Sharks full of belief ahead of Connacht Challenge Cup clash

The Durban outfit goes into the match in good form on the back of two wins in the United Rugby Championship but go up against a Connacht side that has not lost since January.

The two sides are ninth and 10th in the URC standings and there is very little to separate them on paper but the trip to Ireland makes the Sharks narrow underdogs in the Challenge Cup clash.

The Sharks became the first South African team to win a European competition when they won the Challenge Cup in the 2023/24 season and are eager to go deep in the competition again.

"We're really excited for this game, it's knock-out rugby and we know we need to win to progress further in the tournament," Hatton told the media after the team touched down in Ireland.

"We're excited for this opportunity, but we know it's not an easy place to go play. However, we believe in our systems and we also believe we have a good chance to do something special there.

"We know it will be tough there, but it is always tough against Connacht. However, we're really up for this exciting challenge.

"We had a good few days of prep in Durban and the boys are ready to go.

"We know it's going to take a team and squad effort, because these two competitions demand a strong squad on both fronts.

"So we're looking forward to what we can put out on Friday night.

"We'll be giving everything to get the result in our favour."