News: Talented Sharks centre S’bura Sithole says he has done his homework on opposite number Lionel Mapoe, who he identified as one of several dangermen to watch out for in this Saturday’s Currie Cup semi-final against the Lions at Ellis Park (2.30pm kick-off). Mapoe has been something of a rugby journeyman, having moved from one union to another before finally settling at the Lions, where he has begun to make a noticeable impact, including captaining the side when regular skipper Warren Whiteley has been unavailable. “I’m playing opposite Lionel (Mapoe) on Saturday, so obviously I’ve done a bit of analysis on him, and I played against him two weeks ago,” Sithole commented yesterday. “He is a dangerman, and one of the Lions’ go-to guys, but having said that, we can’t focus our energies on just one player. We have to focus on their whole team, everyone in that side can be a threat, and we have to ensure that we cover all those threats on Saturday.” Nevertheless, Sithole said the Sharks were quietly confident in their ability to upset the odds at Ellis Park this weekend. “The Lions might seem like they’re the complete team, but every side is beatable. Western Province went on a long winning streak at the beginning of the season, but eventually that unbeaten run was broken. So there are no guarantees.” And although the Sharks will perhaps be able to draw on a psychological edge after recently beating the Lions in Durban, Sithole suggested that would really count for very little in this Saturday’s semi-final. “I think the Lions will be more clinical compared to when we played them here. It’s crunch time now and there’s no room for errors. I guess the Lions will be regarded as favourites this weekend, and going up to Johannesburg won’t be easy. But it doesn’t make much difference to us, we’re not concentrating on that. We want to play our rugby, and if we can do that, then I’m sure we’ll come away with the win.” Sithole said the team was also in high spirits after securing four wins in a row over the last few weeks, and the talented 24-year-old highlighted the importance of sticking to what has been working for them. “The mood in the camp is pretty good, everyone is very keen, and although there are a few nerves now that it’s the knockout stage, that can also be a good thing. There’s always something to work on, but we’ve begun to gel nicely as a team in recent weeks, and played some good rugby.” On a personal level, Sithole has enjoyed a potentially career-defining year, having shifted from the wing to outside centre, and played a leading role in both Super Rugby and the Currie Cup, while he received a Bok call-up in June. In the absence of injured Paul Jordaan, Sithole will continue to have a key role to play in the midfield, and he said that was where he was now most comfortable. “I’m more involved at outside centre in terms of making more tackles and carrying the ball. But either way, whether I’m on the wing or at centre, it doesn’t really matter. As long as I’m contributing to the team,” he humbly added. The former Queen’s College pupil has also recently formed a dynamic centre pairing with blockbusting inside centre Andre Esterhuizen, and Sithole couldn’t help but smile when describing their differing roles. “It’s great playing alongside Andre, he can take all the contact, and I can do all the running,” he chuckled. “Andre is a young talented player, and although he obviously still has some stuff to learn, he has done really well this season and proven to everyone that he is a force to be reckoned with.” - Daily News
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 08:00:31 +0000
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