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Cape Town - Springbok back Butch James is hungry for Currie Cup success with the Golden Lions after South Africa failed in their bid to successfully defend the Webb Ellis Cup.
The Boks lost 11-9 to Australia in the quarter-finals on Sunday and James admits he's had some sleepless night over the narrow loss. Despite having 75% of possession, the South Africans somehow managed to end up on the wrong side on the scoreboard.
"I have probably never been so shattered after a match. The closest feeling to that was 2007's Super 14 final," James told the Beeld newspaper, referring to the final when the then Bulls wing Bryan Habana snatched a late try to break the Sharks' hearts in Durban.
"I'm not sleeping well and wakes up every hour thinking about what could have gone right for us.
"I think our game against Australia was the best in the tournament, but we didn't use our chances.
"We did everything we could, apart from getting points," said James.
James has been included on the Lions' bench for their Currie Cup clash against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday. And the flyhalf is eager to help the union win their first Currie Cup title since 1999.
"I have never won the Currie Cup, even though I've been in many finals. Thus, I have a lot of determination and hopefully I could be part of it.
"The guys are playing well, so it will be tough for me to get into the starting team. But I'm hungry to play, because since the Super Rugby tournament I've only played about 100 minutes of rugby."
Teams:
Sharks:
15 Pat Lambie, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Stefan Terblanche, 12 Marius Joubert, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Conrad Hoffmann, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Keegan Daniel (captain), 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Jean Deysel, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Eugene van Staden.
Substitutes: Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Willem Alberts, Jacques Botes, Ross Cronje, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, JP Pietersen.
Golden Lions:
15 Jaco Taute, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Dylan des Fountain, 12 Doppies la Grange, 11 James Kamana, 10 Burton Francis, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Joshua Strauss (captain), 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Michael Rhodes, 4 Wikus van Heerden, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Martin Bezuidenhout, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg
Substitutes: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Patric Cilliers, 18 Franco van der Merwe, 19 Derick Minnie, 20 Elton Jantjies, 21 Butch James, 22 Michael Killian
The Boks lost 11-9 to Australia in the quarter-finals on Sunday and James admits he's had some sleepless night over the narrow loss. Despite having 75% of possession, the South Africans somehow managed to end up on the wrong side on the scoreboard.
"I have probably never been so shattered after a match. The closest feeling to that was 2007's Super 14 final," James told the Beeld newspaper, referring to the final when the then Bulls wing Bryan Habana snatched a late try to break the Sharks' hearts in Durban.
"I'm not sleeping well and wakes up every hour thinking about what could have gone right for us.
"I think our game against Australia was the best in the tournament, but we didn't use our chances.
"We did everything we could, apart from getting points," said James.
James has been included on the Lions' bench for their Currie Cup clash against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday. And the flyhalf is eager to help the union win their first Currie Cup title since 1999.
"I have never won the Currie Cup, even though I've been in many finals. Thus, I have a lot of determination and hopefully I could be part of it.
"The guys are playing well, so it will be tough for me to get into the starting team. But I'm hungry to play, because since the Super Rugby tournament I've only played about 100 minutes of rugby."
Teams:
Sharks:
15 Pat Lambie, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Stefan Terblanche, 12 Marius Joubert, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Conrad Hoffmann, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Keegan Daniel (captain), 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Jean Deysel, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Eugene van Staden.
Substitutes: Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Willem Alberts, Jacques Botes, Ross Cronje, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, JP Pietersen.
Golden Lions:
15 Jaco Taute, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Dylan des Fountain, 12 Doppies la Grange, 11 James Kamana, 10 Burton Francis, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Joshua Strauss (captain), 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Michael Rhodes, 4 Wikus van Heerden, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Martin Bezuidenhout, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg
Substitutes: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Patric Cilliers, 18 Franco van der Merwe, 19 Derick Minnie, 20 Elton Jantjies, 21 Butch James, 22 Michael Killian
