Sharks-Bulls clash could set the tone for rest of Currie Cup season

26 August 2016 - 16:27 By Chumani Bambani

When the Sharks host the Blue Bulls in a Currie Cup clash in Durban on Saturday night‚ the match could provide an indication of how the season will pan out. It may still be early days in the competition‚ it only being the fourth round of matches‚ but the clash between the two could give confidence to the winner going forward. The Sharks have been the team of the competition so far – remaining unbeaten after three clashes and topping the log after collecting a maximum 15 points indicates that they will be the side to beat. The Durbanites‚ despite finishing in the playoffs of Super Rugby‚ have not displayed an exciting brand of rugby in the southern hemisphere competition. They may also have been considered lucky to scrape through to the quarterfinals‚ where they were beaten 41-0 by eventual winners the Hurricanes. However‚ the Sharks have shown their calibre in the domestic competition‚ where they have flexed their muscle against Boland Cavaliers‚ the Griquas and the Pumas. “It will also be a test for the Sharks‚” Bulls coach Nollis Marais said. Bulls captain Arno Botha added: “The Sharks have a very physical pack of forwards and a very good backline too. We need to put them under pressure from the start.” Despite having been almost faultless so far‚ the Sharks believe there is still room for improvement and are well aware of the threat that will be posed by the Bulls. “Three bonus point wins from three matches played is obviously pleasing. There is still a lot of rugby to be played in this campaign and we have got to improve every single week. "A big focus for us is cutting down our error rate‚” Sharks coach Robert du Preez said. “The Blue Bulls are going to be our toughest game yet in the competition and they are dangerous all around the park. We need to stick to our game-plan and execution‚ intention and attitude are key.” To avoid giving the Sharks an upper hand and confidence early in the clash‚ the Bulls are hoping for a high-tempo start‚ which could see them putting the home side under pressure from the first whistle. “A good start in Durban will be important for us because they are playing with confidence at the moment‚” said Marais. “If we don’t want to play from behind we will have to start well. The last two games we have been fighting [from behind] to get ahead.” The match will kick off at 6.10pm on Saturday. On Friday evening the Golden Lions will be hoping to bounce back from the shock 24-30 defeat to the Griquas last weekend. The defeat in Kimberley stuttered the defending champions’ progress and saw them occupy fourth spot on the log‚ one behind the Bulls. The Lions have played two matches after sitting out of the first round before they annihilated the Pumas 68-26 in their opening match of the campaign. It is the Boland Cavaliers who will bear the brunt of the wounded Lions at Ellis Park. Boland have shown some fight in the competition so far despite suffering defeats to the Sharks and Cheetahs. They revealed their capability of winning games in their 28-10 victory over the Eastern Province Kings. The clash between the two kicks off at 5pm. In the later Friday match (7.10pm) the Pumas host the Griquas at Mbombela Stadium. Western Province‚ who have been disappointing so far in the competition‚ will be up for redemption when they travel to Port Elizabeth to take on Eastern Province at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. WP‚ who are surprisingly without a win from two matches‚ will be boosted by the presence of SA Sevens duo‚ Cheslin Kolbe at fullback and Werner Kok on the wing. A win in Port Elizabeth will boost the Capetonions up the log from the lowly seventh spot they currently occupy. Fixtures Friday, 26 August:Golden Lions v Boland Kavaliers (Ellis Park‚ 5pm)Pumas v Griquas (Mbombela Stadium‚ 7.10pm) Saturday, 27 August: Eastern Province Kings v Western Province (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium‚ 4pm)Sharks v Blue Bulls Kings Park‚ 6.20pm) - TMG Digital/The Times..

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