Ken Borland

Having done all the hard work to get themselves into the top four of the United Rugby Championship, Sharks coach Sean Everitt says it is vital his unchanged team don’t miss the chance to move further up the log when they host Connacht at Kings Park on Saturday.

Connacht are out of the running for a quarterfinal place, but they have shown they will be a tough proposition who never miss a chance to slow down and frustrate their opposition.

“Like the other South African teams, we were under the pump right from the start in this competition because we dropped points away,” Everitt said. “We’ve had to build our performance.

“The guys know winning every game is important, but this is a really big game and it’s very important for us to go up the log. We don’t want to get on the plane for our last match under pressure to qualify.

“Connacht are a difficult side to play against, as they showed in beating the other three South African teams. They are certainly gutsy and they have a good defence that flies off the line.

“One of their main attributes is the way they attack the breakdown, they tend to spoil at the breakdown and set-piece and try not to let you get into any rhythm. They come with unbelievable speed and energy,” Everitt said.

With the URC now at the sharp end of the season, Everitt says it is the soft moments, the errors that often come after a period of good rugby, that you cannot afford against the likes of Connacht.

“Things are coming together nicely for us, but what has let us down is our alertness on the field and you can’t afford to give away soft opportunities.

“Against Leinster it was two moments we lacked concentration on defence, not closing down the space, and the top teams are ready for any opportunity like that – around the ruck or a quick tap on the 22 or a crosskick.

“Connacht are also a massive threat on the floor, so you obviously have to focus on that. But our breakdown has improved a lot, both in defence and attack.

“We have a good blend of attack and kicking and we had some very good counter-attacks against Leinster, with Aphelele Fassi having a wonderful game. Hopefully it’s dry and we’ll have more time on the ball to get it to the edge where our dangermen are,” Everitt said.

Sharks: Aphelele Fassi, Werner Kok, Ben Tapuai, Marius Louw, Makazole Mapimpi, Curwin Bosch, Jaden Hendrikse, Phepsi Buthelezi, Henco Venter, Siya Kolisi, Gerbrandt Grobler, Le Roux Roets, Thomas du Toit (CAPT), Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche. Replacements – Kerron van Vuuren, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Khutha Mchunu, Reniel Hugo, Jeandre Labuschagne, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Grant Williams, Boeta Chamberlain.

The Bulls kept climbing the United Rugby Championship log at the weekend, overtaking the Sharks as their emphatic 55-20 win over the Dragons at Loftus Versfeld lifted them up into seventh place, but coach Jake White, although satisfied, still wants them to up their game.

“You’ve got to be proud of that performance, the way we are playing is nice and there’s good interplay between the backs and forwards,” White said.

“It’s nice to have a forward pack that can score from five metres out, but also backs who can score from fifty metres out. We’re not the finished product yet, but there is a lot to be happy about.

“We can still get better in all areas, although we are scrumming well, the maul is working and the backs are scoring tries. But to win this competition, we need to be better at everything.

“So that means having an all-round game, like Leinster, who can attack you with anything. There’s no one particular area in which we are struggling, but we will need to play a different game in the mud and wet of Europe,” White said.

The well-travelled World Cup winning coach gave credit to his team for getting the balance right between attack and defence, while heaping special praise on fullback Kurt-Lee Arendse, whose second try from 70 metres out is surely going to be a contender for try of the year.

“I really enjoyed the way we would score and then exit to halfway, it was clinical and well-executed. We want to get a balanced game and the balance is working right now.

“It helps to have a phenomenal fullback like Kurt-Lee. He’s not only scoring amazing tries but also kicks the ball 50-60 metres.

“He complements Harold Vorster and Lionel Mapoe, who are playing very well in midfield,” White said.

Coach Jake White says the Bulls are sitting pretty not only inside the top eight on the United Rugby Championship log but also in terms of the confidence in the squad and the depth that has been created by utilising the services of practically all of his players.

