Sharks are a team full of ‘patches’
SPOTLIGHT: Sharks wing Sibusiso Nkosi believes his team is close to becoming the full package after questions have been raised about their performances in the United Rugby Championship.
The Sharks have an impressive squad with several World Cup winners, but they haven’t played like champions in recent weeks.
It has become clear that whatever game plan they are trying to implement has not clicked yet.
Their last outing against Benetton in Italy is a case in point. They laboured to a 29-7 win over a side missing several players to the Italian national side.
Ahead of his team’s clash against Scarlets in Durban on Friday, Nkosi says his team just needs a little more time on the field to click.
“I can’t put a time frame to it, but we are really close,” said Nkosi.
“It started off as glimpses of the game model that we want to perfect. Then more and more glimpses started showing until it turned into patches and now we can actually look at the game and single out the patches where we want to be.
“We basically got it all covered we just need to keep the consistency now and once we get the consistency then that’s us hitting the nail on the head.”
#TeamAnnouncement: Sharks start life without Lukhanyo Am #URC #SHAvSCA https://t.co/pRitsruIQJ
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Meanwhile, Nkosi believes there are “capable replacements” in the Sharks squad to fill captain Lukhanyo Am’s boots in the midfield.
Am has been granted a brief sojourn from his commitments with the team, as he takes up a short-term stint at Kobe Steelers in Japan for two months.
“It would be a huge loss for any team in the world,” said Nkosi. “Lukhanyo brings exceptional quality and great moments when it is really needed.
“We obviously got capable replacements and the balance of the backline brings a huge amount of quality and x-factor on their day.
“I think we will be fine. It will take us some time to adjust, but if each player gives 10 percent more it will make up for the loss.”
Siya Kolisi will be taking over the captaincy and Nkosi believes it won’t change anything in terms of the way things are run.
“He'[Kolisi] has been playing a leadership role since he arrived at the Sharks,” Nkosi added. “He has been very influential; he has been very positive and he has been very involved with the coaches.
“I don’t think it will be a major shift for us because he has been giving us that same energy this whole time.
“The only thing that would have changed now is that he has got the authority with the title.”
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#⃣ICYMI The @LionsRugbyCo are getting some ‘input’ from the @Springboks coaching staff as they look to end their losing streak …#Rugby 🏉#RugbyUnion🌐@URCOfficial 🏆
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