The Sharks need a big bonus point win, and for other results to go their way, to force their way into the Champions Cup playoffs.
The Sharks are gunning for a big win over Clermont in their final Champions Cup pool match to give themselves the best possible chance of sneaking into the competition playoffs, when they collide at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.
The Sharks are on the brink of being eliminated from the competition, with them currently fifth in their pool, as only the top four progress to the last 16, and need to win their match against the French visitors, preferably with a bonus point and hope other results go their way.
With just one win and two defeats from their pool games so far, the Sharks sit on five points and can only catch French giants Stade Toulousain, on seven points, and Saracens on 10, in fourth and third above them, but need both to lose if they are to have any chance of staying alive.
It is unlikely that the Sharks can overhaul Saracens, even if they pick up a bonus point win over Clermont, as their points difference is too vast, with the Durban side on negative 48 and the English premiership team on positive 38.
Their best hope is that Toulouse, who have won this tournament a record six times, and last triumphed during the 2023-24 competition, continue their stuttering form and slip up at home against Sale Sharks, who have been in decent form and currently sit second in the pool.
Big win
But the Sharks aren’t focusing on what they need from the other teams, and are just aiming to do their job, according to Springbok prop Ox Nche, who admits they are targeting full points and a big win over a team that will give them a strong challenge, despite having lost all their matches so far.
“The aim is to get maximum points. We want to win and hopefully pick up extra points as well, to improve our points difference. We’re going all in and seeing this as a playoff match,” explained Nche during a press conference on Tuesday.
“Clermont play a very expansive game. Even though they’ve got a big French pack, they like to offload and play with tempo. They’ve been very consistent in how they play.
“So it’s going to be a good challenge for us. We need to contain their forwards so their backs don’t get opportunities to shine.”
The Sharks will have their Springbok stars back for the game, after leaving most of them at home to rest, while they sent a weakened side to England to take on Sale, with them going down 26-10 in the end.
They will thus have no excuses to not walk away with a strong win against a team that themselves have sent a weakened group to South Africa, as they prioritise the French Top 14, having already been knocked out of the Champions Cup.
