Impi happy to fly under the radar
The KwaZulu-Natal side are sitting pretty at the top of the standings, having claimed victories against Wits, UWC and Fort Hare to open up a five point gap between themselves and second-placed Wits.
Coach Michael Horak believes the on-field success is a result of the off-field bond his players have.
"The boys have been playing very well and have grown with each game. We had some tough challenges but it is pleasing to see the unique culture, ethos and the amazing friendship between the players.
"There has been a massive commitment and desire to play for each other that has really been special and become a determining factor in getting us out of difficult situations. We have had to come form behind in two matches and I think the closeness of the group has played a critical role.
"The group of players we have are not worried about being individuals, we are a unit. The beauty of the Varsity Shield is that we can fly under the radar and get on with our business without having a lot of exposure like there is in the Cup competition. The boys are good friends and they understand that the group is much stronger than an individual.
"The Shield is a great competition and allows the players to experience the life of professional players but it's hard because the players need to handle the various expectations. At the moment, our big ambition is to play with the big league teams [in the Varsity Cup] and we have that chance with the promotion/relegation this year," Horak told rugby365.com.
The competition won't get any easier for the Impi as they head to Pretoria to face TUT-Vikings on Thursday, February 18 for their fourth match on the trot.
"The logistics of the competition is open to debate but those are the cards we have been dealt and we need to adjust to it but we are looking forward to the challenge that TUT brings. They played well against UWC in a hard-fought game [on Monday] and we know it's going to be tough because they are a proud university.
"We play for the respect of each other and looking forward to a really tough contest in Pretoria. As the tournament goes, the quality of rugby increases because there is more cohesion and the execution is better from all the sides.
"As it stands, I refuse to look too far ahead because if we do, we will come short at the end of the day. We are trying to keep our feet on the ground, work at our utmost capacity and have as much fun together as possible.
"That's the objectives of our season and that's what we will stay true to. It's never about the results, it's about doing the little things right and letting the result take care of itself," he added.
By Tauriq Ebrahim
