It left the Hollywoodbets Sharks looking like they were up the creek without a paddle, as the old saying goes, but ultimately the fact their set piece didn’t function in last weekend’s EPCR Challenge Cup semifinal in London might prove fortuitous for them.
The dazzle, power and X-factor that Clermont-Auvergne played with in the first 50 minutes of the tightly fought cup playoff game was largely anticipated.
What wasn’t expected was that the area of the game where the Sharks expected to lay the platform for victory, didn’t come to the party.
And yet the Sharks still won. They found a way to win without relying on their big strength.
“What was really pleasing was that we didn’t dominate the set piece, and we know we need to be a lot better in that area, but we still found a way to win,” said assistant coach Warren Whiteley at the start of the buildup week to Saturday’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash with Benetton.
“It was really pleasing to see the fight and the resilience in the group. There has been growth not just in the rugby we are playing, but there has been growth in the connection in the group. It was incredible to have the experience of players like Bongi (Mbonambi) and Eben (Etzebeth) in the tough moments and I thought Eben had a really phenomenal game. I thought he was incredible and Siya (Masuku) pulled the strings for us even though we weren’t having it all our own way up front.
“We know there were lots of unforced errors and some poor exits and kick offs, and we weren’t as dominant at forward as in the past. Those are areas we have to get better at and brush up on before the (Challenge Cup) final. That is what is good about being in two competitions, it means we have a chance to brush up on those things this weekend against a strong Benetton team.
“But collectively the fight we showed in those last 20 to 25 minutes was just incredible. You could see that we’ve built something even though we are honest enough to admit we are not yet the full package,” added the former Emirates Lions and Springbok captain.
SEPARATE MISSION
Although Whiteley says the Benetton game “gives us an opportunity to keep improving and keep getting better ahead of a match against Gloucester that will be massive for us”, he says that the remaining part of the URC is also a whole separate challenge for the Sharks.
“We had a meeting with the entire group, meaning it wasn’t just management and coaches, but the players as well, after one of the breaks in play a while back where we decided on our goals for the rest of the season,” said Whiteley.
“We have a challenging next four weeks or so ahead of us. Plum (coach John Plumtree) and Neil (director of rugby Neil Powell) have been chatting about that and planning, but we decided as a group several weeks ago that we had two separate missions for the remainder of the season. One was to reach the Challenge Cup final and win that competition, the other was to go unbeaten in all our remaining home games.
“The support for us from the Durban rugby public has been phenomenal at our home games, so those remaining three home games have become really important for us. So we are going all out to win those games. That’s why this game against Benetton on Saturday is so important for us. It is part of a separate quest. Yes, it will help us improve in the areas we need to improve in before playing Gloucester in the final, but it is also part of a separate mission.”
That may be bad news for Benetton and Cardiff, who visit Hollywoodbets Kings Park over the next two weekends, as well as the Vodacom Bulls, who face the Sharks in Durban on the last day of the league season.
There are many reasons why Benetton are perfect opponents for the Sharks this weekend, but one of the main ones is that they were the team Gloucester beat to get to the final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 24 May.
“It is great that Benetton played Gloucester last weekend in their Challenge Cup semifinal as it will provide a good measurement for us. There is stuff we need to be better at. Clermont was a massive step for us but we know we weren’t perfect. Benetton will be a big test too, they have several internationals in their team.”