Le Roux factor of no concern to Kolbe

Kolbe, along with the likes of either Dillyn Leyds, Leolin Zas and Kobus van Wyk, make up a fairly young back three who will have to be at their best to stop the experience of JP Pietersen, Odwa Ndungane and le Roux.

"Willie [le Roux] is a really good player but the focus is not only on him but more on the Sharks as a unit. We just have to put in the hard work, get the right plans going and focus on our job. Enjoying the moment [of playing against them] will be key.

"Personally, by putting another player's achievements into your mind, you won't have a good game. It is honestly not about any individuals but rather a team performance, so I'm not going to focus on Willie and get motivated by playing against him. I get motivated by my team mates," Kolbe said.

A possible threat the Stormers will be facing is the tactical kicking game the Sharks possess – with the likes of le Roux and Joe Pietersen in the side – meaning Kolbe and company will need to be on the top of their game.

"It [their tactical kicking] is a big focus point for us as a backline, especially our back three. We just have to make quicker decisions and back ourselves at the end of the day. Each of us has a responsibility on the field and you have to execute that duty to the best of your ability.

"They have plenty of experience in their back three and that's our challenge as a young trio but all we can do is go onto the park and stick to the plan we want to execute," he added.

The diminutive fullback knows he faces a tough challenge but expects an energetic crowd to help make the difference.

"Cape Town loves their rugby and all we can do as players is give back to them with a performance they want to see. If it wasn't for their support, we wouldn't be where we are right now. We certainly draw a lot of energy from them," he stated.

By Tauriq Ebrahim

@Tauriq365

@rugby365com