Hollywoodbets Sharks XV forwards coach Warren Whiteley and star flanker James Venter are relishing the chance to get a crack at lifting the Currie Cup trophy on Saturday when they face the Golden Lions in the final of the competition at Ellis Park.
The Lions held off the defending champion Free State Cheetahs 43-34 at the same venue during last week’s semi-final, while the Durbanites progressed to the decider following a riveting 40-40 extra-time draw with the Blue Bulls in Pretoria courtesy of having scored more tries than their opponents.
Two individuals who know what to expect in the Big Smoke better than most are erstwhile Lions players Whiteley and Venter. Heading into the season finale, the former believes a tough challenge lies in wait.
“It is a bit of mixed emotions [for me],” said Whiteley. “We see it in Test rugby as well, Ellis Park is a special place to play and obviously I’ve got some fond memories over there.
“It’s a great opportunity for us. We’ve really built nicely over the past couple of weeks and the Lions are also a great side, that’s why they’re top of the Currie Cup standings and they’ve proved that throughout the competition. It’s going to be a massive test for us and we’re really looking forward to it.
“This is a final, as we all know, and we want to treat it with respect and really honour the traditions of this competition.”
Venter, whose try-scoring Man of the Match performance in that semi-final at Loftus was a big reason the Sharks advanced to the final, says the side is dialled in and ready for action.
“A final really demands a lot more focus. You really strive to be at your best as a player, and it’s a game that you can’t afford to make those silly errors, or you miss a role or a job. It definitely demands a 100% buy-in and focus.
“Going into the game we know the way we want to play as a team and as the Sharks going forward, and it’s not going to change week-to-week. We’ve got a DNA and we’ve got a ‘Sharks way’ that we want to play, and we won’t go away from that.”
Whiteley concurred.
“We’ve really worked hard on our game model. I think the players and the coaches are all aligned in our style of play, and regardless of the occasion, we really want to enforce our way of play onto the opposition. It’s been great to see that evolution over the past couple of months.
“We had a good look at ourselves on Monday. Obviously, we’re very proud of the effort and the character that we showed [in the semi-final], but there’s still a lot of areas that we need to be better at. It’s going to be a challenge up there against a quality side, a side that has got the better of us a couple times. [They’ve got a] massive pack, dominant pack and some explosive backs.
“We want to face that challenge head on.”
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