With several top players out injured and a good win under the belt you might imagine that the Hollywoodbets Sharks will feel a release of pressure when they visit Welford Road for their second Investec Champions Cup clash at the weekend, but the reality is that is far from the case.
In the Champions Cup it is the winning of the home games that is crucial in the group stage, and the Sharks comprehensively dealt with the challenge posed by Exeter Chiefs in Durban last weekend. But it is the quality they are set to face in their next home game in the competition that means they can’t miss out on log points against the Tigers if they can possibly help it.
Mighty Toulouse, with 11 French internationals in their squad plus the much-feted Antoine du Pont, are due in Durban on 11 January for the round 3 pool game - and given their current injury toll and the toughness of the games they face between now and then, the Sharks will not want to go into that game with it being a must win.
Players out injured for the Sharks currently include Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Lukhanyo Am, James Venter, Vincent Tshituka and a clutch of others. Etzebeth was severely concussed against Exeter Chiefs at the weekend and will be involved in a race against time to be ready for the Sharks’ next Vodacom United Rugby Championship derby against the Vodacom Bulls on 21 December.
With the Sharks having seen off three past URC champion teams in the form of Glasgow Warriors, Munster and the DHL Stormers in successive matches, a win over Jake White’s twice beaten finalists would be a significant next step in the confirmation of the Durbanites as serious URC contenders.
They face the Stormers again in Cape Town the week after the Bulls game, and the hosts in the DHL Stadium game will be hoping they have some of their several injured star players back in the selection mix in time for that game. So it doesn’t get any easier for the Sharks, who because they have the budget to compete with the top overseas team are the one local franchise with a serious interest in the Champions Cup.
A win over Leicester will then be crucial for Plumtree’s peace of mind as it will give him breathing space heading into the clash with Toulouse, which is then followed by an equally tough away trip to another top French club, Bordeaux Begles. The Sharks did beat Bordeaux away in a tight game in their first season of Champions Cup participation, but Bordeaux have grown since then and have become top challengers in France.
It won’t be easy against Leicester, particularly not away. Apart from their kingpin, the double World Cup winning Bok flyhalf Handre Pollard, they have other internationals such as their captain, the Los Pumas’ Julian Montoya, plus Jack van Poortvliet, Ben Youngs, Freddie Steward and Tommy Refell among others on their books.
The Sharks can take some confidence from the fact the Stormers sent a second string side to Welford Road last year and they pushed Leicester all the way, but it will be a tough challenge for the Sharks given that Leicester will also be smarting after their 42-28 defeat in their away opener against Bordeaux and will be equally desperate to win or their own hopes of round of 16 qualification will be hanging by a thread.
It is going to be a tough sequence of matches coming up for the Sharks between now and the end of the pool phase of the Champions Cup on 18 January and it could be made more difficult if there are more injuries. The Sharks have money so they should have the depth but there’s long been a question mark over the quality of backup the next level down from the Bok laden frontline team.