'Black and white revival on the way'

Sharks fans listen up, the resurrection of the black and whites is going to come "sooner rather than late."

That is the opinion of Cats prop Ollie le Roux who has heaped praise on the Sharks and new coach Dick Muir after their gutsy display against the Bulls.

Though the Sharks lost 23-17, they came close to toppling the semifinal contenders from Pretoria at the weekend.

It was just a few months ago that Le Roux castigated his former franchise, after an acrimonious split-up with Kevin Putt.

Le Roux hit out specifically at Putt, when he was at the helm of the Sharks, and said that there was great unhappiness in the team mainly because the players did not trust the coach.

However, the big front ranker is now singing a different tune, saying that the Sharks have the potential to reach the lofty heights of the 1990s with new coach Dick Muir.

"Even though it was Kevin Putt who got rid of me, I still love the Sharks," said Le Roux.

"I think Dick Muir has done the right thing and brought in a few old heads like Ian McIntosh, people who know what Sharks rugby is all about.

"The Sharks are playing expansive rugby and you can see that the players aren't afraid to have a go. I'm really excited about what I'm seeing," Le Roux said.

The 31-year-old added: "They played incredible rugby against the Bulls and if the Sharks can start to play consistently like they did against the Brumbies (earlier in the season) and Bulls then within a couple of years they'll be unstoppable.

"In South African rugby whenever you play the Bulls it has to start up front and the Sharks just stood up and their tight five was counted. They outplayed the Bulls."

The effort against Victor Matfield and Co was spear-headed by hooker John Smit and prop Brendon Botha but the rest of the forwards pulled their weight against the much-vaunted Bulls machine.

Locks Albert van den Berg and Johann Muller and prop Eduard Coetzee rose to the occasion as they took the fight to the visitors.

"The Sharks also made those big hits (on defence) but I think at the end during the final 20 minutes they were affected after doing all the tackling and were tired.

"Jet lag might have affected them as well."

Le Roux pleaded with Sharks fans to be patient with Muir and allow the Natal great to mould his team.

He said that it was Muir's ability to inspire players and people skills that would hold him in good stead.

"Dick has got a huge job on his hands and these are still early days, but give him a Currie Cup and more games in the Super 12, then judge him."

"For now the signs are good. He's taken a team that was struggling and instilled belief in the players. Just look at a guy like Trevor Halstead. Look at what a game he had against the Bulls.

And what about (scrumhalf) Bennie Nortje, who was close to man-of-the-match. Just look at him, Dick brought him from nowhere, and look at what belief he played with."

Though Le Roux will be out of this weekend's derby game with the Cats in Bloemfontein, as he is nursing a broken hand, he is predicting a close encounter.