DURBAN — The Preparation Series is well named because it is all about teams trying out new combinations ahead of next month’s Rainbow Cup, and Sharks coach Sean Everitt has been much educated about his options after two matches in the Series.
On Wednesday night, his young team of mostly back-up players lost by a whisker to a full-strength Cheetahs team in Bloemfontein, 39-38, after looking well beaten at the half-hour mark, but Everitt’s second-half bench made all the difference.
“I thought we did very well to fight back (from 24-7 just before half time) to put ourselves into a position to win the game (Frans Steyn kicked the winning penalty two minutes from time),” Everitt said.
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One of the big differences for the Sharks was the impact made by Manie Libbok at flyhalf when he came on for Jordan Chait. Libbok played full-back last year because of the serious injury to Aphelele Fassi and over the last fortnight Everitt has been having a good look at the 23-year-old at 10, as he examines his back-up options to Curwin Bosch.
“We did not recruit Manie (from the Bulls) primarily as a full-back, we saw him as a 10/15 because we only had Fassi at full-back,” the coach explained. “So we will always see him as a 10 first and foremost. I thought he went well last week against Griquas, and for the Cheetahs game we just tried to balance the selection books by giving Jordan a chance.
“Manie came on and delivered a really good performance which is pleasing for him and pleasing for the coaching staff.”
There was also a significant scrumming improvement when the Sharks brought on a whole new front row in Fez Mbatha, Ntuthuko Mchunu and Michael Kumbirai not long after half time.
“Quality depth in the front is vitally important,” Everitt said. “We learnt harsh lessons in the Currie Cup where we struggled up front, particularly because a number of guys did not have much game time because of Covid and also because social distancing meant we couldn’t do a lot of scrumming in training.
“So it is very pleasing to see a young loosehead such as Ntuthuko Mchunu come through the way he has. It was only his second game at prop — he was a No 8 at Maritzburg College two years ago. And he has really been a powerhouse in the two games he has played — not just in his scrumming but also his ball carrying.
“It was very pleasing that we could get three scrum penalties after half time when scrumming had been a problem in the first half. So, yes, it is pleasing that we are growing nice depth in those positions.”
IOL Sport