Now that the dust is settling on “Gastrogate”, the reality for the Sharks is that it is back to business for the team that excelled on tour and the next stop on their travels is Pretoria, where the Bulls lie in wait on Sunday.
Most of the tourists were going to be rested for the abandoned game against Ulster last week because it was a rare weekend in the United Rugby Championship when the Sharks’ large contingent of Springboks would have been available, but they are busy packing for Dublin, and prop Ntuthuko Mchunu says the players left behind can’t wait to saddle up for Loftus.
“While the Boks were away (in the Rugby Championship) we had an excellent (eight-week) pre-season and then we went on tour and we grew so much as a squad,” the 23-year-old loosehead prop said. “There was a lot of bonding on and off the field. We had two wins and put up a great fight against Leinster. All in all, it was an awesome tour and the same group is travelling again to the Bulls.
“When the Boks were back with us (for the Glasgow Warriors match and last week before the Ulster game) they fed the energy in the team,” Mchunu said of the likes of Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, and Makazola Mapimpi.
“When you have World Cup winners coming in, you soak up so much information and experience. They are good guys on and off the field, and they lift the mood and challenge standards.”
Mchunu is himself a Bok, having been given his debut in the series against Wales in July but now his focus is on the Bulls.
“The combinations in the team worked very well on tour and we want to maintain that spirit we had overseas,” he said. “We are nice and fresh after having no game last week and the up side is that we have done so much preparation for playing a big side.
“We were so well prepared for Ulster and now we have built on that prep for the Bulls. But going to Loftus is never easy. The South African teams always front up for the derbies and we know they are going to really ‘bring it’, but we will front up too!”
The last time the Sharks were at Loftus they suffered the heartbreak of a last-minute quarter-final defeat to the Bulls, but Mchunu says this visit is not about revenge.
“No, that game is in the past,” Mchunu said. “This is just another big game, as they always are up there, and it is another very important game in the competition. It is special in that it is a derby, but we want to win every game we play.”
IOL Sport