Sharks Currie Cup head coach Joey Mongalo has admitted that he won’t be sleeping well ahead of the clash with a Griquas outfit boasting plenty of youthful, attacking talent in Kimberley on Sunday.
Mongalo on Friday named a side that was able to call in a number of players with Vodacom United Rugby Championship experience, after fielding a youthful outfit in the opening come-from-behind win against Griffons.
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“I have to thank Neil Powell and the organisation for entrusting us with a really good side on paper,” Mongalo said. “There are quite a few guys with URC experience and a number of them went to Connacht. Those guys will take some confidence from playing together.
“The flip side of it is that any good side needs time together. This week we would have had under three hours of training together. To say the same thing again for the second week, we need cohesion as soon as possible. It can’t take us 30 or 40 minutes like against the Griffons. We won’t be able to come back if we start like that again.”
Mongalo emphasised the importance of the Sharks continuing their winning start to the Currie Cup, but is under no illusions about tough it will be in Kimberley.
“This could be the most brutal and unforgiving Currie Cup ever. This is one tournament where you don’t want to lose momentum, because getting it back won’t be easy,” he said.
“For myself personally as a coach, I cannot recall having won a game in Kimberley. [Sharks wing] Eduan Keyter, an ex-Kimberley guy, spoke to us about the heart and soul of how those guys think. I’m hoping that helps us realise the depth of the challenge ahead. We have to be at our very best.”
A particular threat identified by the former Lions and Vodacom Bulls defence coach is the Griquas counter-attack, mentored by former Cheetahs assistant coach Melusi Mthethwa.
“If you look at their coaching team, Melusi Mthethwa is busy doing really good things with the CUT team and he is their attack coach. We have been coaching against each other since 2016. I know they are going to employ a counter-attacking, when you look at their team and back three, with Malcolm Jaer, Rosko Specman and Luther Obi, that tells you how they want to play. That will be a massive defensive challenge for us.
“It is going to be 34 degrees in Kimberley. But this is the best test of the character we want to build in this team. We aren’t expecting any favours from them.
“I am not going to be sleeping so great between now and Sunday morning, because I know what is coming in terms of that.”
Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images