There was no pulling of punches from Cell C Sharks head coach Robert du Preez after the team’s disappointment on Friday when they lost to the Bulls at Growthpoint KINGS PARK.
Although they have all but sewn up a place in the Vodacom Super Rugby knock-outs, this penultimate pool derby clash offered the opportunity of fighting for seventh place on the log and with that, potentially a quarter-final meeting with the Lions in Johannesburg, rather than the trip halfway around the world to meet the Crusaders in Christchurch.
With one round of the pool stages remaining, the top-placed Crusaders will play the second-placed Hurricanes in Wellington (scene of the All Blacks’ loss to the British and Irish Lions in the second Test match on the weekend), while the Lions visit Growthpoint KINGS PARK next weekend, looking to top the overall log (should the Crusaders drop their game against the Hurricanes).
Asked about his overall thoughts of the Cell C Sharks match against the Bulls, du Preez said: “I definitely think that the intensity wasn’t there, that was very disappointing. We looked really disjointed.”
Without some of the regulars, missing after the June tests as well as injury concerns, du Preez could not field a full strength side, but refused to lay total blame for the loss on that.
“The injuries during the week had a role to play, but the attitude was certainly not there.” It was the same in the case of having a four week break from Super Rugby action; he advised that it was the same for the Bulls.
“With regards to the missing Boks, he said, “I don’t think that played a role. The players who replaced the Boks have lots of experience, so that’s no excuse.”
He also identified defence as an area that didn’t function to capacity.
“The tries we conceded were soft, turnover tries or we didn’t exit from our own 22. So unfortunately at this level, if you make so many mistakes, you won’t win games.
“We just couldn’t adapt on the evening. There was a lack of composure.”
With Garth April selected at flyhalf and Curwin Bosch at fullback, he was asked his opinion if things might have been different had the jerseys been swapped around.
“I don’t think that would have changed anything,” he said. “I thought Garth played well, especially in the first half. I think he took the ball to the line well, but he was sort of the lone ranger.”
The Cell C Sharks now have a bye this weekend before hosting the Lions at Growthpoint KINGS PARK in their final pool match next Saturday.
Getting the team up after the loss is going to be one of the challenges, the other is to get back to winning ways ahead of the knock-out rounds.
“We are going to have to go back to the drawing board,” du Preez said.
“The disappointing thing is that we had a good week of training, despite the disruptions. To come out here after that and to produce a performance like that is just not acceptable.”
The post Introspection Time appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
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