Playing the Crusaders at the neutral venue of Twickenham will give the Sharks a helping hand

Playing the Crusaders at the neutral venue of Twickenham will give the Sharks a helping hand, reckons captain John Smit, but they will nevertheless have to pull serious finger if they hope to live with the red-hot, seven-time champions.

“Playing them in London is a little less frightening than playing them in Christchurch, but only marginally so, and if we don’t up our intensity from the disappointing levels of the Chiefs match last week, we will be in big trouble,” Smit said. “At least Twickenham won’t have the Crusaders’ knights riding around on horses before kick-off and smoke billowing all over the place. At least I don’t think they are bringing their horses!”

Smit said he felt for the Kiwis having to play away from home after their historic AMI Stadium (once famously known as Lancaster Park) was ruled out of rugby for the remainder of the year because of earthquake damage.

“Even when they play at the smaller grounds in their region, it won’t be quite the same, and the crowds will not be more than 10 000 or so. But these guys are nevertheless playing great rugby. The tragedy in their home city has rallied the Crusaders players,” Smit said.

The Sharks were in Melbourne preparing for their second tour match against the Rebels when the London match was first proposed and they soon warmed to the idea.

“It is indicative of our group of players that it did not take long for us to get excited about a unique match. It is something different and we would go home a week early but above all this match gives us the opportunity to give a little something back to the people of Christchurch,” he said.

“When you are over there in Australia and New Zealand, as we were, then you realise how big an affect the earthquake had on Christchurch. The trauma was huge,” the Springbok captain continued. “For us to go to London is a small thing if it gives us a chance to help (five pounds from each ticket sold go to the fund set up to help victims).”

Smit pointed out that the match has generated excitement amongst Kiwis and South Africans living in London.

“Many people follow Super Rugby on TV in the UK. There are 900 000 South Africans and 250 000 New Zealanders over there and many of them will jump at the chance to see a competition game first hand. The word from London is that it will be packed out (30 000 of the 55 000 tickets on sale were sold by Tuesday),” he said.

The Sharks team named to play the Crusaders has Jacques-Louis Potgieter in at flyhalf for injured Patrick Lambie while Springbok right wing JP Pietersen will make his return from injury from the bench.

Prop Eugene van Staden, who was injured in the Sharks’ home match against the Cheetahs, is over injury and is on the bench in place of Craig Burden (Smit will cover hooker). In another change to the bench, lock Gerhard Mostert is in for Anton Bresler

Sharks – 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Stefan Terblanche, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9. Charl McLeod, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Keegan Daniel, 5 Alistair Hargreaves, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 John Smit (capt).

Substitutes: Eugene van Staden, Tendai Mtawarira, Gehard Mostert, Jacques Botes, Conrad Hoffmann, Adrian Jacobs, JP Pietersen.

by Mike Greenaway www.iol.co.za