Sharks veteran forward Stefan Lewis stated that the team is on a wave of confidence following a hard-fought victory over Lyon, and they are now preparing for the United Rugby Championship match against Cardiff this Friday.
Speaking to the press ahead of Friday's clash, Lewis shared his impressions of the young Sharks team's character during last week's game in France. The team secured a memorable win by scoring after the final whistle, despite being composed of young players.
Lewis noted: 'To travel to France, into a hostile environment, far from home, and achieve a victory is something special.' He added that sometimes young players do not realize what they have achieved, but for many of them, this will likely be the case. 'But what makes us happy is how we continued to fight despite the score, we led and trailed, and to play a full match in 80 or 82 minutes to score and win with such a young group, I think we can be proud of that and build on it in the future.'
The experienced defensive player emphasized that overcoming difficulties in intense games builds invaluable resilience within the squad: 'When it gets a little tougher, you can remember those victories when you were relentless and fought until the end... and you gain the confidence that you can do it again.'
Summarizing the upcoming game at Cardiff Arms Park on Friday evening, assistant coach Warren Whiteley confirmed that the returning Springboks players have fully integrated into the squad since their arrival on Sunday during the tour.
Addressing the tactical challenges posed by the Welsh team under former Cheetahs defender Cornéel van Zyl, Whiteley highlighted the set-piece battle as a key moment. Whiteley observed: 'This is a quality, strong team, and we know that Cornéel has extensive experience regarding the set-piece, especially in out-of-side play. He is a very insightful out-side coach and very smart. It will be a huge battle, and it will be one of the most important areas of the game.'
The team will also have to cope with Cardiff's 4G artificial turf, a characteristic Lewis admitted players rarely like. Lewis said with a smile: 'I prefer grass. I think there are small nuances regarding the ball bounce being slightly higher... so when there is contact, you need to be more vigilant about placing the ball on the turf, it stays there a bit longer. But ultimately, it is rugby between four lines. You cannot change that; both teams play on the same surface.'
With momentum, growing belief among the young squad, and backing from the national team, Sharks intend to maintain their fast, physical, and tireless style of play under the floodlights in the Welsh capital on Friday evening.