Whiteley's homecoming warning for Lions

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Assistant coach Warren Whiteley hopes to savour a “special” Currie Cup final victory with the Sharks XV on Saturday, by dominating the Lions at Ellis Park, reports DEVIN HERMANUS.

The Sharks booked a spot in the decider despite drawing with the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria last week. The Durbanites progressed as they scored more tries (six) than the Herd, while the Lions came from behind in the other semi-final to beat the defending champions, the Cheetahs to reach their first final in five years.

Under the stewardship of John Plumtree, the Sharks have married the physicality of the Tshitukas – captain Vincent and Emmanuel – and Ethan Hooker with the game-breaking prowess of Eduan Keyter and Jurenzo Julius, and Whiteley highlights the threat the men from Durban pose to a formidable Lions outfit.

"We've worked on our Sharks way and game model, and the players and coaches are all aligned in our style," he explained. "Regardless of the occasion we want to enforce our way of play on the opposition, and it's been great to see that evolution over the last couple of months. 

"There’s still a lot of improvement to do, we saw that against the Bulls this past weekend, and that's what we're looking at going into this game. We were proud of the effort and character that we showed, but there's still a lot of areas we need to be better at. 

"It's going to be a challenge up there against a quality side that has got the better of us a number of times; a massive, dominant pack and explosive backs. It’s a challenge but we want to face that head-on."

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Having captained the Lions during his playing days, before cutting his teeth as a coach with the Pride, Whiteley is relishing the opportunity to help guide the Sharks to glory on his old stomping ground in Johannesburg.

"It's a bit of mixed emotions, and also special. We see it in Test rugby, Ellis Park is a special place to play. I've got some fond memories over there, but it's a great opportunity for us, and we've developed nicely over the last few weeks," the former Springbok skipper said.

Whiteley also acknowledged the Lions’ pedigree and consistency: "The Lions are a great side, they topped the Currie Cup standings and proved that throughout the competition, so it's going to be a massive test for us and we're looking forward to it.

“It's a final and we want to treat it with respect and honour the traditions of the competition… They’re a tight-knit group and have good continuity in all areas – it's going to be a lekker battle."

Flanker James Venter echoed Whiteley's sentiments while emphasising that the Sharks won't deviate from the blueprint with silverware up for grabs.

"A final definitely demands a lot more focus, you want to strive to be your best as a player," he explained. "It demands a 100 percent buy-in. 

"We know the way we want to play as a team and as the Sharks going forward, and it's not going to change from week to week. We've got a DNA and Sharks way and we won't go away from that."

Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images

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