Mike Vowles praised the performance from the Sharks XV in a 53-22 victory over the Vodacom Bulls XV on Friday to give the Durbanites a shot at a Currie Cup semi-final spot.
Sharks flanker Tino Mavesere scored four tries on the night at Kings Park, with skipper Ross Braude and hooker Jacques Marais also crossing twice for the hosts.
The result lifted the Sharks to fourth on the log in the final round of the 2026 competition, with their playoff hopes hinging on results in Nelspruit and Wellington this weekend.
“It was about giving ourselves an opportunity in the competition, and we also wanted to honour the opportunity of playing at Kings Park,” Vowles said after the bonus-point win.
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“We ticked the boxes on both fronts. We’ve done what we can and it’s now in somebody else’s hands, but I’m proud that we’ve got that opportunity now.”
The coach credited the grit and determination of his troops over the campaign. “Rugby is so tough, if you don’t have a group that fights for one another, you’ll always come short.
“The one thing we consistently showed was fight and effort, which speaks volumes to the synergy and the culture that the leadership and coaching group have built,” Vowles said.
“Hopefully we can take you through to a semi-final.”
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He also insisted the bonus point wasn’t a specific target: “We actually didn’t speak about the result or bonus points and things like that.
“We tried to keep our focus on our performance and things that we could control … We spoke about winning first and then what happened after that was going to be a bonus.”
Man of the Match Mavesere came in for special praise from Vowles. “Tino, he’s just an Energizer bunny, right? He just doesn’t stop … He’s got the speed of what most backs have, and he’s so powerful in his ball carries.
“Most importantly, he’s just an exceptional human. He’s so good for the team. He always puts the team first; all credit to him.”
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Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images
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Mike Vowles praised the performance from the Sharks XV in a 53-22 victory over the Vodacom Bulls XV on Friday to give the Durbanites a shot at a Currie Cup semi-final spot.
The post Sharks coach: We’ve done what we can appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
