The Cheetahs and Free State, over recent years, often put a spoke into the Sharks’ wheel of progress in competitions — and Saturday’s derby in Bloemfontein is one that Sharks coach John Plumtree has admitted he is wary of.
It is a clash between the top side and the bottom team and even the staunchest of Free State supporters will not put a few rands on their side. But there is the reality that the Sharks’ win over the Cheetahs last year was their first since 2003.
The Cheetahs, despite being winless, are not a poor side. Their tackling has let them down on numerous occasions, and their finishing is as poor as that of the Lions.
But they have, with one or two exceptions in the past two seasons, given every opponent something to think about.
However, the Sharks are close to a complete team. They did leak 22 tackles last week, and they did score all their tries from far out. But they have a lively backline, one of the best loose trios in the business, two sets of Springbok front rowers and two Bok locks in their 22.
They also have a new midfielder in Riaan Swanepoel, a talented player who is not a top flyhalf in Frans Steyn and an injured JP Pietersen to make the starting side look slightly more vulnerable than earlier in the season.
The Sharks should win, and win well. But it is a derby, and they have a thing about the Cheetahs.
A good start turned sour
Meanwhile, the Bulls have to turn a good start that has gone sour around against the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday.
Despite being the early leaders in the competition, the Bulls have not really convinced at any stage this season. They have played in patches and scored their tries in patches. They have been taught regular lessons in scrummaging — something that has been coming for a few years now — and lost two of their scrum put-ins against the Crusaders last Saturday. Even their much-vaunted lineout was put under pressure and they lost four — regaining one from the Saders tap — last weekend.
Coming off two successive defeats, the Bulls are still in fourth position on the log and have a match in hand, which theoretically puts them in second place. That will count for nought if they lose on Saturday.
The Waratahs are a good side, and one of their strengths is the breakdown — an area where the Bulls have been decidedly average in recent times after the suspension of their flank Deon Stegmann.
Whether they can muster enough aggression to compensate for his absence and do that with forward commitment in numbers to the breakdown, holds the key to this contest — on condition that their much underrated backs are also given the opportunity to show off their paces.
A special effort
The Stormers play a rattled, emotional Brumbies side in Canberra after the death of their team mate Shawn Mackay this week.
Circumstances could make the Brumbies effort a special one, playing for their teammate — or they could fall to pieces on Saturday.
Key for the Stormers will be a better scrum — which seems unlikely after years of weakness in this facet — better handling and also better option-taking.
The side as a whole lacks rhythm, and it is becoming worse as they keep on looking for a third win. They seem a side without confidence.
Highlanders take on Reds
The Highlanders are at home against the Reds who have had a poor season with only two wins from seven, but have provided some great rugby moments in a season where little was expected of them.
The Highlanders, slowly gearing into a side of quality — perhaps by next season — are not far off the semi-final pace, and should win this match if they keep their focus for 80 minutes.
That is essential, for opposition backs such as Quade Cooper and Berrick Barnes, have an eye for opportunities and the young Reds side could give the Highlanders’ play-off hopes a final knock if they relax their defences.
Opportunity to make good
The match against the Blues in Auckland on Friday is an opportunity for the Lions to make good what they threw away in the second half against the Chiefs last weekend. Playing scintillating rugby and using every opportunity in the first half, they lost their structure and the match in the last 20 minutes when the Chiefs scored 26 points without reply.
The Lions will have to build on that first half performance — and keep it up for 80 minutes.
The Blues will be fresh after a bye and will be looking for a win after successive defeats in their previous two outings. Victory will also keep them in touch with the front-runners in a topsy-turvy 2009 competition.
The Lions must exploit this Blues weakness — but to achieve that, they will have to improve on their finishing. And this is exactly their main problem and something that has hampered them for the past three seasons.
They will miss Grobbelaar, one of the very best fetchers in the business. On the credit side, they have in Mostert a more mobile tight player and this could see to it that their numbers to the breakdown will improve.
The Force versus Hurricanes
In Friday’s other match, the Western Force are at home to the Hurricanes.
The Force played some very good rugby in thrashing the Reds last weekend, and the Sharks on Saturday also showed how the Hurricanes can be beaten.
The visitors are en route from their trip to South Africa, which could make them even more vulnerable. A defeat will see the Force leapfrog them and come back into semifinal contention, while a loss will see the home side’s hopes for a play-off spot fading further. — Sapa