Siya Kolisi praises Sharks’ new-found fighting spirit ahead of massive URC semi-final

Sharks loose-forward Siya Kolisi feels their recent ability to get over the line in close matches without playing Champagne rugby, and to finish strongly, is a sign of the growing maturity and fighting spirit among the franchise's players.

The Durban side edged a number of tight encounters on their march to Saturday’s United Rugby Championship semi-final against the Bulls at Loftus, built largely on strong second-half performances.

This was perhaps most clearly demonstrated in their nail-biting victory over Munster at the Shark Tank last weekend. The Sharks needed a dramatic penalty shoot-out to overcome the Irish side, with the match tied at 24-24 after extra-time.

The nature of those results has prompted criticism of the Sharks' style of play in some quarters, with inevitable comparisons drawn to the more clinical Bulls. Kolisi, however, prefers to focus on the resolve and resilience within the team — qualities also evident in narrow away victories over Edinburgh and Ulster in the pool stages.

“What we learnt about ourselves as a team is that we can fight, especially in games like that, where in previous years we would have lost those matches,” the Springbok captain said at a media conference on Tuesday.

“There’s growth in the team, growth in the squad as well — guys coming in when others are unavailable and standing up to the challenge.

“I remember in the game here at home against the Bulls, there were a lot of guys who couldn’t play, and those who stepped in fought hard. That’s what we do.

“At the end of the day, people will say what they want about how you played, but the result is what matters. Of course, you want to play well and improve, but we were able to fight at Edinburgh, and again at Ulster, and that’s what counts. It’s hard to win away, and we managed to do it even when we weren’t at our best.”

The Sharks No 8 knows that fighting spirit will face its toughest test yet against a powerful Bulls outfit at Loftus on Saturday (6.15pm kick-off).

“I’m expecting what they’re good at. They’ve scored most of their tries from line-outs — they’re a strong mauling side,” he said. “They actually play a lot off the top, and have strong loose forwards who contest hard at the breakdown.

“As for the pack, we know it’s going to be a real battle up front, so we’ll have to stand our ground.”

Kolisi also highlighted the threat posed by the Bulls’ backline, expertly marshalled by the experienced Willie le Roux.

“There’s a lot we have to watch. That’s what makes preparing for them difficult — they’ve got so many ways to hurt you. They score off the counter, off turnovers too.

“We’ve got to focus on executing our plan on the day, because if you spend too much time worrying about them, where do you even begin to stop them?”

The Bulls head into the clash on the back of a typically dominant forward display in their 42–33 home quarter-final victory over Edinburgh. The Springbok-laden Sharks pack were equally impressive in their win.

“It’s going to be a physical game, definitely,” Kolisi said. “The set piece will be vital, but there’s so much else — attack, defence, turnovers — which both sides thrive on.”

The stage is set for fireworks up front and all across the park as the Sharks prepare to take the fight to their old rivals in Pretoria.