VIDEO: Everitt's second bite at Sharks could be vicious
SPOTLIGHT: Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt says his team’s Challenge Cup quarterfinal against the Sharks presents an opportunity to right the wrongs of their United Rugby Championship defeat against the same opponents.
It will be the second meeting between the sides in Durban in the space of two weeks with the Sharks recording a 23-13 victory in their last clash in Durban on March 30.
Everitt, who was head coach of the Sharks before he got sacked in 2022, admitted that he is feeling a lot more positive about the quarterfinal and he feels that his team is primed to cause an upset at Kings Park on Saturday.
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“It’s about preparing well and enjoying the opportunity of being in these big games.”
Get the latest from Head Coach Sean Everitt who spoke with media ahead of the squad’s departure for Durban.
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“It’s a great opportunity. We spoke at the beginning of the season about reaching the last eight of this competition and we are here now and it is about us preparing really well rather than over-training,” said Everitt.
“It’s about keeping it simple and enjoying the week and the opportunity of being in these big games.
“The fact that we were there two weeks ago does help us.
“We are staying in the same accommodation, we are training on the same training field on Thursday and Friday, so there is familiarity and that includes the weather as well.
“The guys have got a second bite at the Sharks and that is always good and that is the beauty of sport. You get another opportunity to rectify the past and I know the guys are licking their lips.”
With a host of Springboks at their disposal, the Sharks will enter the match as favourites once again. However, Everitt will be counting on his own international stars to produce the goods on Saturday.
“Every game is a challenge from now until the end of the season and we are treating this game no different,” said the former Sharks coach.
“We know what we are up against, but then you have to look at our squad and I back our squad against the Sharks.
“They are on a high at the moment, they won three in a row.
“We have been there as well and we are lucky that we have experienced internationals in our group that have played in pressure situations and against tough opposition and they also came out on top.
“So yes, it is going to be a great challenge, but at the same time we are backing ourselves in this one.”
Meanwhile, Edinburgh received a boost with the news that prop Pierre Schoeman should be available for Saturday’s match.
The SA-born star missed the Round of 16 win over Bayonne due to concussion, but he has returned to training.
“Pierre [Schoeman] will be back, and we’ll have Ewan Ashman, Dave Cherry and Boan Venter is back from injury as well as WP [Nel] sticking up his hand again in the tighthead position,” Everitt told Scottish media this week.
“It will make for a good contest, especially when you look at our second row where we’ve got Sam Skinner, Jamie Hodgson, Marshall Sykes and Grant Gilchrist to choose from.”
Additional sources: @EdinburghRugby & Scotland Rugby News
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