final at Ellis Park. A 21-15 Currie Cup final defeat to the same opponents followed in 1993 – a loss that was made all the more difficult because it took place in front of an expectant home crowd at Kings Park. But the newly branded Sharks were back in the winner's circle just two years later. By now, players such as locks Mark Andrews and Atherton, hooker John Allan, eighth man Gary Teichmann, prop Adrian Garvey, wing Cabous van der Westhuizen and scrumhalf Kevin Putt were all household names and either current or future Springbok stars. Making the most of a memorable World Cup year which saw the Springboks claim a historic first world title, McIntosh also recruited Frenchmen Olivier Roumat and Thierry Lacroix to bolster what was already a highly talented squad. It proved a masterstroke, with the big lock and flyhalf playing important roles in the 1995 final victory over Western Province in Durban. The final score was 25-17, with the Sharks able to celebrate a third Currie Cup success in six years. With the likes of legendary fullback Joubert now entering their prime, along with a new crop of Sharks heroes in the form of flank Wayne Fyvie and prop Robbi Kempson, further success followed in 1996 with the Natal securing their first back-to-back Currie Cup titles. Such was their dominance in that year that McIntosh's side was able to travel away to Ellis Park and convincingly beat Transvaal 33-15, with Joubert grabbing the man-of-the-match award with a stunning two-try performance. It was surprising, then, that the team from Durban had to wait until 1999 to contest another final, with the likes of Western Province, Free State Cheetahs and the Northern Transvaal once again coming into their own towards the end of the 1990s. But it was Transvaal, now renamed the Golden Lions, that would cause Natal Currie Cup heartache, as they pitched up in Durban and handed the four-time champions a 32-9 hiding in the 1999 final, with Lions fullback Thinus Delport scoring twice in a match-winning performance. Despite the best efforts of their rising star, under-21 flyhallf Cobus Gomes who kicked 3 penalties and scored what was arguably the try of the season only to have it reversed due to ill-discipline in the scrum prior to the line break. That signaled the end of an era, with McIntosh, inspirational captain Teichmann, Honiball and Joubert all