'Sharks won't underestimate Zebre'
Today at 12:44 AM
Sharks forwards coach Philip Lemmer expects a “hungry” Zebre at Kings Park on Saturday.
While the Sharks are fourth on the log and Zebre 15th, the Italian club are just four points outside the Vodacom URC playoffs and have won five matches this season, including a famous 42-33 victory against Munster in Parma.
The last time the teams met, in last season’s Challenge Cup round-of-16 playoff at Kings Park, the Sharks romped to a 47-3 victory, but John Plumtree’s team wouldn’t have forgotten their 12-10 defeat in Parma five months earlier.
"We would never underestimate Zebre," Lemmer told IOL Sport ahead of Saturday’s match.
"Zebre have beaten good teams this season. They beat Munster, they lost by a point to the Lions and by one point to Benetton.
"If they pick up two wins they are in the playoffs [top eight], so they are hungry. One or two results would change their log position quickly."
Lemmer said the Sharks’ next few matches – including next weekend’s against log-leaders Leinster – would be vital.
"How we go in the next six weeks will decide whether or not we have a home playoff. We know that our games in Durban are difficult for the visitors if we bring our A game because the conditions are unique.
"We are used to the heat and the humidity. We train in those conditions but it will be different when we travel to our upcoming games in Edinburgh and Ulster. We can definitely win those games but we certainly can't drop our home games."
STATE OF THE URC: Leinster at Loftus, Stormers at Scarlets
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