Neil Powell eyes URC title to define first Sharks season

After nine years at the helm of the Blitzboks, with three World Sevens Series titles, two Commonwealth Games gold medals and Olympics and Rugby World Cup Sevens bronze medals, Powell vacated his seat and moved to Durban in early 2023.

With two games remaining in the URC before the playoffs, Powell tells SABC Sport despite the challenges ahead, the Sharks are determined to win the competition.

"We were hoping to obviously win that game against Toulouse and get ourselves in the semifinal of the Heineken Cup. Unfortunately, we came short there, and now we want to go all the way in the URC," said Powell.

"I think we do have the squad to do it. We understand that if we get ourselves into the quarterfinal, and we go all the way, we most likely will play all those games away because of where we're sitting on the log.

"But the guys are really keen to make the best of the games that are left, and then hopefully we'll still get a quarterfinal, semis and the final, but that will all be away [from home].

"And we think we really want to still do well in the URC and see if we can get ourselves, at least, the opportunity to play for the cup and get ourselves in the final."