MARK KEOHANE

The Sharks, in the South African derbies, took two steps forward and a big one backwards. This weekend they can’t afford a second successive step backwards or they can write off being a contender for the United Rugby Championship’s Race to Eight.

The Sharks, desperately disappointing in the first two months of the league, stunned the Stormers in Cape Town and Durban in back-to-back coastal derbies and then took a beating against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

Another defeat, especially at home, will be a hammer blow to their play-off aspirations. More than that it will be a body blow to JP Pietersen, whose caretaker coaching role was made permanent after the wins against the Stormers.

All four South African teams are at home, which is a bit of a rarity in the complex nature of the rugby calendar. They get to do so next weekend before the URC, having completed 14 rounds, pauses for another two weeks to accommodate the Investec Champions Cup last 16 and last eight play-offs.

Then it’s back to another two weeks of URC, a pause for the Champions Cup semi-finals, and another two weeks to complete the 18-match league stage before the final of the Champions Cup in late May.

Only then are we into URC play-off territory for June.

If that is a tough read, even exhausting, it emphasises the different mental challenges for the players: attempting to excel in two competitions while alternately experiencing enforced competitive inactivity because they are no longer in the Champions Cup or the EPCR Challenge Cup.

The Sharks host Ireland’s Munster and it comes at a good time for the hosts because several key Irish internationals will be rested after a five-match Six Nations campaign.

Munster traditionally travel well, though it was in Durban where they conceded 50 points in a Champions Cup match the season they won the URC. They also played their part in the dramatic first-ever penalty shootout in last season’s URC quarter-final in Durban. Neither they nor the Sharks could break the 24-all deadlock after 100 minutes, which included two 10 minute extra-time halves.

Scrumhalf and goalkicker Bradley Davids provided the match-winning penalty kick and Davids is the reserve scrumhalf on Saturday. He provides goalkicking security to starting flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse.

The powerful Springboks midfield pairing of captain Andre Esterhuizen and Ethan Hooker will be central to any Sharks success. Esterhuizen has been the most imposing No 12 in the league and Hooker, who is as good on the wing as he is at No 13, was recently named South African Young Player of the Year.

The Sharks match 23 has some big-name Springboks on show, with props Ox Nche and Vincent Koch to be used as finishers.

Any team with this luxury should not be basement dwellers in the league.

The Lions and Edinburgh always entertain, but the Lions must show the same maturity, discipline and composure that won them the SA Shield with four wins from six in the South African derbies. I believe they will.

Any team with Springboks captain Siya Kolisi leading its pack should always be spoken of as a title contender.

There are 11 Springboks in the match 23 and, playing at home, they must deliver an inspirational performance, individually and collectively.

The Bulls, at home to Cardiff, are another of the South African teams who cannot drop any more home matches, given they were well beaten by the Stormers a week ago.

The Lions and Edinburgh always entertain, but the Lions must show the same maturity, discipline and composure that won them the SA Shield with four wins from six in the South African derbies. I believe they will.

John Dobson’s Stormers complete the South African schedule on Sunday against the Welsh Dragons from Newport, who have never won in South Africa.

The Dragons have been tough at home, but on the road they don’t breathe the same fire.

Expect the Stormers, second in the league, to win and consolidate their top two standing, with the possibility of going first should leaders Glasgow lose to Leinster.