Both teams realise that this is a must win match and anything less than a four try win is going to burst their respective bubbles of hope and send them crashing out of the tournament. In many ways it is the big eliminator match of the weekend as only the winners will cling onto to the vision of a playoff spot.
But come on the Shark Tank will be filled to capacity and drumming home the Sharks and I will have to say that the Sharks are going to take some beating now that the sweet taste of victory is becoming a habit. The Blues on the otherhand Darren are the most inconsistant team in the Super 14 and their record in the last 7 matches has beenWLWLWLW and if that formula is struck too then the Sharks can expect a win.
Plumtree is feeling far happier these days as injuries have not been too much of a factor and he has been able to select a consitant side for over a month now. Of course the absence of Kanko and Keegan Daniel is felt especially at this stage of the competition with both renowned at scoring tries but Jacque Botes, Jean Deysel and Willem Alberts are in top form and have proved to be match winners on their day.
Centre Andries Strauss in the only change to the side as Swanepoel finds himself on the bench after coming through an injury scare from last weeks match. However tries are what the Sharks are in desperate need of and like last week against the Lions expect to see John Smit opting to go for the lineout maul option rather than the safe three points if a kickable penalty comes the Sharks way.
It should be a magnificent match to watch as both sides need to take risks to ensure the win and there will without doubt be some good tries beings scored. This is not the position the Sharks would have wanted to be in at this stage of the Super 14 but perhaps it is forcing them to play at their fullest potential as a slip now will almost surely end the hopes of a team that failed to find the clutch in the early stages. The braais will be fired up the Windhoeks flowing and I will have to get out the old Black & White jersey and join the other thousands of Durbanites in witnessing another win for the Sharks against the Blues.
Prediction: Easy,peasy lemon squeazy! Sharks will take this one by 10 points or more and the great comeback will start to take on great preportions.
Sharks Team
15. Patrick Lambie , 14. Odwa Ndungane , 13. Stefan Terblanche , 12. Andries Strauss , 11. JP Pietersen , 10. Andy Goode , 9. Ruan Pienaar , 8. Willem Alberts , 7. Jean Deysel , 6. Jacques Botes , 5. Johann Muller , 4. Steven Sykes , 3. Jannie du Plessis , 2. Bismarck du Plessis , 1. John Smit (Capt )
Replacements: , 16. Craig Burden , 17. Tendai Mtawarira , 18. Alistair Hargreaves , 19. Michael Rhodes , 20. Rory Kockott , 21. Riaan Swanepoel , 22. Lwazi Mvovo
The Blues team
15. Isaia Toeava , 14. Joe Rokocoko , 13. Benson Stanley , 12. Luke McAlister , 11. Rudi Wulf , 10. Stephen Brett , 9. Alby Mathewson , 8. Peter Saili , 7. Serge Lilo , 6. Jerome Kaino , 5. Filo Paulo , 4. Kurtis Haiu , 3. John Afoa , 2. Keven Mealamu (c) , 1. Tony Woodcock
16. Tom McCartney , 17. Tevita Mailau / Charlie Faumuina , 18. Andrew Van der Heijden , 19. Viliami Ma'afu , 20. Chris Smylie , 21. Rene Ranger , 22. Paul Williams
