Sharks have 'no excuses'
LISTEN as Sharks coach Robert du Preez talks about the 2019 season and why they must finally end their Super Rugby drought.
The Sharks have the objectionable tag as the most successful team never to have won Super Rugby.
They have been runners-up four times, losing semifinalists four times and reached the preliminary play-offs (or quarterfinals) another three times.
However, they would finally like to shed their ‘bridesmaid’ tag and coach Robert du Preez believes 2019 is the year they should do it.
They start the season with only one major injury – Springbok loose forward Jean-Luc du Preez set to be sidelined for two or three months with an abductor muscle injury.
The 13-times capped Bok is expected to be back for the second half of the season.
“He basically tore his adductor longus muscle off the bone,” the coach said of an injury suffered by his son, while playing for Sale Sharks in the Premiership at the end of December.
“It is not as bad as what we initially thought,” Du Preez said, adding: “It is exactly the same injury that [twin brother] Dan had a couple of years ago.
“He was in such great nick when he was in England.”
Apart from the injury, there is an air of quiet confidence at the Durban-based franchise.
Du Preez said the latest addition to their coaching staff, well-travelled attack guru David Williams, has already made an impact.
Williams coached in England with Bath, London Irish, the Kobe Steelers, Southern Kings and most recently Free State Cheetahs – before arriving in Durban.
“He has brought a lot of detail to our play and a lot of structure,” Du Preez said of his new assistant coach.
“He allows the players to play what they see, but with cues.
“I think that’s the important thing, that these guys will know exactly what their opportunities look like.”
The coach said that 2019 has to be the Sharks’ year.
“I think with the talent that we have, we’d be running out of excuses,” Du Preez said, adding: “We’ve got to do it this year.”
He added that arrival of Williams will hopefully ensure they are more consistent.
“That is why we brought a guy like David in. He is an expert on attack.
“We saw some flashes of brilliance, but we didn’t have that consistency.
“We created so many line breaks, but we couldn’t finish them and that’s where David comes in.
“He has spent a lot of time [on that].
“The makings are all there for a great season.”
Head Coach, Robert du Preez today announced that scrumhalf @LouisSchreuder will captain the @CellC Sharks during the 2019 Vodacom @SuperRugby tournament. He will be ably assisted by stalwart prop @Beast_TM who has been named vice-captain.
Read more: https://t.co/xAtRJb06f8 pic.twitter.com/Pxi3T7iqxf
— The Sharks (@TheSharksZA) January 16, 2019
Du Preez also revealed that the decision to select Louis Schreuder as captain came from within the players’ ranks.
Schreuder captained the Sharks to an impressive 17-12 victory over Western Province in the Currie Cup Final at Newlands last year.
“As we all know he did a fantastic job during the Currie Cup,” Du Preez explained.
“He is a well-respected and very experienced guy.
“We have a very strong leadership group. There are 12 of them. You’ve got the likes of Philip [Van der Walt], Jeremy [Ward], Dan [Du Preez], Lukhanyo [Am], Lwazi [Mvovo], Beast [Tendai Mtawarira]. There are some really strong leaders in there.
“The captain was basically selected by the leadership group at the end of the day.
“The leadership group was first selected by the players and the leadership [group] decided who the captain would be.”
Du Preez also said there would be a lot more rotation in 2019.
“Anyone of those guys in the leadership group can step in and be captain on the day, so if we are rotating players and Louis has to be on the bench then we are blessed to have that strong leadership group,” he said.
“If I reflected on last year [and] we didn’t rotate nearly as much as we should have.
“We’ve got such a strong squad and we mustn’t be scared to rotate players after two or three games. I think you’ll see quite a bit of that and then the guys must perform.”
@rugby365com
Week 1 of 2019 preseason complete✔️ Excited for what’s to come this year!🏉 #OurSharks 🦈 pic.twitter.com/Kpfilp3KtQ
— The Sharks (@TheSharksZA) January 11, 2019
