VIDEO: Boks dive straight back in at the Shark Tank
It was 'all smiles' at Kings Park on Wednesday, as the Sharks stepped up their preparations for the arrival of the Stormers in Durban on Saturday.
After the November international window, the URC returns with Round Seven action - one of the main features is the South African coastal derby at the Shark Tank.
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The mood, already on a high after two home wins before the break, was raised further when the victorious Springboks arrived at training on Wednesday.
Jason Jenkins, a seasoned lock on the periphery of the Bok squad, revealed that the Boks wasted no time in returning to domestic training after a month on tour with the national team.
Jenkins, 28, joined Sharks in July after seven years abroad and featured in the latter stages of the Currie Cup - playing off the bench in the dramatic win over the Lions in the Final at Ellis Park.
He featured in all five of the Sharks' URC games this season - becoming a mainstay in the absence of the Springboks on tour in the early stages of the tournament.
They started with a 30-36 loss to Connacht in Galway, followed by a 33-30 win over the Dragons in Newport and a horror (28-point (10-38) loss to Benetton in Treviso.
Back home - with their Boks back in the Shark Tank - they edged defending champions Glasgow Warriors 28-24 and demolished Irish powerhouse Munster 41-24.
Jenkins played off the bench in both home games back in October.
Now, after a month-long break, the Sharks are determined to make Kings Park a 'special place" again and a tough place for visiting teams.
(WATCH as burly forward Jason Jenkins chats to @king365ed about the return of the Springboks to the Shark Tank.....)
"The whole squad has bought into that," he told @rugby365com, adding: "Even the guys [Springboks] coming back in from national duty."
With the Sharks all on the same page, they will be keen to 'keep the momentum' they built up before the break.
"Winning this weekend will put us in a good place and put us on the front foot," he said about their return to the Champions Cup - after having to qualify for Europe's top table by winning the Challenge Cup last season.
Jenkins said any local derby is always 'personal'.
However, the Sharks need to overcome a questionable track record against their coastal rivals.
The Sharks last beat the Stormers in May 2021 - with six Stormers wins and a draw in their subsequent encounters.
"We are looking to change that," Jenkins said.
"It is a big weekend and will be tough," he said, adding: "We know what they will bring and we are looking forward to this weekend."
The Sharks had a two-week break at the beginning of November, but the past fortnight they have been hard at work preparing for the next batch of matches - including European Cup encounters with Exeter Chiefs at Kings Park (Saturday, December 7) and Leicester Tigers at Welford Road a week later.
"With the guys [Boks] coming back today [Wednesday], they slotted in very quickly and everyone knows their roles.
"It brings new energy in and it is all smiles.
"The focus is on detail and quality, so it is good to have the whole squad together."
@king365ed
@rugby365com
* Picture credit: @SharksRugby
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