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Jake: We have enough in us

Cape Town - Despite their untimely defeat to the Stormers, Sharks Director of Rugby Jake White remains confident that they can win Super Rugby.

A Jaco Taute drop-goal after the final hooter helped the Stormers snatch a dramatic 21-19 victory over the Sharks at Kings Park last weekend, leaving the home side hanging on to their log-leading position by a thread.

The Sharks' lead at the summit has now been whittled down to two points over the Waratahs and four over the Crusaders, both of whom have a game in hand.

While admitting the loss was not ideal, White is happy that they still have their destiny on their own hands.

“It’s not ideal, we probably dropped the baton a bit after all that hard work we put in on tour,” White told the Sharks' official website.

“This is a tough competition to win, the margins are so small between victory and defeat and we could easily have been the winners and not the losers on this occasion. That is the reality and there is a lot more rugby to be played and who knows what could still happen?

“We’re still top of the log and I still believe there is enough in us for us to win the competition.

 “I have always said that a lot of things can happen in this competition and that is why you just have to keep trying to win every game in front of you and not look at log positions. This result is not ideal for us but a lot of things will still happen in Super Rugby. Don’t forget, this Sharks team lost to Western Province in the Currie Cup late last year and a few weeks later won the final in Cape Town.

“The reason for this loss is not down to just one thing. I think it’s a lot of things and I am not going to make excuses. A Frans Steyn kick that went over would have made us the winners. If Charl’s (McLeod) kick at the end had bounced out it would have been me doing the winner’s press conference.”

The Sharks will end their regular season campaign with two away games - against the Cheetahs, (Free State Stadium, July 5) and Stormers, (Newlands, July 12).
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