adminJohannesburg – The Cell C Sharks have been fatigued and tired over the past few weeks but the start of a new phase of competition is coinciding with the additional re-energising effect of having key players coming back into the system at just the right time.According to supersport.com website, that should explain the cautious optimism that is flooding through the camp and which was epitomised by skipper Bismarck du Plessis during a question and answer session with media at the Sharks’ Kings Park gym during a break in the build-up to Saturday’s home quarter-final against the Highlanders in Durban.
“You do get re-energised when this phase of the season arrives, it is like a new competition is starting and you approach it like that,” said Du Plessis.
“When the season started there were 15 teams, and now there are six left. That was where we wanted to be at this stage of the season, we wanted to be in the six, and we are cherishing the opportunity to play in front of our home crowd in a play-off fixture. We weren’t happy with our last performance here (against the Stormers) and we wouldn’t have wanted that to be how our home season ended.
“We also have Beast Mtawarira and Pat Lambie looking like they are ready to play again and that is a massive boost for the team. They are important players and having them back brings a massive lift to the guys.”
Du Plessis stuck to the party line that appears to have been adopted by the Sharks that it is only about this week and they are looking no further than that, but there was also no hiding the optimism he feels that his team could go all the way even though a third placed finish has condemned the Sharks to the so-called “low road” to the trophy.
“We are a team that is always confident, no matter who we are playing against. We push each other for positions and in most positions there is depth in the squad. The Waratahs played well and that was why they ended top of the log, and we ended third. We can’t change that and we can’t change the Waratahs’ path.
“But we have a good squad, and the guys do respond well to the pressure of playing knock-out rugby, when you know any mistake can knock you out of the competition. I can’t tell you how hard the path we have is going to be because we haven’t done it before and it is like asking someone how hard the Comrades Marathon is when they haven’t run it. I can only tell you how hard the last game was.”
And Du Plessis is in agreement that the hard derby against the Stormers was the perfect way to warm up for the knock-out phases as there had been a lot of pressure on the players to perform.– Sport24.
Online Reporter