Cheetahs not fretting over Bok-laden Sharks

While the Cheetahs admit the Sharks are a better team on paper, the men from the Free State are not quivering in their boots ahead of their Challenge Cup meeting this weekend.    

The Cheetahs will host the Sharks side made up of World Cup-winning Springbok stars at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Sunday (3pm).    

This will be the first clash between the sides in the tournament as the Sharks campaigned in the top-tier Champions Cup.    

The two franchises have enjoyed a great start to the Challenge Cup with the Cheetahs beating Zebre Parma in Italy while the Sharks mopped the floor with Pau at a rainy Kings Parks Stadium in Durban last weekend.    

The Sharks, who have not had a great campaign in the United Rugby Championship this season so far, unleashed their Boks stars such as Eben Etzebeth, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi, Ox Nche, Grant Williams and Jaden Hendrikse for the big victory.    

Coach John Plumtree has spoken about the need to be consistent and might be tempted to keep the core of the team for Sunday against the Cheetahs.     

Cheetahs' forwards coach Izak van der Westhuizen expects a bruising battle upfront from the Sharks.     

“From the Sharks, we are expecting a physical onslaught upfront. I think they are building confidence in the forward pack as well, so I think they are going to come at us in scrums and they are going to try to maul us,” Van der Westhuizen said.    

“They are trying to play a very expansive game, so we will be looking to shut that down as well.”    

About the Sharks being Bok-laden, Van der Westhuizen said they are not worried about that as everything will depend on who wants it the most on the field of play.    

“We were always about the team. For us it’s about processes and how we go about our business. We are not making a big fuss about individuals,” Van der Westhuizen said.    

“Obviously, you have to take notice of them to work accordingly, but we are not thinking about anything else except our systems and processes.”    

Cheetahs skipper Victor Sekekete echoed the sentiments of his forwards coach and said they will not over prepare for the Durbanites.    

“I think for us we are not going to over prepare, we give credit when it’s due. Yes, they are a good team on paper but for us we are chasing our processes. We said we want to focus on every single game as it comes,” Sekekete told media.    

“Zebre is gone, and this is the next game. We are going to treat it the way we want to play it. We are not going to make a big fuss about it or anything special.”