'Sharks can... and should win'
Former Sharks skipper John Smit is backing his old team to successfully defend their Currie Cup title against the high-riding Golden Lions this weekend.
The Sharks, 20-13 semifinal victors over the Cheetahs last week, will travel to Johannesburg on Saturday in a bid to claim back-to-back Currie Cup titles, in what would also be an impressive third title in four years.
And while they will attempt to do so without Smit – who is now furthering his career at English Premiership club Saracens – they will still be able to call upon seven World Cup Springboks; not to mention French halfback Freddie Michalak.
“I’ll be shouting hard for the Sharks,” Smit told this website from his new base in London, “hopefully they can finish the year on a high.”
Smit, however, knows it will not be easy come Saturday.
The Lions were convincing 29-20 winners over Western Province in their semifinal and will host their first home Currie Cup Final since 2002 – a deserved honour after finishing top of the log, just ahead of the Sharks.
“The Lions have stepped it up… I thought they would struggle against WP, but they won well [last week],” said the record-breaking 2007 World Cup-winning captain.
“It will be tough for the Sharks – especially away from home – but I believe the Sharks can… and should win on Saturday.”
Saturday will be the fifth Sharks-Lions Currie Cup Final, both sides having won two encounters each.
Amazingly, however, the home team has never triumphed in Currie Cup Finals between these two sides.
In 1992, (the then) Natal beat (the then) Transvaal 14-13 in Johannesburg, Transvaal beat Natal 21-15 in Durban in 1993, the Natal Sharks beat Transvaal 33-15 in Jo’burg in 1996 and the Lions walloped the Sharks 32-9 in Durban in 1999.
By Howard Kahn
* This chat was made possible by Saracens Rugby Club.
Simply ‘like’ the Saracens Facebook page and you could win a Springbok jersey signed by John Smit himself!
