Sharks’ new motto: ‘Super Rugby standards in Currie Cup’

17 August 2016 - 13:09 By Craig Ray

Sharks lock Stephen Lewies has challenged his team to strive for Super Rugby standards during the Currie Cup campaign. The 24-year-old‚ who has earned one Springbok cap and could be in line for more after a good Super Rugby season‚ is now one of the senior players in the Sharks pack following some high-profile departures at the end of 2015.Hooker Bismarck du Plessis and tighthead Jannie du Plessis‚ as well as flank Willem Alberts‚ all left Durban in the off-season.Admittedly that trio hardly featured in the Currie Cup because of international duty‚ but even so‚ their influence permeated King’s Park. Lewies‚ among others‚ has to fulfil that senior role now.“Things are really feeling awesome in the forward pack and our motto now is ‘Super Rugby standards for the Currie Cup’ and it helps that we have a lot of the same personnel from Super Rugby‚” Lewies said.Hoskins steps down as Saru presidentOregan Hoskins has stepped down as president of the South African Rugby Union (Saru)‚ a statement by the body said on Wednesday. “We’d like to build on our Super Rugby performances. It’s shown in our scrums and lineouts because both are functioning quite well.”The Sharks have started their Currie Cup operation with two wins from two‚ securing bonus points in both matches. But so far they have met the Pumas and Griquas‚ and tougher tasks await against the likes of the Free State Cheetahs‚ Golden Lions and Western Province.Coach Robert du Preez has extracted the right attitude from the players in their first two encounters and Lewies believes there are some parallels to be drawn with the Golden Lions‚ who are now South Africa’s preeminent team.Lewies and most of the pack played together in Super Rugby and that is a good foundation for the Sharks to build on.“Some of us [in the pack] have been together since under-19‚” Lewies said. “I played against Etienne Oosthuizen before partnering with him at senior level in 2014‚ so we know each other very well.“It’s like the Lions’ side spending so much time together; they’ve been together for three years and if we can do that here at the Sharks‚ to have the same personnel together for a long period of time‚ that will make a huge difference.“There is more pressure on the forwards‚ but so far so good for us. We enjoy a little bit of extra pressure and responsibility. We are older so we know how to handle the pressure and we’re enjoying playing with the younger guys and it’s exciting playing more ball in hand rugby.“It’s a process‚ it’s not something that’s going to be a success overnight. But Robert [du Preez] urges us to improve every practice and every game and as long as there is constant improvement‚ he’s happy. And the players like that.” - TMG Sport..

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