The day Ox exchanged his cake for 'bully beef'

12/22/2024 11:53 AM

REACTION: The Sharks head to Cape Town this coming week to face the Stormers, as the South African franchises look to finish the year on a high.

Both teams come of propitious United Champions Cup wins at the weekend, but the Mother City will see one of them crashing down again.

The Sharks, who moved to the top of the South African Shield standings, edged the Bulls 20-17 in a hot and humid Durban - even though the Bulls are still ahead on the overall standings, in third place on 25 points, one spot ahead of the Sharks (fourth, on 23).

They will come up against a revitalised Stormers team - now second on the SA Shield standings after their 29-10 demolition of a very naive and ill-disciplined Lions team.

The Stormers, 13th on the overall standings, will look to continue their climb towards a top-eight finish - not just a URC play-off spot, but also a seat at Europe's top table next season.

The Sharks will be hoping to get some experience back, players who missed their impressive performance in the Shark Tank this past weekend.

Coach John Plumtree is hopeful Springbok captain Siya Kolisi will be back - one of several late withdrawals ahead of the Bulls face-off.

Kolisi pulled a calf muscle in training last Tuesday.

Lock Emile van Heerden and Scotland hooker Dylan Richardson - who were named to start, but then replaced after becoming victims of a 'stomach bug' - could also start in Cape Town.

"I will see who is available when I have to name the team," Plumtree said.

"Going to beat the Stormers in Cape Town is not an easy task.

"Even though it will be a slightly disrupted week with Christmas [on Wednesday], the boys will go into the game with confidence."

(Article continues below the John Plumtree interview ...)

The Sharks coach, Plumtree, spoke of how 'proud' he was of the fight his players showed after their 'against the odds' win.

The Sharks, despite a rash of injuries and late changes, managed to edge the Bulls 20-17 in a URC Round Eight encounter in the Shark Tank.

Starting the game without Springboks like Eben Etzebeth and Bongi Mbonambi, the home team was forced into some more late changes – captain Siya Kolisi was ruled out and Nick Hatton starting at No.8.

Corne Rahl started at lock in place of Emile van Heerden and Ethan Bester was the starting hooker in place of Dylan Richardson. Bester left the field near the end of the first quarter, after suffering a concussion.

Despite all the disruptions and buoyed by 34,000-odd spectators in the Shark Rank, they hung on to win and cement their spot in the top eight of the competition.

"It required a special effort," Plumtree said, admitting they knew the Bulls gargantuan would have the advantage.

"The boys found another way."

Plumtree said the set pieces, breakdown and defence were the key areas in a game where the Bulls held all the aces.

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"In the set pieces, at times we were under real pressure," the Sharks coach said about conceding penalties, adding: "However, when we had to come up with the big plays we did.

"There was one at the first half under our posts, where we had to stop them from getting a try, and one right at the end of the game.

"We know that [the Stormers] next week will come at us in those departments as well.

"Now and then the Sharks come up with a special performance and this was one of them."

The leadership of stand-in captain Andre Esterhuizen and World Cup-winning prop Ox Nche was singled as key in a depleted and wet behind-the-ears squad.

The midfield combination of Esterhuizen, 30, and Ethan Hooker (21) was key in a game where forward dominance was a tough ask.

Esterhuizen found a way of getting his team across the gain line.

However, it was Nche's influence in a pack with some raw rookies that arguably played an even bigger role.

"He kept encouraging the young fellows," the coach said, adding: "Losing [20-year-old hooker] Ethan [Bester] in the 17th minute was a blow.

"He was making a great contribution.

"Bryce Calvert is our fourth or fifth-ranked hooker.

"We have no more [hookers] left after that."

He added the 'leaders' in the team are doing a good job of driving and demanding high standards.

"[It is] guys like Ox and Vincent Koch [another World Cup winner]. [One-cap Springbok] Jason Jenkins has been around a bit.

"They lead the way up front, with Andre [Esterhuizen] in the backs.

"[Rookie Bok] Jordan Hendrikse is growing an arm and a leg at No.10, while Jaden Hendrikse was brilliant [at scrumhalf], producing one of his best games."

Even fullback Aphelele Fassi, while not having had his best game, asked questions of the Bulls' defence.

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