The Bulls take on the second-from-bottom Dragons in Pretoria on Saturday, fresh off a 57-12 dismantling of Scarlets at Loftus Versfeld at the weekend, which White described as being “probably the best we’ve played”. It was their third successive URC win.

“A couple of weeks ago we were 14^th on the log and now we’re challenging for top place in the South African Shield,” White pointed out. “And we are improving every week.

“It’s also nice that we have created some depth, we’ve used everyone in our squad now except for Diego Appollis and Stravino Jacobs. I’m pleased there’s competition in every position, that brings out the best in the team.

“We’ve had three tough games in the last week but we’ve proved we got it right in terms of player management and selection. There’s an easier week coming up and we have a lot of confidence now,” White said.

Like fighter jets and 747s doing aerobatics together in the sky, the Bulls also scored some fabulous tries against Scarlets through the dazzling interplay of their backs and forwards.

“I said before the game that we wanted to see some enterprising play between forwards and backs and we saw that,” White said.

“We got good returns from the scrums as well, Jacques van Rooyen was good at tighthead and Robert Hunt is improving. I was very happy with Cyle Brink, the way he carries and defends, and Elrigh Louw and Ruan Nortje are backing up such good rugby week in, week out.

“There were moments in which we played really well. It was easier because we started well, scoring early takes the wind out of their sails, we probably caught them a bit.

“It’s very difficult then to play catch-up rugby, especially at altitude, in your second week up here and you have a few injuries,” White said.

The Northerns Titans continued their assault for top spot on the CSA T20 Challenge log when they chased down a target of 149 against the Central Gauteng Lions with ease, winning by seven wickets with 11 balls to spare at St George’s Park on Thursday.

Quinton de Kock set about the bowling from the outset, racing to 22 off 11 balls, before Bjorn Fortuin (4-0-23-1) had him caught.

The chase was then brilliantly managed by captain Theunis de Bruyn, who stroked a fluent 63 not out off 51 balls, and Heinrich Klaasen, who sped to 44 off 33 deliveries as they broke the back of the chase with a third-wicket stand of 106 off just 71 balls.

Malusi Siboto took 2/21 in 3.1 overs as he and Fortuin were the only Lions bowlers not to fetch.

Having elected to bat first, the Lions made a fine start with Reeza Hendricks (41 off 37) and Kagiso Rapulana (31 off 25) added 58 for the first wicket in 8.3 overs.

Tabraiz Shamsi (4-0-25-2) then set in motion a collapse with the wickets of Hendricks and the dangerous Shane Dadswell (0) with successive deliveries, as the Lions slumped to 101/6 in the 16^th over.

Sisanda Magala gave them some hope, however, as he blasted a quickfire 33 not out off just 18 deliveries.

Shamsi was backed up by excellent spin bowling by Aaron Phangiso (4-0-18-1) and Dewald Brevis (3-0-18-1).

Northerns are now just one point behind the log-leading Western Province side.

In the afternoon game, another sensational innings by Tristan Stubbs took Eastern Province to 156/6 after they elected to bat first, but the Warriors would pay for poor fielding and untidy bowling as the Boland Rocks passed that score with three wickets and two balls to spare.

Stubbs continued to push for higher honours as he belted 47 off 30 balls, with Wihan Lubbe (35 off 25) and Diego Rosier (31 off 22) providing valuable help.

Boland’s spinners, led by leggie Shaun von Berg (4-0-26-3), were outstanding – Imran Manack taking 1/21 and Siyabonga Mahima conceding just 22 runs in their quota of overs.

The Warriors dismissed both Malan brothers in the first two overs, but Boland were then let off the hook as catches were dropped, allowing Clyde Fortuin and Ferisco Adams, who both scored 27 off 17 balls, to provide some impetus.

Young Michael Copeland played an impressively mature innings of 40 and Christiaan Jonker hit 30 off 25, before Hardus Viljoen saw the Rocks home with 18 not out off 8 balls.

Jon-Jon Smuts (4-0-16-1) led a good bowling display by the spinners, with Tsepo Ndwandwa taking 2/33 and Lizo Makhosi 1/16 in three overs.