RUGBY NEWS - The Cell C Sharks will have arrived in Buenos Aires on Tuesday knowing that their match against the Jaguares on Friday night will be a litmus test of the team’s chances of backing up their coach’s confidence that they are a champion unit in the making.
“I said after the loss to the Bulls that this is a great team in the making, one that has the makings of winning a championship. Whether it is this year or next year, it is going to come,” said Sharks mentor Robert du Preez after his team’s 28-24 win over the Chiefs.
Although Du Preez said he wasn’t happy with the finishing against the Chiefs, something that allowed the depleted but extremely physical visitors to remain competitive longer than they should have, the coach had a good reason for his optimism. Although the Sharks have been horribly inconsistent this year, the one thing they have got right is their play against the New Zealand teams.
They did not play against the Crusaders, who are the reigning competition champions, but they beat the Blues away, should have beaten the Hurricanes away, and won both their home games against Highlanders and Chiefs fairly comfortably. It was only a late consolation bonus point grabbing try that enabled the Chiefs to finish within a score of them.
