Following the Cell C Sharks’ Vodacom United Rugby Championship second-round loss to the DHL Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday, the team got together to and vowed to band together collectively.
For hooker Bongi Mbonambi, the loss hurt but he also felt credit needed to be given where it was due.
“Credit to the Stormers, they played well and took their opportunities,” he said.
“The energy we showed in the warm-up was awesome, but we need to look at ourselves with some honest calls and correct it this weekend.”
While there was criticism of the loss the team suffered at the hands of the Cape side, he admitted that there is a collective belief in each other and supporting one another is the way forward.
“We had an honest chat on Monday morning, cleared everything up and made a decision as a team that whatever the talk is outside, it’s not going to influence what’s happening inside. We had honest one-on-one chats and we know what we need to get right for this weekend.”
While a loss brings disappointment, for the pack – and the front row specifically – the scrumming has been top class.
“Credit to the whole pack for bringing the energy, especially the back five who work hard to keep us honest upfront. Credit to the coaches also, they’ve put in a lot of hard work.
“But we need to bring it together, backs and forwards against the Bulls.”
With a draw and a loss behind them, this weekend presents the opportunity to fix the speedhump in the road.
“We look to get a winning result every game, but that’s easier said than done,” he explained. “But we’re working hard behind the scenes, with the buy-in of coaches and players, to make sure we’re ready for the Bulls and to come back with a good result.”
Beating the Bulls at Loftus is no easy feat and opposition wins in Pretoria are rare. What’s the key to unlocking their fortress?
“It’s never easy going to Pretoria and playing the Bulls, it’s always tough and physical, but we’re busy putting our plans together, making sure we play our part. We’ll be fresh and ready to go on Saturday.
“For us it’s about repeating what we’ve done well in recent games and getting all the players to pull together.”
On a personal level, since arriving in Durban from Cape Town, he admitted that he’s happy at the Cell C Sharks.
“I’ve settled in well, it’s a great environment, a very professional set-up and I like the fact that driving into the Sharks Tank, everything is here, around you.
“We enjoy each other’s company as players as well, but we also work hard and then make our way home.”