PREVIEW: Desperate Sharks make for an intriguing derby

Desperation will fuel an intriguing Vodacom United Rugby Championship derby in Durban on Saturday when the Hollywoodbets Sharks host the Emirates Lions in the only game of the weekend.

The battle is intriguing, not in the least because of the two different situations the teams find themselves in, and the desperation for the star-studded Sharks to try and salvage something from what has been a disappointing season all-round.

Winning just one of their eight outings in the URC has not been the return home that John Plumtree has wanted, and it has been clear he is unsatisfied with some of the play that he has seen before him.

But as he has noted on several occasions, change takes time and patience, and needs to be gradual before the Sharks can hit the top form that is expected of a side that has so many Springboks on their books.

The problem for Plumtree is, while he has the full support of the American owners of the team, that patience is a virtue and fans in professional sport expect more from their teams and aren’t always that indulging when it comes to waiting for the world to change.

Plumtree has a plan, and to his credit, hasn’t been back in Durban for a while so needs time to assess the contact group he has and formulate a squad that can bring in the right cogs to fit the game plan he wants to play.

Expecting the Sharks to be that in their first season may be a bit much, but it isn’t that difficult to expect them to be a lot better than they have been this season. 

The gulf between their Boks and the rest of the squad depth has been so apparent that even Plumtree remarked the team can’t wait “for the Springboks to come and save them every time.”

With a two month rest period in February and March waiting for their cohort of Boks, the Sharks need to think strategically and squad depth will be key.

But all that isn’t at play on Saturday. It is only their third home URC fixture and a derby game at that. After showing grit and determination, albeit without the nuance to upset a clinical team like the Stormers last weekend, there is much hope for a resurgence on their home ground.

In short, the Sharks desperately need a win, and in any form and fashion, and they need it as soon as possible.

There is still the possibility they can get things right in the EPCR Challenge Cup and challenge for some silverware this season, but that process needs to start somewhere.

Was it the start in Cape Town they had hoped for? Or was it just a backs-to-the-wall performance of a desperate team. Saturday will have those answers.

But it won’t be easy.

Facing them is a Lions team that is on the rise. They possess a bulk of young talent that is slowly rising to the occasion and some journeymen that have formed an incredible team spirit that has carried them through the season.

There are no massive stars - yet - for the Lions and their team play is their basis, so much so that they tend to grind and outwork their opposition rather than have those moments where gamebreaking stars shine through to win them games.

But they are dangerous opponents and have slowly been building momentum with two victories in the EPCR Challenge Cup and have had a decent run in the URC as well. The fact they last won in 2017 in Durban and have since struggled to come close to an away victory will be their focus.

The Lions have also done something different this year, they missed out on the festive rugby by postponing their two derbies to January, meaning they were the only SA franchise to sign off in middle December and have a nostalgic (by today’s URC schedule) Christmas break with friends and family.

Will the festive cheer count against them? Or will it, as they have calculated, allow the side to mentally reset and reboot for the new year.  A fresh, motivated Lions side will challenge in Durban. But there is the danger of rust creeping in.

Either way it has the makings of an intriguing derby, and takes top billing on a weekend when the rest of the URC  sit on the sidelines watching.

The Lions won’t have half the pressure the Sharks do, but that’s what makes it fascinating.

The Sharks can’t afford a home derby loss, especially in the eyes of their supporters.

This time, they will be banking on their Boks to save them.

TEAMS

Hollywoodbets Sharks: Aphelele Fassi; Werner Kok, Lukhanyo Am (captain), Francois Venter, Makazole Mapimpi; Curwin Bosch, Grant Williams; Phepsi Buthelezi, Lappies Labuschagne, James Venter, Gerbrandt Grobler, Eben Etzebeth, Hanro Jacobs, Fez Mbatha, Ox Nche.

Replacements:  Kerron van Vuuren, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Joel Hintz, Corne Rahl, George Cronje, Jaden Hendrikse, Boeta Chamberlain, Rohan Janse van Rensburg.

Emirates Lions: Quan Horn; Richard Kriel, Henco van Wyk, Marius Louw (captain), Edwill van der Merwe; Sanele Nohamba, Morne van den Berg; Francke Horne, Ruan Venter, Emmanuel Tshituka, Darrien-Lane Landsberg, Ruben Schoeman, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, PJ Botha, JP Smith.

Replacements: Jaco Visagie, Morgan Naude, Ruan Smith, Reinhard Nothnagel, Hanru Sirgel, JC Pretorius, Jordan Hendrikse, Rynhardt Jonker

Kick off:  5pm

Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa)

Assistant referees: Stephan Geldenhuys (South Africa) &: Paul Mente (South Africa)

TMO: Marius van der Westhuisen (South Africa)

Prediction: Sharks by 8