After four season of participation in the tournament, the Sharks are confident they have learnt how to win the tight encounters.

The Sharks are preparing for a quarter-final clash against Irish side, Munster at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday, which Etzebeth believes will be settled by small margins.

The Sharks are preparing in earnest for what they hope will be a good run in the United Rugby Championship, and one that will justify their superstar billing. Etzebeth says this season the Sharks have learnt how to grind out the wins, “The play-offs can be quite a tight affair we are used to it by now and maybe last season when we ended twelfth or thirteenth we lost the tight ones and this year turned it around and we are actually winning them that’s the difference a couple of points and now you all of a sudden have a home quarter so we are used to playing in those tight games hopefully we don’t have to make it that tight but they are a quality side and it is problem going to come down to discipline on the day who has got the better goal kicker and it is going to be a very close game.”

The Sharks will have to be all in against a side like Munster, who two season's ago won the URC, away from home - they also felled the mighty La Rochelle in the Champions Cup this season away from home in a knockout game. Etzebeth knows full well that Munster is a play-off side with pedigree...

“We know Munster two seasons ago they played a semi away and a final away i'm not sure if they played a quarter away as well they are used to play-off success and winning away from home and knock-out games which are the most important everything you have done before now doesn't really count.”

--ChannelAfrica--