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Extra.ie
3 days ago
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Munster face seismic task as Sharks find their bite
The scale of the task facing Munster this weekend is seismic, with a star-studded Sharks side providing the opposition in Durban. The province snuck into the URC playoffs by dint of that nerve-shredding final-round win against Treviso in Cork. And Munster's reward was a trip to South Africa to face a squad loaded with Test quality. The Sharks will have the likes of Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi on board. It's a stellar cast of World Cup winners and household names on the international beat. Siya Kolisi. Pic: INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Steve Haag This team of superstars play their rugby at Kings Park, the 54,000-capacity stadium which was built for the 2010 Fifa World Cup. They have close ties with Roc Nation, the sports agency owned by rapper Jay Z and are bankrolled by a powerful US consortium. When you add all those pieces together, the Sharks have the makings of a superclub to rival the likes of Toulouse, Bordeaux and the Crusaders. But this Durban-based franchise have very much been less than the sum of their parts for a long time. Eben Etzebeth. Pic: INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Darren Stewart The club finished 14th last season. A massive underachievement for a team with this level of depth and resources. The Sharks have improved massively this term, improving by 11 places to finish third in the regular season standings, just behind the Bulls and Leinster. Coached by New Zealander John Plumtree, who served as Ireland's forwards coach under Joe Schmidt for a short time, there is a sense that this sleeping giant is finally beginning to wake from its slumber. But the Sharks remain a work in progress. For all the South African heavyweights in their ranks, they haven't quite hit their stride. Sharks head coach John Plumtree. Pic: INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Steve Haag Many of the players, including Etzebeth and fellow Springbok Andre Esterhuizen have admitted as much recently. They feel they are not far from clicking. That could spell trouble for Munster this weekend. The visitors have endured some tough days in Durban. Earlier this season, they suffered a 41-24 hammering at Kings Park. Then head coach Graham Rowntree would part ways with the province soon after. Two years ago, Munster were on the wrong end of a 12-try thriller at the same venue, the hosts prevailing 50-35 in a Champions Cup last-16 clash. Saying that, Ian Costello's side will take plenty of confidence against a Sharks outfit which can be notoriously flakey. The hosts concede a lot of turnovers and their defence can be suspect. Andre Esterhuizen. Pic: INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Darren Stewart On paper, the Sharks should cruise into the semi-finals, but this club has a long tradition of failing to live up to the hype. Long before the South African sides arrived in this part of the world to beef up the Pro14, the Sharks were flattering to deceive in Super Rugby. They landed a fair share of Currie Cup titles but the big southern hemisphere trophy proved elusive. The Sharks reached the final four times in 1996, 2001, 2007, and 2012, yet they never got over the line. The 2007 defeat was perhaps the bitterest pill to swallow when Bryan Habana scored a stunning, last-ditch try to seal victory for the Bulls in an all-South African final. Again, the Sharks have never lacked quality in their ranks. This is a club which has produced Tendai Mtawarira, the Du Plessis brothers, Frans Steyn, Butch James, Marcel Coetzee and JP Pieterson. Former Scotland out-half Gregor Townsend and French maverick Frederik Michalak lined out in the black, grey and white kit during their stellar careers. Bryan Habana scores the winning try during the Super 14 final in 2007. Pic: Duif du Toit/Yet this club has lived in the shadow of the other South African sides. It's been the same story in the URC, with the Bulls and Stormers leading the charge, with the latter landing the inaugural URC title in 2022. The Stormers contested the 2023 final (losing to Munster) before the Bulls picked up the mantle last season, losing to Glasgow in the league final. The Sharks, meanwhile, have been floundering in mid-table mediocrity for far too long. Many observers why this club have continually failed to impress. Speaking on the Boks office show, former Springboks captain Jean de Villiers wondered if team culture is the issue.'The Sharks have fantastic individuals,' the former Stormers, Munster and South Africa centre said. 'It is not a team. You don't see that team environment.
The Citizen
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Sport update: It's quarter-finals week in the URC
Three South African teams, the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers, are all in action in the United Rugby Championship quarter-finals this weekend. The Sharks are in action at home in the URC quarter-finals this weekend. Picture: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images Having had a week off because of the Europe-based Champions and Challenge Cup finals, the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers from South Africa are back in action this weekend when the United Rugby Championship quarter-finals are contested. The Stormers are in action on Friday night at 8.35pm against the defending champions, the Glasgow Warriors. On Saturday, the Bulls take on Edinburgh at 1:30pm at Loftus, and the Sharks host Munster at 6.30pm in Durban. The other quarter-final is between Leinster and Scarlets at 4pm in Dublin on Saturday. Who will the coaches pick to play this weekend? Keep an eye on The Citizen, both in print and online, this week for all the latest quarter-final news. We'll also keep you up to date with all the Comrades news, ahead of the Down run next weekend, as well as everything you need to know about the World Test Championship final between South Africa and Australia in the middle of June. ALSO READ: WATCH: 'No team is playing the football that we are playing' – Victorious Amajita return home
Wales Online
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Scarlets learn URC play-off opponents after South African defeat
Scarlets learn URC play-off opponents after South African defeat The Scarlets ended their regular season with a 12-3 defeat to the Sharks Taine Plumtree in action for the Scarlets (Image: Steve Haag/Huw Evans Agency ) The Scarlets will take on United Rugby Championship table-toppers Leinster in the play-offs after losing 12-3 to the Sharks in Durban. Dwayne Peel's side had already secured their place in the top eight going into their final match - with results on Friday night ensuring they would make the play-offs for the first time since 2018. However, who they would play in the play-offs depended upon their result in Durban. A losing bonus point would have seen them travel to Pretoria to take on the Bulls. In the end, failure to pick up any points in South Africa ensured they will finish in eighth and take on Leinster in Dublin. In a low-scoring affair in Durban, scoring chances were few and far. Article continues below Scarlets scrum-half Archie Hughes was chased down by Springbok winger Makazole Mapimpi just before the half-hour mark following Joe Roberts' break. In the end, it took until the 38th minute for the first points. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. Sharks fly-half Siya Masuku knocked over a penalty, only for Wales fly-half Sam Costelow to level the scores just before half-time with a well-taken drop-goal off his left foot. Two more penalties in the second-half from Sharks full-back Aphelele Fassi moved the Sharks further ahead. The Scarlets - having won their last four matches - had chances to win it in the final 10 minutes. But in the end, Peel's side lacked the composure to do so - with Fassi's penalty at the death ensuring they wouldn't even get a losing bonus point. Article continues below And that saw the pendulum swing in terms of the Scarlets' play-off opponents - ensuring it would be a trip to Ireland, rather than South Africa.
