The Sharks team is preparing for a serious confrontation in the clashes against Stormers in Cape Town, which will be the first derby of the season in the URC.
Despite the confidence gained from dominant performances against Leinster, scrum coach Philip Lemmer believes that the upcoming match in Cape Town will be a tougher test.
In the previous match against Leinster, as well as in the debut game against Ospreys, Sharks demonstrated strong positions in the scrums, constantly putting pressure on opponents and laying the foundation for a successful start to the season.
Now they are set to face the Stormers team, which prides itself on exactly this kind of physical confrontation.
Scrum Battle
Before the match at the Cape Town Stadium, scheduled for Saturday at 16:00, Lemmer noted that the situation resembles 'almost two older brothers taking sides in a scrum.' He added that the players know each other well because they have played against each other for many years in the Boks, and it is always a fight.
Sharks' work on attacking elements has been one of the early bright spots of the season. Lemmer explains this by saying that standards are maintained within the squad, not just by tracking statistics.
He emphasized: 'Every player holds the one next to them accountable, and that is the only way to raise standards. We don't mark 100% against 90%. We assess standards regardless of whether Ox fulfilled his task, and that is how everyone keeps each other in check.'
Ox, who joined the Sharks squad after missing pre-season training, believes that physical power has become a defining part of the team's identity. He stated: 'It was very important for us to be physical. We don't just talk about it or use it as a slogan. We genuinely want to apply it, and it should be obvious if you watch to understand the DNA of the team.'
This physicality will be tested by the Stormers team, whose driving maul is another significant weapon, despite issues with out-swing in the loss to Edinburgh last week.
Lemmer noted: 'They are extremely physical. They are as proud of their scrums as they are of their maul. They haven't gained a big advantage, nor scored many meters with the maul. And that is what their forwards do well. Therefore, we view the maul and out-swing as an equally big threat.'
He continued: 'They lost a few balls in this wind, it was hard, it was not easy. But when it comes to the maul and stopping the maul, as well as the scrum, it is a real physical battle, and they are proud of it, and we know that it will definitely happen this weekend.'
Although Sharks won the last two matches against Stormers, securing victories at home and away last season, Lemmer insists that these results mean little on Saturday.
'It is definitely a new year, a new challenge,' he said. 'We must embrace all the upcoming difficulties. As a group, we aim to measure ourselves.'
Ox is also happy about the opportunity to meet familiar national teammates but stressed that Sharks' success will depend on collective effort, not individual battles. 'Honestly, I don't consider it my personal achievement; it's more about what we can do as a team, how well we prepare.'
Given Sharks' impressive victory over Leinster and the start of Stormers' home campaign, the derby on Saturday promises to be a serious test for the attacking qualities of both teams. For Sharks, the task is clear: repeat the standards that Leinster undermined, and then raise them even higher against the familiar and very physically strong Stormers squad.