Deon Slabbert return boosts Sharks before Lions Currie Cup tie

Deon Slabbert’s return gives the Sharks a timely boost before their round-six meeting with the Lions in the 2026 Currie Cup on 21 August. The Sharks enter the fixture with two wins and three defeats from their last five matches.

Their recent run began with a 1-4 loss to Shonan Bellmare, followed by a 1-0 victory over Kashiwa Reysol. They then suffered a 2-6 defeat against the same opponent before beating V-Varen Nagasaki 1-0. Their most recent match ended in a 0-4 loss to Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

That sequence leaves the Sharks looking for greater consistency when the Lions arrive. Slabbert’s return comes at a point when the team has alternated between wins and losses across its last five results, without putting together consecutive victories.

The Lions have produced the steadier recent record. They have won two of their past five matches, drawn twice and lost once, giving them five points from that sequence of results.

The Lions opened that run with a 1-1 draw against Gainare Tottori and then edged Thespakusatsu Gunma 1-0. A 0-2 defeat by Omiya Ardija followed, before draws against Ventforet Kofu and a 3-2 win over Parceiro Nagano.

The contrast in recent form sets up a sixth-round contest in which the Sharks will try to turn Slabbert’s return into a positive result. The Lions arrive having avoided defeat in their last two matches, while the Sharks last played their way to victory against V-Varen Nagasaki.