May 23, 2008

Zululand OBSERVER

	Crunch time for Sharks Johann Muller - pre-match confidence Carl de Villiers PLAY-OFFS leave no room for error. This may be stating the obvious, but is still crucial in the mindset of the Sharks when they trot onto the Sydney war zone in the Super 14 semi-final against the Waratahs. Captain Johann Muller was pleased with the momentum his squad gained at the weekend when they convincingly ousted the Chiefs in Durban. One thing about the Sharks was the clinical ruthlessness they showed and that comes about from laying a platform first. 'It's something we really worked hard on, retaining ball and to have patience in our attack and that was something that showed against the Chiefs,' Muller said. Tough task 'The Waratahs especially are a side who counter-attack well and they can keep the ball through 20 or 30 phases if they want to, so it's something we have to work hard on, to retain ball possession.' The team has admitted that during the course of the season, the only match where they were really outplayed was against the Waratahs in Sydney. That, coupled with the Sharks' poor record in their other away matches, will weigh heavily on their minds when the showdown gets underway at noon (SA time) on Saturday. 'It's going to be tough, let's be honest. We had to fly over, have five days to prepare and we're playing a good side, so certainly, it is going to be tough. But as the guys showed in the past two matches, when we are under pressure, we perform at our best,' Muller added. 'Obviously a semi-final comes with huge pressure, but I think the guys will be ready and up for it, we're really excited.'