GRANT Williams of Sharks is tackled as Eben Etzebeth looks on. They are preparing to turn The Stoop into their stoep when they face Clermont on Saturday. | Shutterstock
FEW would have called it a few months ago but the Sharks have risen from the canvas to be South Africa’s only hope of landing a knockout blow in the European competitions.
It was not that long ago that the Durban team were stone last in the United Rugby Championship after 10 losses in 11 games but now they are two games away from serious silverware.
Yes, the Challenge Cup is a poor relation to the Champions Cup but if the Sharks can win it, it will be the first time a South African team has won a cup tournament in Europe. Given the growing chorus of dissent in Europe regarding including South Africa in European tournaments, this would be of massive consequence.
This was highlighted by the dissent displayed when the Bulls sent an under-strength side to play Northampton in a Champions Cup quarter-final.
On Saturday, the Sharks will play French side Clermont in the Challenge Cup semi-final at the Twickenham Stoop, and captain Lukhanyo Am says that a win and a further victory in the final would grant the Sharks salvation.
“From where we were, a Challenge Cup win would definitely make the season a success,” Am said. “Next season, we do want to win more silverware. From where we started to where we are right now we have grown tremendously as a team and a squad.
“With the new coaching staff coming in, with new players coming in, this was almost our first season together as a group. We are in a good position now. We are happy with where we are, even though we had ambitions for both competitions.”
Some time ago, the Sharks saw the URC writing on the wall. Any hopes of making the top eight in the 16-team tournament were sunk by their awful start and it became clear that the Challenge Cup had to be their primary focus.
Success in the Cup also has the sweet carrot of ushering them into next season’s Champions Cup. It is a get-out-of-jail-free card.
Am says his team will empty the tank to get past Clermont and take their place in the final against the winner of the other semi-final, which pits England Premiership team Gloucester against Italy’s Benetton.
“At the end of the day, all of our energy has been channelled into this competition,” Am said. “But this is a game of rugby and sometimes things work out and sometimes they don’t. But we will give it our all.”
The Sharks have momentum and confidence on their side. They have won five of their past six games and in the match they dropped, against the Glasgow Warriors, they fielded a B-team so that they could rest their top players ahead of the Clermont game.
For some time now the Sharks’ marketing department has been bombing social media with clever adverts aimed at drawing UK-based South Africans to The Stoop, the home ground of Premiership team Harlequins.
The Sharks chose to use this ground to “host” a semi-final because the tournament rules do not allow for matches beyond the quarter-finals to be held in South Africa.
The Sharks have asked for ex-pats in London to make The Stoop their “stoep”.
“We hope this weekend a lot of people come out and support the Sharks, making the Stoop our home away from home,” said Am. “Hopefully there will be a lot of numbers. The weather is good here as they transition towards summer. We have enjoyed good training sessions under clear skies and with the kick-off being early (1.30pm SA time, 12.30pm local time), we hope for a good turnout.”
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