You’d say it is the Cell C Sharks who have a lot more to do than the Emirates Lions, who were not flattered at all by the 27-10 winning margin in an error-ridden and scrappy game. They should have won by more. But the Lions too were some way short of their best, and in some senses it sets up Saturday’s return quite well, particularly as it felt like the home team did not shoot their bullets in the match.
Perhaps it was the knowledge that a win would set them up for a long flight to Christchurch the next day rather than a much easier flight to Johannesburg much later in the week, but the Sharks didn’t play with the passion that pushed the Lions so close at Emirates Airlines Park in April.
As Sharks coach Robert du Preez pointed out afterwards, however, this week there is a big carrot dangling for his team and they have all to play for as they go out in a quest to define what has for them been an up-and-down season. He feels that when the time comes, his men will have the necessary self-belief to win it.
“It is a final for us, it is all to play for,” said Du Preez.
“Everything that has happened before is gone. Now it is a case of us having one crack at it, and it is in the players’ hands to take this chance. I think the players will go to Joburg believing they can win.”
