Tshituka Excited For Hard-To-Beat Connacht
HollywoodBets Sharks flanker Vincent Tshituka is upbeat and “excited for the challenge,” as the Durban-based club prepares for a tough encounter against Connacht at the Dexcom Stadium in Galway.
The Sharks have not had a great start to the Vodacom United Rugby Championship season, winning just one of their opening five fixtures. That victory came in the last round before the international break, against Scarlets, which the men from Durban won 29-19.
Connacht are only one point and one place above the Sharks as both sides attempt to kick-start their campaign.
The Irish outfit has also had the better of their South African counterparts in three of their four meetings.
Tshituka enjoyed the time off and felt it gave the side ample opportunity to prepare for a rigorous schedule.
“It’s been really good. We’ve had quite a bit of time off, and we’ve been able to prepare for this challenge against Connacht,” he explained.
“The guys have put in a lot of hard work to fix issues we’ve had at the beginning of the season. There’s been a positive vibe, so I’m excited for this short tour, and I’m excited for Connacht.”
The Sharks will have two away games. First in the URC against Connacht at Dexcom Stadium before they play European powerhouse Toulouse at Stade Ernest-Wallon in the Investec Champions Cup – before returning home.
“It’s been about connecting as a team. It’s been a really tough start to the season that we didn’t foresee nor did we want,” Tshituka said. “The reality is that the only way to bounce back is to pull together and put in the work – that is exactly what we have done. We hope to reap the rewards of that.”
Tshituka, who was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and recently became a South African citizen before acquiring a cap for the Springboks against Italy, placed great emphasis on the cohesion and togetherness the squad has been able to foster.
“Connecting as a team has been massive for us over the past few weeks. Connecting on and off the field – even individually- has been an aspect we want to invest more time in. The guys are in a good space, and we’re looking forward to a good challenge in Connacht.”
Despite Connacht’s fortunes not being too dissimilar to the Sharks, Tshituka made it abundantly clear that they are well aware of the Irish side’s quality.
“We know Connacht is a quality side and extremely hard to beat, specifically away from home. We know they haven’t started the season the way they’ve wanted to, but we are not disillusioned by the fact that they are a quality side,” he mentioned. “That will inspire them and create a spark to turn the season around. We know exactly what we’re facing.”
Overall, Tshituka feels that they have prepared well and are ready for a tough battle on Saturday.
“We have done our part and worked on our preparation over the past few weeks – and come up with a solid plan against them.”
Springbok duo Grant Williams and Edwill van der Merwe will be available for the Sharks, who will hope to win consecutive games for the first time this season.
