There’s no denying the value of playing at home in front of a home crowd, the invaluable support the team receives and the energy they take from their passionate supporters.
Which is exactly what the Hollywoodbets Sharks will embrace as they return to Durban this weekend when they host the visiting Ulster side at Hollywoodbets Kings Park.
The early weeks of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship have been challenging, there’s no denying just how tough the Hollywoodbets Sharks had it, playing their opening three games in Europe, having the disruption of losing their Springboks to the winning Castle Lager Rugby Championship cause, a sizable injury toll and a short turnaround time between the Carling Currie Cup and the new season.
All of which are not excuses, but they certainly provide food for thought when analysing the early season statistics.
And what of the champions? Leinster came to South Africa, without numerous British & Irish Lions internationals and found the going just as tough, losing to the DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls in their two-week tour, finishing the opening fortnight of the competition near the bottom of the log.
Does that make them a bad side?
No, because they returned home, were boosted by five returning internationals and defeated the Hollywoodbets Sharks – at home.
Hollywoodbets Sharks head coach John Plumtree expressed his disappointment after the game, saying, “Obviously we’re really disappointed, we weren’t good enough and we have a massive job ahead of us in the next two weeks, a couple of home games at Hollywoodbets Kings Park and we have to work really hard and get into this competition.
“It was always going to be a tough tour for us with all the disruptions, but there are no excuses. We have to get back home and play very well in front of our fans.”
And that’s exactly what they will look to do for their first home game of the campaign this Saturday.
Because… home ground advantage.
Of the 24 scheduled fixtures, two games were postponed, and there was one draw (the Hollywoodbets Sharks against the Dragons), and of the remaining 21 games completed, just two went the way of the visiting side.
Meaning that home ground advantage accounted for a 90% success rate for the hosts.
Indeed, the Hollywoodbets Sharks made Hollywoodbets Kings Park their fortress last season, winning eight of their nine games, including the quarter-final against Munster – their only loss was to the eventual champions.
But they took that energy and passion from the crowd to deliver victories over past winners the DHL Stormers, Munster and Glasgow Warriors to underline the value of playing at home.
Ulster present a formidable challenge, but Fortress Hollywoodbets Kings Park awaits, as do the motivated Hollywoodbets Sharks and an impassioned and fervent support base.
