From left, Vincent and Emmanuel Tshituka, and assistant coach Warren Whiteley, were all smiles after the Sharks beat the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld. Picture: Nokwanda Zondi, BackpagePix
Despite the occasion and pressure of Saturday’s Currie Cup final against the Lions, the Sharks will stick to the cavalier manner in which they ultimately beat the Bulls in the semi-final.
The Sharks outscored the Bulls by six tries to four at Loftus Versfeld last week to advance to the final against the Lions at Ellis Park (4pm kick-off), and assistant coach Warren Whiteley said that the Durban outfit won’t deviate from what has worked for them.
Finals are usually tight, tense affairs, but the former Springbok captain believes that the Sharks are on course to play attacking rugby in the United Rugby Championship and beyond – and they will stick to their guns against the Lions.
“We’ve worked on our Sharks way and game model, and the players and coaches are all aligned in our style,” Whiteley explained.
“Regardless of the occasion, we want to enforce our way of play on the opposition. It’s been great to see that evolution over the last few months.”
The Sharks have some bruising forwards up front such as veteran Gerbrandt Grobler and excellent loose forwards such as Vincent Tshituka and James Venter.
The pack is producing good ball for their game-breakers at the back, including the fast-improving former Griquas wing Eduan Keyter, rising star Ethan Hooker and mercurial flyhalf Siya Masuku.
“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,” said Whiteley, who was schooled at Glenwood High in Durban, but made his fame as a No.8 at the Lions in Johannesburg.
“We were proud of the effort and character that we showed at Loftus, but there are still a lot of areas where we need to improve.
“It’s going to be a challenge up there against a quality side that has got the better of us on several occasions. The Lions have built a massive, dominant pack and explosive backs. It’s a challenge, but we want to face that head-on.”
Whiteley was a famous son of the Lions when he was the captain in the team’s heyday under coaches Johan Ackermann and Swys de Bruin, but he returns to his former home with the Sharks logo on his chest.
“It’s a bit of mixed emotions, and also special,” the 37-year-old said.
“We see it as Test rugby. Ellis Park is a special place to play and I’ve got some fond memories, but it’s a great opportunity for us as Sharks, and we’ve developed nicely over the last few weeks.”
Whiteley agreed that the form of the Lions and their home-ground advantage makes them favourites for the title.
“The Lions are a great side. They topped the Currie Cup standings and proved their worth throughout the competition, so it will 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. The Lions are a tight-knit group and have good continuity in all areas – it will be a lekker battle.”