Sharks becoming the URC’s new scrum powerhouse?

The Sharks some of the best statistics in the URC come scrum time. Picture: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images The Sharks are statistically becoming one of the United Rugby Championship’s best sides when it comes to scrum time, overthrowing the previous table-toppers Stormers. The Cape side built their rapid rise in this year’s URC on strong set-piece performances, winning eight matches in a row and flying high at the top of the table until they met a resurging Sharks.

The Durban Union wonboth their URC legsagainst the Stormers to drop the Cape side down to third on the table. Interim coach JP Pietersen, meanwhile, now hasfive wins out of seven gamessince taking over, and has lifted the Sharks to ninth at the middle of the table. Behind that rise has been a strong kicking game and growing set-piece dominance.

In the first leg between the Sharks and Stormers, in Cape Town, the teams were evenly matched at scrum time, with neither managing to claim dominance or force a turnover. It showed the determination of the star-studded Sharks, still missing several rested Springboks, to play closer to their potential after two poor seasons under John Plumtree. After ending the Stormers’ unbeaten run in the URC, they doubled down in front of their fans in Durban.

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In a tight affair, theydominated the aerial battleand also outperformed the Stormers at scrum time. The Sharks won four scrums against the throw, though admittedly losing three of their own. The Sharks managed this against the players who had driven the Stormers’ set-piece dominance up to that point – the likes of Neethling Fouché, JJ Kotzé, Andre-Hugo Venter and Zachary Porthen.

Could there be a changing of the guard in the set-piece? The Sharks’ front row is nothing if not impressive. Springboks Ox Nché, Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch lead the way, supported by Phatu Ganyane, Fez Mbatha, Eduan Swart, Ethan Bester and Hanro Jacobs. They have the talent to become a new scrum powerhouse in the URC.

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