Durban — Sharks scrumhalf Grant Williams has played down “the revenge factor” ahead of Saturday’s return fixture against the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship in Cape Town.
The Sharks lost 46-19 to the Stormers four weeks ago and if they are to turn the tables on the reigning champions it would be a huge upset and Williams is right in that it will require more than simply a desire for retribution.
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The Sharks bounced back from that loss to beat the Lions in Johannesburg before faltering at home last week against Ulster.
“We’ve spoken about what went wrong against Ulster,” said Williams.
“It is up to us as a group to come together. We have the belief to do it. I know we will have to be a lot better than last week, and also the last time we played the Stormers, but we know what we need to fix.
“As I say, it is all about working together. Before the last Stormers game, we had a few players ruled out during the week and we also know what mistakes we made in that match.
“I see rain is predicted for Saturday, I am not sure if it will coincide with the game, but we are looking forward to the game and I am looking forward to returning to the Cape to see my family. That makes it exciting. I haven’t seen my family for quite a while.”
Williams did not play in the defeat to the Stormers on 4 February because of injury and the spark he provides will definitely improve the Sharks’ chances of an upset. The 26-year-old’s speed off the mark has caught many a defence napping and then he has the blistering pace to finish off.
An example was early in the Ulster game when he outpaced wing Aaron Sexton, and that rarely happens to the former Ireland sprint champion turned rugby player.
But Williams says he did not focus on athletics at school.
“I wasn’t an elite athlete when I was young. I developed my speed after school,” he said. “But I worked hard on my pace after school. I spent some time with a professional athletics coach when I went home to Paarl earlier in my career.
“I did a lot of speed training with him over the off-season break, also lots of hill repeats and things like that. It was really intensive and it was what developed the speed I have today.”
IOL Sport