Aphelele Fassi has been in good form for the Sharks, Picture: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images
South Africa’s Sharks will become their country’s first team to play in a European Cup semi-final when they take on French side Clermont Auvergne at London’s Twickenham Stoop Stadium in the Challenge Cup on Saturday, with kick-off at 1.30pm.
John Plumtree’s Sharks team have hit good form of late after initially struggling in the United Rugby Championship and are now just two wins away from lifting a major European club rugby title. The winner of the match will take on the victor between Gloucester and Benetton.
Here are some of the major facts and figures you need to know about the game in London:
For the Sharks, Curwin Bosch (46) has scored the most points in the competition, followed by new flyhalf sensation Siya Masuku, with 28. The top tackler has been flanker James Venter with 52 completed tackles, followed by Phepsi Buthelezi, with 45.
Makazole Mapimpi and Lukhanyo Am have both scored four tries, while Grant Williams has made five try assists.
Am and Bosch have beaten the most defenders, 10, followed by Ox Nche, with eight. Eben Etzebeth has been the top lineout winner, with 20 takes, followed by Gerbrandt Grobler, with 18.
The lanky fullback has been in great form for the Sharks this season and his performances have been rewarded by his getting a call-up to attend the latest Springbok planning get-together on Friday, ahead of the international season.
Fassi has got himself into a number of the key categories with his performances: He has made the most running metres (355), and also carried the ball the most times for the Sharks in the Challenge Cup this season (59).
Fassie has also made the most off-loads in tackles, namely nine.
There is very little separating the two teams before their meeting at The Stoop.
In some of the key statistics, the Sharks have scored an average 5.2 tries per game, Clermont 4.7, while the Sharks have scored an average of 37.3 points per game up to now, Clermont have scored 33.7.
The Sharks have conceded an average of 8.3 penalties per game, Clermont 10.7. The Sharks have made 103 tackles and missed 11, while Clermont have made 125 and missed 118.
The Sharks have an 83.8% lineout success and 91.7% scrum success to Clermont’s 82.7% lineout and 91.7% scrum success.
In group play the Sharks beat Pau 45-5 (home), lost to the Cheetahs 29-32 (away), beat Oyonnax 38-7 (home), and beat Dragons 29-9 (away). In the last-16 they beat Zebra Parma 47-3 (home) and in the quarter-finals they beat Edinburgh 36-30 (home).
Clermont beat Edinburgh 31-18 (home), lost to Gloucester 17-28 (away), beat Scarlets 38-17 (home), beat Black Lion 36-3 (away), and then in the las-16 they beat the Cheetahs 27-22 at home and in the quarter-finals they beat Ulster 53-14, also at home.
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