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Cape Town - Sharks Director of Rugby Gary Gold has described the new Super Rugby format as “absurd”.
The Sharks have been drawn in the second South African
conference, ‘Africa Two’, which means they will play all the New Zealand sides
and none of the Australian sides during the conference stage - one of the bizarre
features of the new 18-team tournament.
In an interview with Rugby365, Gold said: “The only thing I will say about it is that when you play sports at the highest level, all you really want is a level playing field and this competition does not provide you with that.
“It is a little bit absurd, but in saying that it is what it is and there are some exciting things.”
The Sharks also have a tough tour to New Zealand ahead of them. They will face the Blues, Highlanders and Chiefs before returning to Durban to face to face the Hurricanes, before jetting off to Argentina to face the Jaguares.
“I don’t think you understand the toll it has on the bodies when you fly east to west, recover from jetlag, play a game and then fly east to west again for another game.”
But the Sharks mentor has assured fans that they have plans in place to try and make their season a success.
The Sharks are in the same conference as the Lions, Kings and the Jaguares and kick off their Super Rugby campaign on February 27 against the Kings in Port Elizabeth.
