Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Sharks will jet down in Ireland at midday on Wednesday with nobody giving them a chance of beating Leinster in their URC quarter-final at Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
The Durbanites, hit by injuries, left South Africa with key players Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Jaden Hendrikse and Curwin Bosch all absent.
An already difficult task suddenly seems impossible, and much of that has to do with the injury to flyhalf Bosch.
That is one area where the Sharks are not blessed with depth, and the responsibility of orchestrating the upset of the season is almost certain to fall on Boeta Chamberlain’s shoulders.
A strong kicker out of hand and off the tee, Chamberlain has played the bulk of his rugby at fullback this season with Bosch pulling the strings at pivot.
Against Munster in Durban two weekends ago, however, Chamberlian was error-ridden when having to shift to flyhalf after Bosch left the field with a rib injury.
The Sharks were woeful in the second half that day, letting a 22-3 lead slip before drawing 22-22. It is a result that has cost them dearly.
Had they beaten Munster with a bonus point, then the Sharks would have finished 7th on the URC log and played Ulster away in their quarter-final. More importantly, finishing 7th would have secured them qualification to next season’s European Champions Cup.
Instead, the Sharks now find themselves in a position where the only way they can qualify for the 2023/24 Champions Cup is by winning the URC. If they fail to do that, then they will play in the second-tier European Challenge Cup next season.
It really is ‘Mission Impossible’, and to put that into perspective, South African bookmakers Sportingbet have the Sharks as 15/2 winners.
Kick-off is at 18:00.
URC QF fixtures:
Friday, 5 May
Ulster v Connacht – 20:35
Saturday, 6 May
Stormers v Bulls – 15:30
Leinster v Sharks – 18:00
Glasgow Warriors v Munster – 20:35
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