They play a Benetton side that is bottom of the United Rugby Championship despite being packed with current Italy internationals and to say they have started the season on a disappointing note is an understatement.
The Italians are under pressure and desperate to play to their potential while John Plumtree’s Sharks are close to running on empty after five demanding matches away from the green grass of home.
First, there was the 100-minute semi-final defeat of the Bulls, then a drama-laden Currie Cup final. But the reward was no open-top bus trip around KZN to display the trophy. Instead, the day after the final, the Sharks began a long journey to the west coast of Ireland where they had one good half and one bad half in losing by six points.
Next up was the Dragons and again the Sharks could only play for 40 minutes although this time they salvaged a win at the death.
The inability to play with intensity for longer than 30 minutes or so suggests that fatigue has set in and the phrase “flogging a dead horse” comes to mind.
The uplifting news is that some heavyweight cavalry is about to appear on the rise to rescue the situation. In the saddle are Eben Etzebeth, Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, et al and they will filter back into the side for the next fortnight of home matches against reigning champions Glasgow and 2023 champions Munster.
But the here-and-now is a Benetton team that has promised their fans that the visitors are in for backlash.
Virtually every Italian in the home team has played for their country and this is the Italy that enjoyed their best Six Nations campaign, beating Scotland and Wales and drawing with ‘mighty’ France.
But Benetton are more than Italy in disguise. Their foreign representation includes the mercurial Argentina flyhalf Tomas Albornoz, who tested the Springbok defence in the Rugby Championship; prop Tomas Gallo, who also played against the Boks in Mbombela; and veteran Pumas hooker Agustin Creevy.
Probably the most dangerous player on the field tomorrow is Benetton’s flying Fijian wing, Onisi Ratave.
One of their big leaders is the Zimbabwean-born lock Eli Snyman, who has just joined the team after a successful tenure in England with Leicester, and at fullback is the wily Rhyno Smith, formerly of the Cheetahs and the Sharks.
In the last URC, Benetton did not lose to a South African side in Treviso, and dare we mention that they beat the Sharks at Hollywoodbets Kings Park.
That was the game in which a host of Boks returned to the side and a win looked on the cards until plucky Benetton scored a match-winning try in the dying moments.
In fact, in three matches to date against Benetton, the Sharks’ sole win was in Durban in 2022.
It sounds like I’m painting a grim picture of the Sharks’ chances of winning today. The reality is that if they can play with urgency for much longer periods they have the talent to win but I worry that they are out on their feet and that wounded Benetton have desperation on their side.
As Plumtree says: “Benetton are dangerous. They are a proud club. They are the best in Italy and they have all their internationals back.
“We must come out of the change room better and tighten up our discipline. We have been picking up yellow cards on this tour and they have cost us points. Today we have to focus for the whole 80. A half-an-hour burst won’t get us over the line.”
Sharks team:
15 Jordan Hendrikse, 14 Eduan Keyter, 13 Jurenzo Julius, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Vincent Tshituka (captain), 6 James Venter, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Trevor Nyakane.
Substitutes: 16 Dylan Richardson, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Hanro Jacobs,19 Corne Rahl, 20 Emmanuel Tshituka, 21 Bradley Davids, 22 Lionel Cronje, 23 Francois Venter.