Can the Sharks become first visiting team to win at Ellis Park this season?

Sharks wing Kobus van Wyk says they will need to be as fearless and as ruthless as Vikings in their attempt to beat the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.

Having lost to a full strength Lions unit that didn't quite need to shift into all gears at King's Park in their round-robin clash‚ the Sharks will have to die with their boots on if they are to become the first visiting team to win at Ellis Park this season.

“Even if we went to Christchurch or Johannesburg for the play-off game‚ we'd still have to burn our ships to go through.

"When the Vikings conquered other lands‚ when they went ashore‚ they burnt their ships when they took over that specific land to make sure they don't go back. We'll need to do something similar on Saturday‚” Van Wyk said.

“We need to keep more of the ball and our strike-rate from the scrums wasn't the best. We need to make sure we keep the ball past the first three phases and make sure we stop them from coming around the corner.

"Hopefully it will be third time lucky on Saturday and we get to beat them.”

Van Wyk conceded they had a to lot to improve on‚ especially with the fact they were in a difficult place because of the unexpected Hurricanes result against the Crusaders.

If they beat the Lions‚ they would have been required to travel to New Zealand for their play-off game.

That would have meant pulling off an impossible stunt as no South African team has won a play-off game in New Zealand.

Van Wyk said keeping Elton Jantjies and Ross Cronje quiet is going to be crucial to their plans.

Before that though‚ they need to tame the ferocious Lions forward pack that's given the Springbok half-back pairing the necessary platform to thrive.

“We were outplayed on the weekend and that's why we've been working on our set-phases and that's something we know we need to rectify.

"The Lions are a good outfit and we need to give them credit. But we know we stuck to our guns and our defence was very good. I think we can handle them‚” Van Wyk said.

“We need to put pressure on their playmakers but if our forwards can pitch up and win that corner‚ then I think we'll be in business. I think the boys are keen to play this weekend.”

- TimesLIVE