-off dreams.
And coach John Plumtree is well aware of the precarious position the Durban-based franchise finds itself in.
The Sharks will play only their third home game, after starting their URC campaign with a four-match tour to Ireland, Wales and Italy – followed by trips to Pretoria and Cape Town, interspersed with home games against Connacht and the Dragons.
“This is a big fixture for us,” Plumtree said, adding: “We are looking forward to being back home.”
The Lions will arrive in Durban with a settled team – including the return of Ruben Schoeman (from a three-week suspension) and Reinhard Nothnagel (after a lengthy period on the sidelines due to ankle and wrist injuries).
“They may not have a big squad like some other teams, but they are a pretty cohesive side and play well with what they have,” Plumtree said.
The Sharks coach said he was looking for “continual improvement” from his team.
“We want to display the same intensity around our defence and general game, as what we produced against the Stormers last week.”
Plumtree said they will be in much better shape when World Cup-winning Springboks Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch eventually return from their injuries.
“There is a fair bit of firepower to come back into our forwards,” he said.
Forwards currently on the injury list include Coenie Oosthuizen, Mbonambi, Koch, Dylan Richardson, Reniel Hugo and Vincent Tshituka.
The coach said they have shown ‘glimpses’ of what they are capable of on attack, but added that they are “not there yet”.
“There are some nice signs, but it takes more than one performance to say you are where you need yo be.
“We still didn’t get the result against the Stormers last week.
“We need to get winning, because that will breed the belief and confidence in what we are doing is good.
“It is hard to keep picking everyone up off the canvas if you lose and it feels like it becomes a bit of a habit.”
(John Plumtree previews the Sharks versus Lions URC Round Eight cath-up match in Durban…)
Unlike the Sharks with their cash-flush American equity partners and World Cup Springboks, the Lions thrive as their ‘underdogs’ tag, even though they have not beaten the Sharks in a while.
Lions captain Marius Louw said his team of ‘no name brand’ players are big on ‘cohesion’ and ‘consistency’.
“That is what we have built over the last year-and-a-half,” the 28-year-old midfielder said.
“We pride ourselves on and rely on each member of the squad to perform, and improve the team.
“We have a healthy and hungry squad.”
Backline and attack coach Ricardo Loubscher echoed his captain’s sentiment and spoke of the importance of ‘game management’ in the testing hot and humid conditions in the Shark Tank.
It will be a sunny and humid afternoon, with a real feel of low 30°C and a humidity of 74 percent.
“You don’t want to play in your half and our kicking game will come into play to ensure we play in the correct areas,” Loubscher said.
The coach also played down the Sharks’ lowly position on the standings.
“Reading too much into where they are on the standings will be our biggest mistake,” he said.
“Their squad has quality across the park.
“The big focus is to ensure we get our process and performance right .”
(Backline coach Ricardo Loubscher and captain Marius preview the Lions’ Round Eight URC catch-up match against the Sharks…)
Head to head
Prediction
@rugby365com: Sharks by six points
Teams
Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Lukhanyo Am (captain), 12 Francois Venter, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Lappies Labuschagne, 6 James Venter, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Hanro Jacobs, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Joel Hintz, 19 Corne Rahl, 20 George Cronje, 21 Jaden Hendrikse, 22 Boeta Chamberlain, 23 Rohan Janse van Rensburg
Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Richard Kriel, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Marius Louw (captain), 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Sanele Nohamba, 9 Morné van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Emmanuel Tshituka, 5 Darrien Landsberg, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha, 1 JP Smith.
Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Morgan Naudé, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Reinhard Nothnagel, 20 Hanru Sirgel, 21 JC Pretorius, 22 Jordan Hendrikse, 23 Rynhardt Jonker.
Date: Saturday, January 6
Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT)
Referees: Morné Ferreira
Assistant referees: Cwengile Jadezweni & Stephan Geldenhuys
TMO: Quinton Immelman
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