Phepsi: Sharks Face Ultimate URC Test Against Champions Leinster

The Sharks made an encouraging start to their season with a convincing 41-24 win over Ospreys, but Phepsi Buthelezi believes this weekend’s clash with defending champions Leinster will provide a better indication of where the Durban side currently stands.

The Sharks produced a positive performance against Ospreys, scoring five tries in the process, with their attacking play particularly catching the eye. Their loose forwards and backline repeatedly created opportunities to break through the Welsh defence.

For Buthelezi, however, the victory was only the beginning after a demanding pre-season and a series of honest discussions within the squad.

“Yeah, that was a really positive start for us and really rewarding for the group,” Buthelezi said.

“I think we’ve really worked hard during our pre-season, and to get off the mark the way that we did, I thought was really positive.

“We also had a good look at our performance, and we felt that we could have done better in certain moments of the game.

“Overall, it was a really positive start, and yeah, everyone’s happy,” Buthelezi explained.

The Sharks now face a significantly tougher examination when they take on Leinster, who enter the contest as the defending champions.

In fact, Leinster have won the URC for the past two seasons.

However, they opened their URC campaign with a one-point defeat to the 10bet Lions at Ellis Park.

Rather than focusing solely on the challenge posed by their opponents, Buthelezi sees the fixture as an opportunity for the Sharks to assess their own progress.

“Obviously, this week is a very important one for us as a group,” he said.

“I think it’s more important just to show ourselves how far we’ve come as a group.

“We’ve had a really tough pre-season. We’ve had really hard and honest conversations as a group. We know exactly where we want to go as a group.

“So I think this week presents us with an opportunity to measure ourselves against the defending champs.”

The Sharks’ attacking display against Ospreys was one of the most encouraging aspects of their opening performance, with the loose forwards playing an influential role alongside the youthful backline.

Buthelezi credited the work done during pre-season, as well as the return of attack coach Scott Mathie to Durban from Edinburgh, for the improvement in that area.

“It’s definitely a part of our game that we’ve worked hard on,” Buthelezi said.

“I think having Scotty come back to Durban, the group has responded really well to him, and it’s something that we’re going to keep working on.”

For Buthelezi, there is also an obvious personal enjoyment in being able to contribute to the Sharks’ attacking game.

“As a loose forward, it’s always nice to get involved with the ball and score some amazing tries,” he added.

“So, I thought that was really positive, and it’s something that we’re going to keep working on.”

With their opening victory providing an early confidence boost, the Sharks will now look to build on that performance against Leinster and discover just how far their hard work during pre-season has taken them.