Sharks to address second-half lapse ahead of Final
CURRIE CUP REACTION: The Sharks nearly paid a heavy price for their second-half lapse during their 33-24 Currie Cup semifinal win against the Golden Lions at Kings Park on Saturday.
The home side completely dominated the first half and they looked set for a comfortable win after going 23-3 ahead in the opening minute of the second half.
However, the Sharks allowed the Lions back into the game after a few “slip-ups” and the visitors were just two points behind their hosts with about nine minutes left to play.
“Semifinals are probably the toughest games because anything can happen on the day,” Sharks head coach Robert du Preez told reporters after the game.
“The Lions are such a quality side, they had us really worried there. I am very pleased with the guys’ effort to come back after that two tries [from the Lions] and to fight out to the end was good.
He added: “If you make one or two slip-ups then that is what you will get. We will obviously have a look at that and see how it happened and sort it out before next week.”
Du Preez has called on his team to show more patience in pressure situations.
“When this team [Sharks] is patient and they put phases together they are devastating, and I think we just get ahead of ourselves now and again.
“I got to commend them on that first half, they were outstanding, they were clinical, so I am very pleased with the win,” he said.
The Sharks will head to Cape Town to face Western Province in the Final and Du Preez believes discipline will be an important factor at Newlands.
“I thought our discipline was great, especially in that first half [against the Lions].
“In the All Blacks’ World Cup Final against France [in 2011] they only conceded three penalties. That is the type of discipline you need to look at,” he said.
By Warren Fortune
@FortuneWarren
@rugby365com
