Coach Neil Powell is confident the Sharks have the squad depth to cope without their Springboks for a seven-week spell that begins with Saturday’s coastal derby. DYLAN JACK reports.
The Vodacom United Rugby Championship derby between the Sharks and DHL Stormers in Durban will take place while the Boks begin preparations for the 2023 Test season.
This means both teams will be without their experienced Boks, as those players have been placed on mandatory rest for the next few weeks and will thereafter be part of a Springbok training camp.
TEAM: Sharks without Bok props for coastal derby
“We know that we have eight Boks in the system that will be unavailable for the next seven weeks,” Powell said on Friday. “This season is a squad effort. It’s about the 50 players, not just the 23 that play or the Springboks.
“We saw last week the massive character and fight, especially defensively. We will definitely continue to drive the standards and processes. It’s always going to be a squad effort, it’s never just about the Springboks. If the guys take their opportunities, it’s all we can ask for as a coaching staff.
“If you, for instance, look at a Siya Kolisi, he’s been working with Dylan Richardson and we still have James Venter. We have a good enough squad to be successful without the Springboks. We still have the quality.
“I can go position by position. That’s how we contracted the squad, to make sure we have enough cover for the Boks. It’s a great opportunity. It’s building squad depth not just for now, but also for the future. These players can get experience and also show what they are capable of.”
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The Sharks are coming off a memorable away win over Edinburgh, where Powell’s team showed an impressive defensive mentality to hold out in an 86-minute match.
Powell said that while the Sharks are delighted with their efforts, they are wary of focusing too much on what a potential win over the Stormers could have on the log, as they currently trail their rivals by 12 points with a game in hand.
“We have massive confidence, that we are capable of gutsing out some wins. That’s important, as long as it doesn’t become complacency. It’s good for us to take that confidence before facing the Stormers. Hopefully, we can take that into this game tomorrow.
“For us, it’s just the next game. If we make too much emphasis on this, it puts too much pressure on that specific game. It’s all about knowing our roles and responsibilities, our standards and what we want to achieve. It might have a significant impact on the table, but it’s more about the effort that we put into the performance. It’s just the next game for us.”
While the long flight back from Edinburgh has meant a shorter training week, that hasn’t stopped the Sharks from doing their homework on the defending champions.
“There’s obviously a reason why the Stormers sit high up the log,” Powell said. “We have identified those key areas and individuals for the Stormers.
“We’ve put a big emphasis on that and tried to do as much prep as possible, even though it was a shorter week than what we are used to. We have had to be very detail-oriented this week to make sure we cover the areas that need to be covered.”
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