The Sharks are peaking at the right time as they prepare to host the Lions in their Currie Cup semifinal on Saturday afternoon, assistant coach Dick Muir believes.
The Sharks finished the regular season in second place on the Currie Cup log, having lost only once, to top-of-the-table Western Province, but Muir has been somewhat frustrated by their performances this season.
"The biggest disappointment for us so far is that we haven't really put a full 80 minutes together." Muir told KweséESPN.
"We've played well at stages and poorly at stages."
This was epitomized during the Sharks' loss to Western Province, with the Durban-based team taking the lead in the first minute and later scoring three unanswered tries later in their 50-28 defeat.
The good passages of play, however, have been encouraging for Muir and the rest of the coaching staff, despite the frustrations.
"The potential of this group is enormous and we're under-performing so far as far as the team is concerned," Muir said.
"So, there's an opportunity to improve, and I really believe that the guys are starting to peak at the right time."
The Sharks will be hoping to harness that potential to gain revenge on Western Province; not only for this season's loss but also last year's final in Durban.
Asked if the result of last year's final adds motivation to the Sharks to get to a potential final at Newlands and upset the defending champions, Muir was quick to respond: "Absolutely it does.
"Last year the Sharks went through similarly to Western Province. Unbeaten in the whole competition, and then fluffed it in the final.
"So, this year it has been the other way around and hopefully we can reverse the roles."
The Sharks will rely on a number of experienced players to achieve that role reversal, but the growth of less-experienced players over the course of the season has pleased former Springboks centre Muir.
"I'm really pleased with the progress with many of the players," Muir told KweséESPN.
"Marius Louw has played exceptional rugby, Jeremy Ward has played well. A guy like Curwin Bosch is starting to find his form. I think Louis Schreuder is starting to show what he can do. And that's mainly in the backline.
"In the forwards, Akker van der Merwe is playing exceptional rugby. For him to be starting ahead of the captain says something around his performance. But, it's also horses for courses."
The Sharks will host the Lions in Durban on Saturday afternoon for a place in the Currie Cup final. The winner will play either Western Province or the Blue Bulls, who lock horns on Saturday evening.