Sean Everitt says it’s paramount that the Sharks stay within touching distance of the Vodacom Bulls in terms of log points so that there’s little separating them when the Currie Cup starts.
With only two rounds of Super Rugby Unlocked fixtures remaining, the Sharks still have mathematical shot at winning the competition. But realistically, the table-topping Bulls look set to be crowned champions in the first edition of the new domestic competition.
Speaking at a virtual media briefing, Everitt confirmed that while they are still playing Super Rugby Unlocked, the Sharks have shifted some focus to the forthcoming Currie Cup campaign.
‘Super Rugby Unlocked is going down to the wire now, so a good performance from us [against Griquas] would mean that we would get a result, hopefully, with a bonus point that would keep us one point adrift of the Bulls in the first round [of the Currie Cup].
‘It’s been one game at a time for us, but we’ve never taken our eye off the end part of the competition. Ultimately, it’s a long competition and hence the reason why we’ve rotated certain players.
‘These log points that we have gathered now will play a massive role in January when the playoffs take place.’
Everitt did warn his players to be wary of the ‘desperate’ Griquas side they are scheduled to face on Friday, saying their hosts have proven they are a dangerous team capable of causing upsets.
‘We know Griquas in Kimberley is never an easy task,’ he explained. ‘Even when they played the Bulls away, they were competitive for much of that game and it was only in the last 10 minutes that the Bulls got ascendancy on them.
‘We’re under no false expectation of what they might bring to the table. They gave us a good beating in Durban last year and I think that still remains fresh in our players’ minds. Certainly the team that we have put together for this game is one with vast Super Rugby experience, so we’re expecting Super Rugby standards from our team.
‘The Stormers showed if you’re patient with ball in hand [against Griquas], opportunities will arise for you. For us it’s about accuracy and execution. I don’t think we were good in those areas last Friday. Although we were happy we got the result, it wasn’t a performance that we wanted.
‘There was a lot of individual errors and we also conceded a number of penalties. So our discipline has to be tighter so that we can limit the opportunities that Griquas have to have a go at us. They are a well coached team and a desperate team now, so we’ll have to be on top of our game.’
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