UFUNA iqembu lakhe libuye ngomfutho uma selibhekene neHollywoodbets Sharks emdlalweni we-United Rugby Championship (URC) kusasa, uRicardo Loubscher oyiphini lomqeqeshi we-Emirates Lions.
Njengoba iSharks izofika kulo mdlalo ozoqala ngo-5 ntambama eHollywoodbets Kings Park isazikhotha amanxeba kulandela ukushaywa yiDHL Stormers ngo 16-15 eKapa ngempelasonto edlule, iLions izobe ibheke ngabomvu ukubuyela enkundleni ngemuva kwekhefu lamasonto amabili.
Leli qembu laseGoli lagcina ukudlala ngoDisemba 16 ngesikhathi libhaxabula iqembu lase-England, iNewcastle Falcons, ngo 35-13 emdlalweni weChallenge Cup.
“Ikhefu lifike ngesikhathi esihle futhi into esigxile kuyona kuleli sonto wukuqinisekisa ukuthi sikulungele ukudlala kakhe uma sesibhekene neSharks. Uma sikhumbula esihlangabezane nakho ngesizini edlule, sibonga ukuthi sibe naleli khefu ngamaholidi kaKhisimusi ukuze sichithe isikhathi nemindeni yethu nabangani,” kusho uLoubscher.
“Kubasizile abadlali ukuthi balulame, ikakhulukazi ngokomqondo. Kuleli sonto bese siqala kabusha ukuze sibe nesiqiniseko sokuthi sikwenza konke okudingeka sikwenze ukuze silungele umdlalo."
ILions isinqobe imidlalo emithathu kweyisikhombisa eyidlalile kwi-URC, yazibeka endaweni ka-12 kwi-log ngamaphuzu angu-19.
Isesimeni esingcono kuneSharks esasemsileni ngamaphuzu ayisishiyagalombili emidlalweni eyisishiyagalombili. Iqembu likaJohn Plumtree likhombise ukuthuthuka kweminye imidlalo, njengoba lenzile libhekene neStormers, kodwa iqiniso wukuthi lisanqobe umdlalo owodwa lahlulwa kweyisikhombisa.
“Ngeke siye kulo mdlalo siyozama ukwenza okuhlukile ngoba sicabanga ukuthi sizodlala neSharks. Uma udlala eThekwini ingxenye emqoka yomdlalo olawula ngayo umdlalo, ugcine ibhola uma kufanele futhi usebenzise amathuba,” kuqhuba lo mqeqeshi.
“Uma uhluleka ukulawula umdlalo engxenyeni yakho yenkundla, kufanele ucabange ukuthi uzophuma kanjani uyodlalela kweyabo. Yilapho ukukhahlela ibhola kubaluleka khona. Uma singakwenza kahle lokho, sidlala ezindaweni ezifanele, sizokwazi ukuthola amaphuzu uma sesifike emhlabeni wabo.”
Ngesizini edlule iSharks izigwazele ibhece kwiLions kwi-URC, iyixebula ngo 37-10 eThekwini nango 29-7 eGoli.
Abadlali abafana noGrant Williams, Curwin Bosch noMakazole Mapimpi, ababezidlulela kalula kwiLions kuleyo midlalo, yibona okulindeleke ukuthi babuyise isithunzi seSharks ekhaya kusasa ntambama.