Sharks captain André Esterhuizen is seeking “consistency in performance” from his side ahead of Saturday’s Vodacom URC clash against the Ospreys in Swansea.
The Sharks are 10th on the log with four rounds remaining – seven points behind the eighth-placed Bulls – and must win all four of their remaining matches, while hoping other results go their way, to qualify for the playoffs.
“The mood in the camp is great at the moment,” Esterhuizen said on Tuesday. “We know we’re building something and we know we basically need to win four out of four games to stand a chance of getting into the top eight.
“So the group is very motivated. We’ve had good chats, good training sessions, and we’re looking forward to the challenge ahead with two away games.”
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The Sharks begin that push in Wales against an Ospreys side sitting 11th on the log, just three points behind them.
“The Ospreys are a tough side to play, especially there. They’re a physical side that like to move the ball around,” Esterhuizen said.
“We know they’re going to play a lot of rugby and they’ve got a nice attacking style, so we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
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While the Sharks have climbed up the log since JP Pietersen replaced John Plumtree as head coach, they haven’t been able to maintain momentum.
“The key message has been consistency,” Esterhuizen said. “That’s something we’ve been lacking this season – consistency in performance, not always results, but on the performance side. We know that if we perform well, we’ve got a good chance of winning matches.
“It’s about being switched on as soon as you get onto the field. That’s where the consistency comes in – it’s a big mindset thing,” he added. “You can’t want to play one game and then switch off for another. It’s a tough competition where you can lose any day of the week, so you need to be on it every single game.”
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The Sharks have struggled on the road this season, but Esterhuizen believes they can turn that around over the next two weeks.
“I think the main difference is just the cold. We play in Durban where it’s humid and the ball can be slippery, so a wet ball isn’t really a problem for us.
“So it’s basically just the cold conditions – it’s not a major thing for us.”
Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images
The post André the Giant: Sharks can’t switch off appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Sharks captain André Esterhuizen is seeking “consistency in performance” from his side ahead of Saturday’s Vodacom URC clash against the Ospreys in Swansea.
The post André the Giant: Sharks can’t switch off appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
