The Hollywoodbets Sharks are excited to test themselves against a powerful Free State Cheetahs lineup in the seventh round of the Currie Cup at Toyota Stadium on Saturday.
The men from Durban are fifth on the log and trail the fourth-placed Pumas by a single point, while the hosts are level with the Golden Lions in third – just three points shy of the Bulls at the summit.
Heading into the clash, coach JP Pietersen thinks both sides have shown some impressive form of late and believes the defending champions’ approach to the game makes them a unique foe.
“We got a bit of momentum in the last three games and the Cheetahs were really good last week against Province in Cape Town, that was a really good win [19-26]. Bloemfontein is always a challenge; we know as a group that it’s going to be a massive challenge come Saturday.
“The Cheetahs have got a good record at home in Bloemfontein. What we all expect from the Cheetahs is they’ll test you with moving the ball. They’re a bit different this year, they’ve got a big pack. They’re very up front: they want to scrum, they want to maul, they want to pick and go. They want to fatigue you with the forwards and be physical.
“As a group we do understand their strengths, but for us it would be massive if we get a good start and build ourselves into the game.”
The Sharks are currently enjoying a three-match unbeaten run in the Currie Cup following their most recent 40-21 defeat of Griquas, but Pietersen wants to see more from his squad during the run-in to the playoffs, particularly given the congested nature of the tournament standings.
“That’s always been our challenge as a group: can we do two good games in a row? It’s a great opportunity to play the Cheetahs at home. What a test for a young group to go up to Bloemfontein and show their worth after wearing the Sharks jersey – and also the way they’ve been representing the Sharks brand – to fight for 80 minutes.
“You can see the log. It’s quite tight with the Pumas, us and Western Province behind us. As a coach I look at performance, and like I said we’ve never put two good games in a row. It’s a challenge for us to do it come Saturday.”
The game gets underway at 17:15.
