Sharks preparing for Test match rugby

The visiting side features a number of Argentinian international players that took part in the World Cup last year. That experience showed last Friday when they managed to upset the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein to win their first ever Super Rugby match.

Similarly, Gary Gold’s Sharks managed to run in six tries in their win over the Kings which provided a valuable bonus point victory. However, the Sharks struggled for continuity in the first half of the match as the Kings targeted the breakdown.

Notoriously physical, the Argentinians will be looking to disrupt that area this weekend. Considering that fact, the Sharks are gearing up for an arm wrestle, knowing full well that some of the Jaguares players will have Argentina’s win over the Springboks in Durban last year fresh in the memory.

“You are talking about ten or twelve guys that were part of a team that got to the semi-finals of the World Cup. These guys are the real deal, they play with intensity and incredible freedom and they will hurt you from an attack point of view,” Gold said.

“They’ve got some great players through the spine of their team. Defensively, they are ferocious at the breakdown, not necessarily always that legal but they are very good there. That’s a tough day at the office; you try and build a couple of phases and one of their guys steals the ball.

“We’re preparing for this in the fashion of a Test match, that’s how I think we need to play them. We need to offer them the respect that they deserve, because if you don’t they will run you off your feet.”

The Sharks will also be wary of kicking the ball aimlessly down the field to a formidable counter-attacking outfit like the Jaguares. The Durban outfit looked good with ball in hand against the Kings and Gold will want his charges to score tries once they are in favourable field positions.

“It’s not so much about them, but what we do with ball in hand as well. We have to control the game; we have to be masters of our own destiny. We can’t constantly be concerned about what they are going to do – we have to be clinical in what we do and how we execute our plays,” Gold said.

Jaguares' 'Bajada' scrum

Upfront, the Sharks will have to match a notoriously powerful Argentinian scrum that is spearheaded by national captain and hooker Agustin Creevy. Sharks captain Beast Mtawarira has faced the famous ‘Bajada’ scrum technique made famous by Argentina and knows all too well what awaits his teammates on Saturday.

“It’s always a formidable challenge when you go up against the 'Argies'," Mtawarira said.

"They’ve got a big scrumming mentality so it’s something we know. We watched their game against the Cheetahs I thought they stepped up really well – for us it’s about focusing on our processes.”

In an effort to beef up the experience in the side, Gold selected to returning Springboks in JP Pietersen and Stephan Lewies.

The latter makes his return from a serious knee injury and will be a vital cog in the Sharks engine room. Meanwhile Pietersen slots in at wing to replace the injured Lwazi Mvovo.

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