Homecoming for Sharks’ Daniel
Keegan Daniel returned to Durban with no promises of extended game time but has worked his way back into the Cell C Sharks fold and captains the side against the Chiefs this week.
The 31-year-old spent two years in Japan plying his trade before deciding it was time to retrace his steps to where it all began back in 2004.
“I’m a Sharks boy at heart so coming back was literally like coming home. I joined came to Durban in 2004 with the Sharks Academy. Certainly the Sharks have gone through quite a bit of change since the middle of 2013. I think we are finally starting to settle, there is new leadership, coaching staff and the outlook and approach to things is quite different but ultimately the fundamentals of the Union and the team have stayed the same,” Daniel said from the Sharks base in New Plymouth this week.
Knowing the Sharks were brimming with depth in their loose forwards ranks, Daniel hoped to get some game time and impart some wisdom on the promising youngsters at the Union.
“Ultimately my goal at the beginning was to be able to contribute and add value wherever I could. But due to unfortunate circumstances with Marcell’s injury, losing a player of that calibre as well as losing Philip now, guys like myself and Jean Deysel who have been in the background have a chance to play a bit of Super Rugby and get stuck in,” Daniel said.
“The opportunity is here and it’s for us to take it. I’m relatively pleased not only with the way my game has gone but how the team is developing at the moment.”
Daniel’s effort on the training pitch paid off with a number of appearances on the Sharks bench this season. Arguably helped by Deysel’s systematic return to training after injury, Daniel played well in his short cameos as a reserve.
As twin brothers Daniel and Jean-Luc du Preez continued to impress, it was always going to be a waiting game for Daniel and Deysel. After eight weeks of rugby, Daniel finally earned his first start of the season against the Highlanders and played well.
In a young Sharks team, Daniel’s return adds needed leadership and guidance. Even more so on tour where things can go from good to bad very quickly, as the Sharks learned in 2015. While pulling his weight on the field was first prize, Daniel wants to help drive the development of the next generation of players.
“That’s the role any older head has to play. It’s not just about your game, it’s also about how you’re imparting the knowledge that you’ve gained from others over the years so that younger players can improve,” Daniel said.
“As much as we want to play well ourselves, there is a massive responsibility on older players that have been around a while to assist the younger guys with a few tricks of the trade and how to handle different situations. We do have a couple of young guys especially in the loose forward department.”
Daniel will combine with Du Preez twins on Friday morning which will provide an intriguing mix. All three players enjoy running rugby while the twins are far more physical. The Sharks lose an edge in terms of not having an out and out fetcher, but a mobile loose trio could be vital in keeping a rampant Chiefs attack in check.
“With guys like Aaron Cruden and Damien Mckenzie, to name just a few, they’ve got threats all over the field and they have the confidence to play from anywhere. We’re going to have to be sharp on defence; fortunately it’s something we pride ourselves on and if you look at the numbers we’re at the top,” Daniel said.
“It’s all about converting that defence pressure into turnovers; a lot of teams are defensively unstructured when you turn over the ball. I feel like our attack is starting come right and we’re building on it so it’s about finding that balance. We definitely have a big challenge against a team that are probably the best attacking outfit in the tournament.”
The Sharks face the Chiefs at 09h35 on Friday at the Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth.
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