AUDIO: No complacency for Sharks
CURRIE CUP SPOTLIGHT: The Sharks may be red-hot favourites, but there is no chance of complacency when they face the Free State Cheetahs.
After an impressive start to the season – a 26-10 demolition of the Blue Bulls in Durban this past weekend – the odds on the Sharks challenging Western Province for top honours have shortened considerably.
And they travel to Bloemfontein this Saturday to take on a Cheetahs team bereft of 30-odd of their frontline players – who have travelled to Ireland to take on Munster in the opening weekend of the Pro14.
And that does not include the more than 10 regular starters from last year who quit the Cheetahs to take up contracts abroad.
Given that the Cheetahs have lost the first two matches in the Currie Cup competition – 12-34 to the Blue Bulls in Bloemfontein and 0-32 to Western Province this past weekend – it is not surprising the bookmakers are offering long odds on a Cheetahs victory.
However, Sharks utility forward Tyler Paul played down their favourites tag.
“Bloemfontein is never an easy place to go and win,”was the polite answer given by Paul, when asked about the diluted Cheetahs team they will face.
“No matter what team they put out, we still have to prepare the same way.
“If they do field a weakened side against us, we will still treat it the same way.”
Paul said there isn’t a whole lot that has changed from Super Rugby to the Currie Cup in the Sharks approach.
“It means there is nothing foreign to the players in the squad,” he said, adding: “There are a few things we did not get right in Super Rugby that we will try and get right now, to build on Super Rugby and do well in the Currie Cup [competition].”
Paul said the team was delighted by their impressive start to the season.
“It is a short Currie Cup [season] and we know we can’t afford to lose any of our home games, but it was a good start for us, even if it wasn’t perfect.
“A few things didn’t go our way, but we can’t ask for more than five log points out of our first game of the tournament.”
@rugby365com
