Sharks must move on from playing rugby without the ball against Ospreys – Mongalo

THE Sharks recently won two crucial games overseas because of their never-say-die defence, and when they add fluidity on attack, they will be a tough team to beat.

- MIKE GREENAWAY

That is the opinion of assistant coach Joey Mongalo ahead of Friday night’s home United Rugby Championship match against the Ospreys. It is the Sharks’ penultimate league game before the encroaching quarter-finals, and they urgently need their attacking game to come alive.

The Sharks have a world class pack of forwards and a Springbok-studded backline, but key players have only just returned to the team and the sum is not yet bigger than the its parts.

"We pretty much played rugby without the ball," Mongalo said, of the away wins over Edinburgh and Ulster.

"Nobody takes up rugby and says, ‘You have the ball, I don’t want it.’ Of course we want our attack to hit its potential.

"But the way our defence stood up overseas says a lot," Mongalo said.