Sharks seek the desperation needed to get off their deathbed

If you are given a 10 per cent chance of achieving something, and if you accept those odds, you would be heading into the challenge with more hope than expectation. There’d be no hope at all though without a level of desperation, and that cues the Hollywoodbets Sharks.

When the Durbanites were beaten 21-17 in their round 15 Vodacom URC clash most accepted that it was the death-knell to their slender chances of making it into the playoffs and, perhaps more importantly, qualifying for next year’s Investec Champions Cup by finishing in the top eight of the primary competition.

Sharks defence coach Joey Mongalo agrees that the faint mathematical chance of still making it is close to unrealistic, but close is not the same as saying it is completely unrealistic.

And according to him, the Sharks woke up on Sunday morning thinking that all hope had gone - only to realise that they are not completely out of yet, even though they now trail the eighth-placed team, the Vodacom Bulls, by 11 points.

Meaning two bonus point wins plus one with just three matches to play in the regular season.

And that, he says, has given the players some new life - in the sense that it has given them at least something to play for when they meet Edinburgh, coached by former Sharks coach Sean Everitt, at The Hive in Edinburgh on Friday night.

“After losing the Ospreys game, we thought we were dead and out of the URC. But if you look at it now, we’ve still got a 10 per cent chance,” he said from the UK on Tuesday.

“What we’ve said is, imagine you’re on your deathbed and you thought you were gone, but someone tells you you’ve got a 10 per cent chance of living. That’s our chance of making the playoffs. So we need to play with that desperation. The desperation of someone fighting to stay alive is how we need to approach this game.”

ATTACK IS STILL THE ACHILLES HEEL

As defence coach, Mongalo isn’t in charge of the area that should be the main concern for the Sharks. In Bridgend against the Ospreys it was a familiar story from the Sharks - there was plenty of grunt from the forwards, particularly in the mauls but also in the set scrums before uncontested scrums were called by referee Mike Adamson, but outside of that there wasn’t much to enthuse about when it comes to their attacking game.

The lack of attacking shape has been recognised by the Sharks’ powers that be, although where it really came to light for them was in the audit that has seen several changes decided on for next season.

With the action taken being that this will be Dave Williams’s last few matches as attack coach before he is shifted sideways into a rugby general manager position during the off-season.

As it so happens, the Sharks are facing their new attack coach on Friday night - Scott Mathie, who has coached DHS and Griquas and is currently working as Everitt’s attack coach at Edinburgh, will be plotting to unlock the Sharks’ defensive system.

In turn, Mongalo will be trying to blunt the threat scripted by his future ally and fellow management member.

Mongalo though sung from what is now a very familiar hymn sheet when explaining to the media what happened in Bridgend.

Not for the first time either, the media were told that there were signs of encouragement. It has been a weekly refrain from various Sharks coaches for almost as long as can be remembered.

“We had a really honest and good review after the Ospreys game. We felt it was an opportunity where we left a whole bunch of chances out there,” he said.

“Our systems and processes got us into scoring positions, but we just couldn’t get over the line.

We created a lot of opportunities and kicked really well, so we felt we had enough territory and possession to win that game.”

WHY MAKING TOP EIGHT IS SUCH A LONG SHOT FROM HERE

That is true, but that is also not new, and the failure to address the problem is why the Sharks, although they may still have a pulse, are expecting to be flatlining this time next week, when an 11 point gap between them and the playoff bracket will be too much for them to make up in two games.

The reality is that the other teams have to make it to 49 points to be safe from any miracle work from the Durbanites, who are on 34, meaning a 15 point gap.

The Lions, on 48, are just one point away from safety, and will be out of reach of the Sharks if they beat Connacht in Johannesburg.

Cardiff, currently seventh, will go beyond 49 too if they win at home to the Ospreys, as will the winner of the game between Munster and Ulster.

Connacht, currently ninth, will be beyond the Sharks too if they win with a bonus point in Johannesburg, so there isn't much wriggle room for the Sharks - and that is before we even get to the point that they will need to be perfect for the rest of the season for any of the above to matter.

Mongalo is right, it is probably at best a 10 per cent chance, but at least the Sharks can go down with a fight.

They've won close games against Edinburgh on their last two visits to the Scottish capital - 22-19 in 2023 and 18-17 in 2025.

Every point is carrying weight now 👀

Nothing settled in the Race To The Eight 🔥@Vodacom #URC | #RaceToTheEight pic.twitter.com/qQzQJvGvka
— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) April 19, 2026