Durban - The ghosts of the Sharks’ demoralising defeat to Edinburgh in a Kings Park quagmire were exorcised with a merciless slaying of the Dragons on Friday night, and nobody was beaming more afterward than Curwin Bosch.
Bosch and his coach that is, because Sean Everitt took as many potshots as the flyhalf did when he kept faith in him after a series of iffy performances.
It was a night when Bosch’s long-lost mojo came drifting back down from the heavens to the Kings Park cauldron, and he was beautifully on song with both his boots and his silky hands.
Nobody wants to be a party pooper and highlight that the Dragons are a weak outfit, but having pointed that out, let’s hope the opposition gave the Sharks the platform to regain their rhythm and belief and that it will be onwards and upward for them, starting with the very tricky visit of the Lions this week.
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Everitt did not hold back in blasting a salvo toward Bosch’s critics
“This poor guy doesn’t get compliments – he just gets ridiculed every week,” Everitt said after the 51-3 rout.
“Last week, he managed the game well and his field kicking was outstanding (yet he was criticised). I’m just happy he had his kicking boots on tonight.
Everitt hinted that he is aware that the Welshmen were no great shakes when he stressed the importance of not getting carried away.
“It’s important for us to stay humble, but I’m happy for our scoreline because it brings confidence,” he said. “We tightened things up and gave them nothing, and converted our points in the goal zone. We were clinical in the areas of the field we were short on last week. When space opened up on the fringes, we knew we could take advantage.
“It’s now about us building momentum; the log is very important at the moment, and there’s the South African Shield, so this win is a massive platform for us to build on.”
The Shield Everitt is talking about is vitally important — the South African team that has the highest log finish wins the Shield and — far more importantly — a guaranteed place in the quarter-finals of the URC.
Another player to earn the praises of the coach was the ever-popular Werner Kok, the former Blitzbok who puts in a 100 percent effort every minute he plays. If every Shark had his work ethic, they would never lose a game.
“Werner has played a string of games now and he has a high work-rate – the amount of metres that he covers is quite bizarre! He justly got Man of the Match,” Everitt said. “And (Springbok hooker) Bongi Mbonambi bounced back, he was strong in the carries and lineouts, and he defended very well.
Everitt boldly fielded a young loose trio in James Venter, Jeandre Labuschagne and Phepsi Buthelezi, benching Siya Kolisi and Sikhumbuzo Notshe in rotational changes, and the youngsters did him proud.
“The guys who came in – James, Jeandre, Phepsi – did well, and it was good that Siya got a break. I knew the guys would step up. I’m proud of all the guys.”
IOL sport