Following the break, due to the end of year international fixtures, the Vodacom United Rugby Championship rugby returns this weekend with the Cell C Sharks hosting Cardiff Rugby at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Sunday evening.
While test rugby took centre stage, the Cell C Sharks have been hard at work behind the scenes, preparing for this week’s first game back.
“The break couldn’t have come at a better time,” explains Cell C Sharks flank Vincent Tshituka. “I feel refreshed and ready to go and that goes for all the players.”
It’s action-aplenty in the coming weeks and months with both the URC competition and then there’s the Heineken Champions Cup which kicks off in early December.
“As a team, our focus is on a massive squad effort because it’s going to take the entire squad for us to be at our best and compete and do well in both competitions. We’ve been working hard on getting everyone up to par and at a world class performance level,” he explains.
Right now, squad depth is vital for a Cell C Sharks team missing close on 10 players to the Springbok cause.
“It’s an honour for any team to have as many Springboks as they can, that’s the purpose of the unions: to create as many world class players as possible. We’re fortunate that we have nine on international duty and that allows everybody an opportunity to play. These next 10 to 12 weeks are going to take a massive squad effort with a lot of travel thrown in.
“So while we would like to have our Springboks back, it’s also a good opportunity for others to get game time under the belt.”
Although a busy programme beckons – both home and away in Europe – Tshituka admits that the focus is on the here and now, rather than what’s to come over the next few weeks and months.
“We’re taking it week by week because when you look too far forward, you run the danger of losing sight of what’s ahead of us right now. So our focus is on the next two games against the European teams (Cardiff and Ospreys), and then we will re-focus our attention.”
Talking specifics, he explains that the focus this week has been around the challenge they face from Cardiff.
“The set-piece battle will be massive this week, they have a strong set-piece from where a lot of their game is derived.
“We’ve been working hard in training on the avenues we feel we could be better at. We want to deliver a world class performance for the full 80 minutes.”
He’s relishing the new life he’s enjoying in Durban and admits that he’s embracing every challenge he’s given as well as set for himself.
“I’m definitely finding my feet, although at the beginning, coming back from injury it did take longer than expected, but I’m in a good space now.
“One of the reasons for coming to The Sharks was the depth and competition, and this was an opportunity to hold myself to a world class standard, amongst world class players. This constantly keeps me pushing to be at my best and helps me to find my best form.”