Sean Everitt says the Sharks are delighted to welcome Lukhanyo Am back into a team motivated by the prospect of securing a home playoff in the crucial Vodacom United Rugby Championship match against Ulster in Belfast on Friday night. DYLAN JACK reports.
Having returned from a successful short stint in Japan that was part of his contract extension with the Sharks, Am has been brought straight back into the starting lineup to face Irish side Ulster.
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The 28-year-old World Cup winner was the creative hub for the Sharks before he left and the Durban side will need his talent against an Ulster team that doesn’t give too much away defensively.
“We are very happy to have Lukhanyo back,” Everitt told reporters on Thursday. “He is a key member of our team and we missed him while he was away. It is not only what he brings on the rugby field, it is also what he brings off it. He is a popular guy in the team and they were very excited to see him here in Belfast when we arrived.
“He has fitted in seamlessly. He is a quality guy and he has trained really well with us this week.”
While the Sharks would have expected to be playing in warm conditions as the northern hemisphere heads into summer, it turns out that Friday’s game could be played in the wet.
However, Everitt is not too concerned as the Sharks have spent most of the season in a sub-tropical climate in Durban.
“Funnily enough, there is rain predicted for tomorrow and it is a strong percentage. We have played in rain at home. The big difference is the temperature. In Durban, it’s warmer rain, while here it’s really cold.
“We have a lovely day here today [Thursday] but apparently tomorrow it will rain. With those conditions that we are facing, we have had some practice in it and our game model just allows us to adjust accordingly.”
The rain won’t be the only thing making the game tougher for the Sharks, as the Kingspan crowd is notorious for getting fully behind the home side.
“We haven’t had anyone who has played there yet in our squad,” Everitt said. “I was chatting to Thomas du Toit about it earlier this morning. He had a short stint at Munster but he hasn’t played there. Unfortunately, a guy like Gerbrant Grobler, who would have played there, is not with us on this tour due to injury.
“We understand the crowd is very passionate about their team. It will be no different to what we have faced when we were overseas before, when we played at Thomond Park against Munster. It is always nice to play in front of fans and hopefully the stadium is full, because that will be motivation for us as well.”
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Everitt added that the prospect of playing a URC playoff at Kings Park is the major motivating factor for the Sharks going into this game.
“All the South African teams have been in knockout stages since we returned home. For us to finish in the top eight or top six, which guarantees Europe, it was a must-win situation and the South African teams did well.
“This weekend is no different. There is a lot to play for. Top four gives you a home quarter-final and the top two can give you a home quarter- and semi-final. There is a lot of motivation in the camp. It is not an easy trip, to Northern Ireland. The chances are, if things don’t go our way, we could be back here. So, we are really motivated as far as that’s concerned.
“We have got more responsibility than just ourselves. It is for the team and our supporters,” Everitt added. “We want to play at home in front of them. We have had amazing experiences at Kings Park when we had the ‘Festivity Day’ [against Leinster]. That went down well and we would love to have that opportunity to play in front of our home supporters again. The players are really motivated as it is a massive advantage.”
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