Sharks’ URC ambitions hinge on fixing overseas form

For all their star power and home-ground passion, the Sharks’ hopes of making a serious impact in the United Rugby Championship this season may come down to one factor: how they perform on tour.

This season’s campaign opens with Friday’s potentially tricky encounter away to the Glasgow Warriors, followed by matches against the Dragons in Wales and another daunting encounter against defending champions Leinster in Ireland.     

In previous campaigns, the Durban side have often looked like contenders in the early rounds, buoyed by victories at Kings Park, but they have often lost momentum when faced with the gruelling travel schedule.

Starting the season on the road offers the chance to lay down an early marker away from the comforts of Kings Park, but a disastrous tour can also prove damaging to the rest of their campaign.  

Asked what the pros and cons were to starting the season on tour, Sharks coach John Plumtree said: “Obviously the pro of it is around us being able to build a bit of team spirit. We’re away together. Apart from a weekend in George we haven’t really spent time outside of rugby together, so it’s going to be nice to just spend some time with these boys socially and get to know a few that we’ve brought in a bit better.

"You’re living together for three weeks and if you have some success, it builds a really nice spirit in the team.  

“The cons of it is we don’t get to play in front of our own support and home crowd, and to start the competition you want to be able to pick up a couple of wins on the road if you can early. But we’re used to it. Last two years we travelled early so it’s not something that’s foreign to us.”

Last season the Sharks began with a narrow loss against Connacht before edging the Dragons and losing to Benetton on tour in their first three URC matches. They then returned home where they reeled off three wins on the trot, including a victory over Friday’s opponents, Glasgow.  

It has become a familiar pattern for the Durban franchise: strong at home, vulnerable away. The challenge seems to be as much psychological as it is physical. Their travelling squads have often looked short of rhythm, resulting in ill discipline, and the lack of depth has often been exposed when the Springbok stars are rested.

“It’s not just about playing the game up there, it’s about playing the game smart, being able to cope with the pressure they’ll put us under. But also for us, it’s around what pressure can we put them under when we get our opportunities,” Plumtree said, looking ahead to Friday’s match at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow.

“Last time we played up there we had a pretty inexperienced team where we played some dumb rugby, particularly around our discipline, gave them an early start. And we played some really good rugby but we just couldn’t come back into it because we couldn’t build enough pressure when we had those opportunities.

“Playing a side like Glasgow is a real challenge. They’re right up there with the best teams in the competition, but the challenge is one we’re looking forward to.”  

While this weekend’s opener, and the rest of the three-match tour, won’t decide their season, it will set the tone for whether the Sharks are finally ready to conquer their northern travels – or will remain destined to repeat past frustrations.

Recent Springbok debutant, loose forward Vincent Tshituka is set to captain the side.