Eben Etzebeth has emphasised the importance of the Sharks winning the EPCR Challenge Cup and securing safe passage back to the Champions Cup next season.
The Sharks tackle Ulster in the Vodacom URC at Kings Park on Saturday, with John Plumtree’s charges languishing at the foot of the standings and unlikely to finish in the top eight.
In contrast, the Durbanites finished as the top-ranked team in Pool 1 of the Challenge Cup, and will host fellow URC opponents Zebre Parma in the last 16 on 7 April.
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The eventual winners of the competition automatically qualify for the 2024-25 Champions Cup, and speaking with Darren Maule, Sky Tshabalala and Carmen Reddy on the East Coast Radio breakfast show, Etzebeth addressed the Sharks’ ambitions while sharing a few lighter moments.
“We would like to win that competition because obviously that gives us the free pass into the Champions Cup next year, and that is where we want to play our European rugby,” the Springbok enforcer said. “We’re looking forward to it.”
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