Ken Borland

A cheerless rainy evening is predicted for Belfast on Friday when the Sharks take on Ulster in their vital United Rugby Championship match at the Kingspan Stadium, but coach Sean Everitt knows his team have to be on fire from the start to secure a home quarterfinal.

The Sharks have, at least, plenty of experience of playing in the rain this season, and so they have the game-plan in place. So it will all come down to their accuracy in executing that from the start, against an Ulster team that is notoriously difficult to break down thanks to their excellent defence and discipline.

“There’s rain predicted, and it’s a strong percentage likelihood,” Everitt said from Northern Ireland on Thursday. “But we’ve played at home in the rain a lot, the difference is in the temperature of the rain – warm in Durban but really cold here.

“But our game model allows us to adjust, we have an all-round brand of rugby that has a mix of attacking kicking and very good defence. In any pressure game, your start is really important.

“But especially in wet conditions where it is hard to come back, we found that out against Edinburgh. We understand we will be up against a very passionate crowd as well.

“But it’s not an easy trip over here, so the guys are really motivated and we really want to play our quarterfinal in front of our supporters. Being at home will be a massive advantage,” Everitt said.

The return of Lukhanyo Am, ever reliable on defence and exciting on attack, to outside centre has brought some cheer. But the first-choice lock pairing of Gerbrandt Grobler and Le Roux Roets, who were both unavailable to tour, will be missed in a match that is expected to be a tough grind. They are replaced by Ruben van Heerden and Reniel Hugo, with Hyron Andrews on the bench.

“Gerbrandt is unfortunately injured and he is one guy who has played at Kingspan before. And Le Roux’s wife is expecting their baby, so we are very happy for him,” Everitt said.

“We know we’re going to need to stand up physically against Ulster. They keep ball in hand really well with their conservative approach, and they have a strong kicking game and defence.

“We’re going to need to be patient and attack the space when it presents itself. And our discipline needs to improve, conceding 13-15 penalties is not good enough and will just give Ulster field position,” Everitt said.

Sharks team – Aphelele Fassi, Werner Kok, Lukhanyo Am, Marius Louw, Makazole Mapimpi, Curwin Bosch, Jaden Hendrikse, Phepsi Buthelezi, Henco Venter, Siya Kolisi, Reniel Hugo, Ruben van Heerden, Thomas du Toit (c), Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche. Replacements: Kerron van Vuuren, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Khutha Mchunu, Hyron Andrews, Jeandre Labuschagne, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Grant Williams, Boeta Chamberlain.

Sbu Nkosi was born in Barberton 26 years ago and will now wear a Barberton Daisy on his rugby jersey, saying on Thursday that he believes a move to the Bulls is just the fresh start he needs to return to being the top-class wing who helped win the 2019 World Cup.

Nkosi famously filled in for an injured Cheslin Kolbe in the World Cup semi-final against Wales, but then did not play in the Tests against the British and Irish Lions last year and has endured a rotten run of injuries and illness this year. Given his limited playing time for the Sharks, it is unlikely that Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber still sees him as being in the top three wings for the national team.

“Injuries happen but it’s a chance for me to completely reset and build afresh, being here is a massive chance to be part of a good thing going on in Pretoria,” Nkosi said at Loftus Versfeld on Thursday.

“I am very grateful to the Sharks, they are the reason my career has gone the way it has, they developed me and taught me to be a man. But moving to the Bulls is the best decision for me.

“I felt like a new chapter needed to be opened so I can get my career back to the Sbu Nkosi everyone knows. It doesn’t matter what union you play for when it comes to making the World Cup squad.

“That is judged purely on performance and I need to be fit and ready to play to even start thinking about being in the reckoning for selection,” Nkosi, who arrived on crutches following ankle surgery but was sporting an extremely smart navy blue jacket with a pocket square in the light blue colour of his new team, said.

Nkosi was headhunted by Bulls director of rugby Jake White to replace Madosh Tambwe, who is heading to Bordeaux Begles, the pair having first met while the wing was at Jeppe High School. Nkosi said he was honoured to be coming to such a proud union and was determined to do the business on the field.

“Jake and I have a relationship that dates back to high school and he actually signed me to the Sharks straight from school. We agree on certain values, which was a big motivating factor to come here.

“In a way I’ve come full circle and I want to be part of Jake’s work, dig into his mind a bit. The general mix in the Bulls’ style of play is extremely exciting, they are getting it right.

“It’s always nice to be at a place with a full trophy room and the Bulls have a legendary legacy. I understand the history and that rugby is like the fourth meal of the day here in Pretoria!

