Hollywoodbets Sharks winger Werner Kok has his sights firmly set on finishing his career at the Durban franchise on a high ahead of their Challenge Cup semi-final clash with Clermont Auvergne.
Saturday’s game at the Twickenham Stoop will be one of the biggest of the 31-year-old’s career but he remains confident that his team has what it takes to reach the Grand Final.
“[My] biggest one in the 15-man game was a Currie Cup game, but this is massive. I love play-off games; this is very important. Not just for me but for every single player in the team.
“And then for the Sharks in general, for KZN, this is a good one to be set up for the final if we go through, which I’m sure we will.”
Kok will join Ulster in the next few months but is fully focused on finishing his time with the Hollywoodbets Sharks on a high. He also firmly believes that, despite their struggles this season, John Plumtree’s side are on their way to achieving special things in the years to come.
“There’s a lot to be done still here, I can’t worry about my next stint at Ulster. There’s a lot to work towards, the Sharks are busy with something very big at the moment.
“It’s probably going to be one of my biggest regrets: that we are playing some good rugby and there’s a lot of change in the camp, and the culture is also going to a place where it will be a phenomenal team, a championship team.
“But for now, it’s all about the Sharks. I’m not worrying about anywhere else.”
On their season turnaround, the 2015 World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year has attributed a change in mentality within the group to the side’s recent success.
“I think it was just a few mindset changes in camp, a culture change as well with a new coaching staff coming in. Inside the camp that some people don’t see was quite a change, but everyone is aligned towards one goal, and that makes a big difference.
“You can see things are falling in line at the moment and the Sharks are on their way to a proper place.”
Despite sitting 10th in the Top 14, Clermont are a quality outfit and have some exceptional players on their books; including 105kg winger Alivereti Raka, whom Kok will be marking on matchday.
“Clermont is a very physical team; we need to step up our physicality going into the game. They also play a very loose game, we have to be very quick on the loose ball, try to shut their offloads down. I think that will probably be the biggest threat.
“[Raka] is a very good ballcarrier. He’s got a very good fend, a great player. For me, just to make sure that I know what’s coming, I’ve played against quite a few Fijians in my life, and I know exactly what they’re going to bring.
“Hopefully I can shut him down as quickly as possible, but I know I have the trust, that I have the guys on the field next to me to back me up if anything happens.”
