Sharks winger Edwill van der Merwe has highlighted the importance of bouncing back strongly in this weekend’s URC derby against the Bulls in Pretoria.
With the fight for a top-eight spot in the URC standings heating up, the Sharks know they can ill afford another defeat at this stage of the season.
The Bulls currently occupy eighth position, while the Ospreys are in ninth spot and the Sharks in 10th place.
The men from Pretoria and the Ospreys are level on 25 points while the Sharks are just one adrift and Van der Merwe knows that it is imperative that his side return to the victory trail after suffering a 34-22 defeat against the Lions in Johannesburg last week.
“As a team, we’re all disappointed with the result of the game against the Lions and the performance we put out, we know that doesn’t meet our standards, so this week’s preparations have focused collectively on fixing it,” he said.
“But the week’s prep has been good and we’re looking to rectify it on the weekend.”
Despite losing to their South African rivals last weekend, the Sharks have been in fine form against their other local rivals and after beating the Bulls in Durban in December, head coach JP Pietersen and his troops brought the high-riding Stormers crashing down to earth as they clinched back-to-back victories over the men from the Cape in January.
Van der Merwe is hoping for a repeat of the Sharks’ win over the Bulls in their corresponding fixture as it will see them move above them in the standings, although their opponents have played 10 matches so far compared to their 11.
“The race for the top eight is on, so every game is crucial,” said the 29-year-old.
“But more so the South African derbies, particularly this week. The Vodacom Bulls are an incredible side, especially at home where they have their fans behind them, so we expect a very physical challenge from them and for them to be fired up.
“We know we have to be at our absolute best on Saturday so we can deliver.”
The Sharks announced their team on Thursday with Van der Merwe and fellow Springboks star Makazole Mapimpi occupying the wing positions in their starting line-up and although the Bulls are yet to unveil their matchday squad, he expects to be facing Boks rivals like Canan Moodie and Kurt-Lee Arendse on Saturday.
“My focus is not to outshine them, all I am focused on is what the team requires of me so I look to express myself within the framework of the team and the rest will take care of itself,” he added.
He also revealed that he has worked on his aerial skills which he believes will be crucial in deciding the outcome of Saturday’s derby.
“The aerial contest is something I’ve worked hard on, I wasn’t as sharp as I would like against the Lions and it’s something we as a team rely heavily on, so for me personally, I want to be better in that space,” Van der Merwe explained.
“There are Springbok wings on both sides, so I know I need to bring my A-game on the weekend.”