“I feel very privileged to be picked out by a coach like Jake and I’m looking to improve my decision-making, which is a very crucial part of the game. Keeping a cool head at the right time is what separates players. Understanding the game is way more important than a sidestep,” Nkosi said.

The umpires insisting that South Africa only use slow bowlers at the start of the Bangladesh second innings due to bad light turned out to be a most welcome development as Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer sent the tourists crashing to 11/3 on the fourth day of the first Test at Kingsmead on Sunday.

Bangladesh are chasing 274 for victory after the Proteas crashed from 116/1 to 204 all out, but the spinners have done terrible damage to their cause. There were some mutters about the South African quicks not being able to use the new ball as late afternoon sun shone brightly over the pitch, but only six overs were able to be bowled anyway before bad light was declared.

Harmer made the first incision when he removed Shadman Islam (0) with his second ball, Keegan Petersen taking a sharp catch at slip, and then Maharaj struck two devastating blows in the fifth over.

First-innings centurion Mahmudul Hasan Joy (4) played down the wrong line and was late in closing the gate as Maharaj speared a delivery into his stumps, and four balls later, captain Mominul Haque (2) got into an awful tangle trying to play the left-arm spinner off the back foot. The left-handed batsman actually got his bat stuck behind his left leg as the ball turned into his right pad and he was given out lbw.

South Africa’s innings was a wobbly affair as they resumed on 6/0 with a 69-run first-innings lead.

Openers Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee (8) survived a testing first hour and put on 48 for the first wicket before Erwee was trapped lbw by the fast bowler Ebadot Hossain, jagging the ball back into the left-hander.

Elgar and Keegan Petersen added a further 68 for the second wicket and South Africa had built a wonderful platform when they reached 116/1. But Taskin Ahmed, who was struggling with a shoulder injury, trapped Elgar lbw in similar fashion on 64, and Petersen (36) fell to spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz soon afterwards, a lack of pace off the pitch may have been why he gave short-leg a catch.

Amazing catches by Yasir Ali at slip and Shadman Islam at silly point accounted for Temba Bavuma (4) and Kyle Verreynne (6) and gave Ebadot and Mehidy another wicket each.

Although Ryan Rickelton scored a well-disciplined 39 not out, the rest of the batting fell away, including two runs outs. Substitute Nurul Hasan’s direct hit from the cover boundary to catch Simon Harmer (11) short was also a wonderful piece of fielding.

Mehidy took 3/85 in 35 overs, while the feisty Ebadot finished with 3/40 in 13 overs.

Rassie van der Dussen had to weather a torrid start to his innings and then a spiteful burst of short-pitched bowling from former team-mate Neil Wagner, but the phlegmatic 33-year-old still managed to top-score for South Africa on another gripping day of the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch.

Van der Dussen’s 45 helped shore up the middle-order after Tim Southee had dismissed both openers with just 23 runs on the board, adding 65 for the fourth wicket with Temba Bavuma (23). The Proteas ended the third day on 140/5, a lead of 211.

“We went out with a useful lead and tried to play on the front foot, looking to score, but New Zealand have a world-class attack and they really don’t give you much,” Van der Dussen said.

“I myself was a bit more streaky than I usually am at the start of my innings and Neil then bowled a brilliant spell of short ones, which unfortunately got me out.

“Fourteen years back, when I made my first-class debut for Northerns, we were in the same team. I knew his plan and he knew that I was not going to leave any short balls, there were runs there to be had.

“So it was me or him and I just needed to last one or two overs more and I would have won the battle. But he has a big tank and well done to him. I’m sure it was entertaining to watch,” Van der Dussen said.

Colin de Grandhomme’s brilliant 120 not out had earlier kept the Black Caps in the game as he lifted them to 293 all out. Kagiso Rabada, who took 5/60, and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj were the only bowlers to keep him contained for long though, and Van der Dussen said they would be the pair the Proteas will probably be calling on in the fourth innings to win the game and level the series for South Africa.

“It would be really encouraging if we can strike early again in their second innings, and the way they played Kesh in the first innings, I think he is really going to come into it in the fourth innings.

“If we can bat through the first session tomorrow [Monday], then we will be in a great position and any lead above 270 we would be reasonably happy with.

“We’ve got to give Kesh the chance to really get into the game and hopefully the pitch will deteriorate. KG also plays a big role for us. He doesn’t miss his lines and lengths much.

“KG asks lots of questions, he can swing the ball and he has a good bouncer and a good yorker. The team looks to him to win matches for us and he knows it. He takes responsibility, he knows that if he takes wickets then we win Tests,” Van der Dussen said.