‘First and foremost’, the Sharks will not disrespect the Cheetahs ‘C’ team

DURBAN: The Cheetahs may have 28 of their best players in Ireland tonight for PRO14 matches against Ulster in Belfast and Limerick next weekend but the Sharks can only control what is in front of them and there will be no mercy for a Cheetahs “C” team in a Currie Cup match at Kings Park tomorrow.

The match marks the second round of the Currie Cup home-and-away system and we must recall that the only game the Sharks have lost in their six encounters so far was at Bloemfontein in round one against a full-strength Cheetahs team.

The Sharks have not lost since, and the Cheetahs have lost one game, so both teams sit on five wins out of six.

That will change tomorrow, with the Sharks surely going top of the log and thus having an inside track towards a home semi-final and possible final, given that the Durbanites have won most of their away games and have a favourable second half of the draw.

“First and foremost, we will not disrespect the Cheetahs, whatever team they put on the park,” coach Robert du Preez said. “That is very important, and secondly we must concentrate on what we must do to improve our game and consolidate momentum.

“We must look after ourselves because we have so much to improve on. We have to improve our patience in our 22, an area of ongoing concern all season. We continue to create a lot of opportunities which we do not convert, so that is very important for us.”

Du Preez’s statement of how important the game is to his team is reflected in the squad he has chosen. There are changes only when they needed to be made, and this Sharks team is just about as strong as is available.

With front-line wings Kobus van Wyk and Odwa Ndungane carrying niggles, Du Preez has taken the bold step of picking a player out of club rugby in strong-running Rovers wing Tythan Adams, who will make his debut on the right wing.