Sharks prop Vincent Koch says Saturday’s Vodacom URC match against the Lions at Ellis Park could determine which side reaches the playoffs.
All four South African teams are in the top 10 on the log, with the Sharks set to face the Lions and a resurgent Vodacom Bulls away over the next fortnight.
“These next two games are massively important in terms of where we finish on the log and where we want to go for the rest of the season,” he said.
The Sharks and Lions return from a two-week break due to the Six Nations. This rescheduled match is the only URC fixture this weekend before a full round next weekend, when the Sharks travel to Pretoria. The URC then takes another break until March.
The Sharks ended January on a high with impressive back-to-back wins over the Stormers that saw them climb from 14th on the log up to ninth, overtaking the Lions in the process.
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“Against the Stormers, there were glimpses of us being really good, but also some work-ons,” said Koch. “In the last few days, we’ve been working quite a lot on how we can be better and prepping for the big game this weekend.”
Asked whether the two-week break had come at a bad time given the Sharks’ form, Koch said: “We had quite a large block of games before the break where we played every weekend. The two victories against Stormers were unbelievable, a real team effort and showed the growth, but those two games physical and mentally drained us.
“Mentally the players definitely needed a break. I think the rest and the break time with family was very important to refocus and set our minds on the next two games.”
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The Lions, meanwhile, are on a three-match winless streak and were hammered 52-17 by the Bulls at Ellis Park two weeks ago.
“I know the last three results haven’t gone their way, but they’re still a very good team,” said Koch. ‘We’re not taking anything away from the Lions.
“They’re a strong union. If you look at the table at the moment, it’s very tight. These games are going to be massive in terms of where teams finish.”
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Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images
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