Lukhanyo Am Centre Lukhanyo Am is fit again and will hope to spark the Sharks' attack against Bordeaux. Photo: Steve Haag Sports
Image: Steve Haag Sports
This week, life in the Champions Cup does not get any easier for the Sharks.
And if they were outclassed 20-8 in Durban by Toulouse, how are they going to fare against the brilliant Bordeaux at the Stade Chaban-Delmas in France on Sunday?
Bordeaux are leading the French Top 14, have beaten Toulouse recently, and are unbeaten in the Champions Cup.
At the weekend, the Frenchmen travelled to Exeter and smashed the Chiefs 69-17.
They are in fine form, and their French internationals – scrumhalf Maxime Lucu, flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert and wings Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey were magnificent in cutting the Exeter defence to shreds.
Lucu has the misfortune of playing in the same era as Antoine Dupont, and would have been an automatic starter for his country had this not been the case. Still, he has mustered 24 Test caps.
Interestingly, another Bordeaux player who is in excellent form is inside centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg.
The former Bok had a form slump at the Sharks and was released from his contract, but he is enjoying a new lease on life in France.
Another former Shark – although he wasn’t in Durban for long – is massive tighthead prop Carlü Sadie.
He was very good for the Lions, but things did not work out when he moved to Durban. He and Janse van Rensburg were signed by Bordeaux at a similar time.
The Sharks travel to France in fourth place in Pool 1 on five points, one behind Leicester, while Bordeaux top the table (15 points) and Toulouse are a close second (14 points).
After getting no log points against Toulouse, the Sharks have to get a result in Bordeaux if they are to have any hope of qualifying for the play-offs.
One thing that could mitigate in favour of the visitors is if the home side decide to field a B team.
They can afford to do this because they have already qualified, and the French teams are not shy to rest players en masse when they see an opportunity to do so.
Whichever side Bordeaux field, the Sharks have to be better than they were at the weekend.
Coach John Plumtree said he was encouraged by an improved second half against Toulouse.
“There are always positives to take out of a match. Bordeaux play a similar type of rugby to Toulouse, so, in a way, we have had good preparation for them. It is also going to be a lot cooler where we are going.”
It was stiflingly humid in Durban at the weekend, and both sides struggled to handle the sweaty ball.
"The conditions were difficult,” Plumtree said. “Playing rugby at this time of the year stresses the skill-sets of the players, even good ones.
“That’s probably why the game was a bit stop-start. But they came up with some better moments than us.”
Our 28- man touring squad for the #InvestecChampionsCup and @vodacom #URC matches 🦈
— The Sharks (@SharksRugby) January 13, 2025
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The Sharks struggled to get their attack going, and the one try they scored came in the 67th minute when replacement centre Jurenzo Julius broke beautifully and finished off strongly.
But they will also hope that their scrum, where the all Springbok front row of Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch came under serious pressure, will regain their mojo this weekend.
“I don’t think it was a problem of us not being creative,” the coach explained.
“We know how to play our game, but we just didn’t build enough pressure – we lost the ball in contact, and were a bit loose in the offloads.
“So, we would be in a good position, but we coughed up and didn’t put enough pressure on them.
“When we did that in the second half, we started to put them under a bit of pressure.
“It was good to see us playing some good footy, especially in the second half.”
Meanwhile, the Sharks announced a 28-man tour squad yesterday for the Bordeaux encounter and the following week’s URC clash against Cardiff.
“The 16 forwards and 12 backs exclude Vincent Koch, Jordan Hendrikse and Makazole Mapimpi, who all sadly failed their HIA tests after Saturday’s match with Toulouse,” the franchise said.
“They will be monitored this week, and hopefully they will be able to join the team ahead of the United Rugby Championship game against Cardiff the following Saturday.” | Independent Media Sport
Sharks Tour Squad
Forwards: Ruan Dreyer, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Hanro Jacobs, Bongi Mbonambi, Dylan Richardson, Ethan Bester, Jason Jenkins, Corné Rahl, Vincent Tshituka, Emmanuel Tshituka, Siya Kolisi, Phepsi Buthelezi, James Venter, Jeandré Labuschagne.
Backs: Grant Williams, Jaden Hendrikse, Bradley Davids, Siya Masuku, Francois Venter, Lukhanyo Am, Ethan Hooker, Yaw Penxe, Eduan Keyter, Jurenzo Julius, Hakeem Kunene, Litelihle Bester.
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