It hasn’t gone according to the plan that the Hollywoodbets Sharks sketched out to the media and hence their supporters this time last week.
To refresh memories, we were told that there were two separate missions for the Sharks for the remainder of the season - win their three remaining Vodacom United Rugby Championship games so they finish a trying campaign with a flourish, and of course make sure of Investec Champions Cup qualification by winning the EPCR Champions Cup final.
After what transpired at Hollywoodbets Kings Park last weekend the focus will surely now shift almost completely onto the latter objective.
Their opponents in the Cup final, Gloucester, maybe showed the way in their recent Gallagher Premiership game when they rested almost their entire team for a game against Northampton Saints.
There was a caveat. Unfortunately for Gloucester, their selection decision produced a curve ball that the Sharks will probably have noted - a record 90-0 defeat has brought unnecessary noise for Gloucester, who are now fending off criticism.
Instead of a steely and singular focus on the 24 May final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the English club’s coaches are having to defend their team selection to those who accuse them of lacking integrity.
MINI INJURY CRISIS
Phew! So what happens if the Sharks go under-strength in Saturday’s penultimate URC game against Cardiff?
MINI INJURY CRISIS
Phew! So what happens if the Sharks go under-strength in Saturday’s penultimate URC game against Cardiff?
Their fans will understand, for last week saw the other side of the curve ball that Gloucester were trying to avoid - Sharks coach John Plumtree has had to expend energy this week on sorting out a mini injury crisis.
While immediately after the game Plumtree confirmed what was thought at the time, which was that the three Springbok stars Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch and Lukhanyo Am had left the field before halftime in the match against Benetton as mainly precautionary measures, he also did admit it wasn’t what he wanted and it was something he could have done without.
And there is at least one particular area where the Sharks could find themselves in a hole when it comes to selection for the EPCR final - the midfield.
Am’s injury added to those that prevented Francois Venter and Ethan Hooker from playing against Benetton.
Plus Murray Koster, who was excellent against Benetton as a late replacement for Venter, who withdrew on the morning of the game, is unlikely to escape a suspension from playing for the red card he received after the head clash in the last 10 minutes that reduced the Sharks to 14 men for the decisive part of the game.
So he may well be unavailable for the London final, and if any of the other centres are indisposed, it may require a whole new midfield to play the decider.
GAME MIGHT OFFER CHANCE TO TRY ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
You don’t want that in a final, although it does give some relevance to Saturday’s clash with a Cardiff team that will have fond memories of Durban after their big win there in November 2022 that directly led to the then Sharks coach Sean Everitt, now at Edinburgh, losing his job at the union he had worked for during a two decade coaching career.
GAME MIGHT OFFER CHANCE TO TRY ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
You don’t want that in a final, although it does give some relevance to Saturday’s clash with a Cardiff team that will have fond memories of Durban after their big win there in November 2022 that directly led to the then Sharks coach Sean Everitt, now at Edinburgh, losing his job at the union he had worked for during a two decade coaching career.
If nothing else, it is an opportunity for Plumtree to try out new centres, just in case they are needed the following week.
The same goes for the positions that need covering following the other injury scares from the Benetton game.
But there again, can he afford to suffer more injuries? It is a real catch 22.
The Cardiff game is irrelevant from a log point of view for the Sharks, but there is the question of taking some momentum into the final the following week.
The wave of momentum the Sharks have been riding since they started their turnaround by beating Munster before Easter didn’t completely dissipate with the defeat to Benetton, but it was weakened.
And will be weakened further by a second consecutive loss.
At the same time though, the Sharks do have to prioritise the final, which matters much more to them than the URC game, and they may need to take a hit this weekend for the greater good of what comes a week later.
It’s a situation that should suit Cardiff’s quest to maintain Hollywoodbets Kings Park’s status as a rare happy hunting ground for a team that isn’t renowned for winning on the road.