Fearless former Southern Kings flyer Yaw Penxe has been praised by Sharks coach Sean Everitt for his brave chasing of contestable kicks during his team’s narrow win over the Cheetahs last week.
After being left unemployed after the Kings were liquidated, Komani-born Penxe grabbed his lifeline at the Sharks with both hands after being signed.
After catching the eye in a Springbok trial match at Newlands shortly after the Kings’ demise, Penxe’s career has taken off in Durban.
Everitt has described Penxe as a special talent and his efforts in the Bok trial clash won him high praise from SA assistant coaches Mzwandile Stick and Deon Davids.
Thanks to a hard-fought 19-13 win over the Cheetahs in a humid Durban on Friday, the Sharks are joint second on 13 points with the Stormers on the Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked log.
Everitt said he was pleased with how his side had dealt with the sticky conditions which made handling the ball difficult at Kings Park.
Because of the conditions, the Sharks opted for a kicking game, with Curwin Bosch putting the Cheetahs’ backs under pressure with his contestable kicks.
It was here that Penxe and Werner Kok shone in chasing down Bosch’s accurate kicks.
“It was difficult conditions out there and it was a physical contest as you can see by the scoreline,” Everitt said.
“There are different ways that you can combat humidity.
“We felt that kicking contestable kicks would be the way to do it.
“Trying to hold the ball in close quarters in high humidity is extremely difficult.
“If you go back and look at the game we played against the Bulls before we went overseas at the beginning of the year, it was very similar to that.
“It is extremely difficult to hold on to the ball.
“When you have a flyhalf like Curwin, the team look at him for direction and to control the play.
“In these difficult conditions, he did an excellent job and that’s why he got man of the match.
“His kicking was pinpoint.
“I don’t want to take anything away from the wings because Werner and Yaw, as well as Madosh Tambwe when he came on, chased really well and put the Cheetahs under a lot of pressure.
“Curwin is playing with a lot of confidence and when we get our contestable kicks right, we are a difficult team to play against.”
Everitt said the Sharks pack had learnt its lessons from a loss to the Bulls earlier in the campaign.
“It is hats off to our pack.
“They have worked extremely hard and learnt hard lessons against the Bulls.
“There is nothing better than just working hard at something you are not good at.
“You saw the huge improvement last week and I was so happy that they were able to bring it against the Cheetahs, who offered a different challenge from the Pumas.
“I am really proud of how the boys have reacted.”
The Sharks will be looking to build on their success in Durban when they travel to play a struggling Griquas side in Kimberley on Friday.
In their previous game the winless Griquas outfit were hammered 39-6 by the Stormers at home.
This week’s fixtures.
Friday: Griquas v Sharks (7pm).
Saturday: Lions v Pumas (4.30pm), Stormers v Cheetahs (7pm).
HeraldLIVE
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