Sharks heavyweight Trevor Nyakane is under no illusion as to the challenge that awaits his team when they face the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship.
The Durban franchise faces the unenviable task of travelling to Loftus Versfeld to face a rampant Bulls side that has won four out of their last five URC clashes. Nyakane earned nearly 100 caps for the Bulls before being signed by the Sharks in 2024 so he is no stranger to their strength upfront.
“They are a strong outfit when it comes to scrummaging and forward play,” the Springbok told the press this week.
“You can see by the results and the way they have been going the last few weeks. It’s going to be a massive challenge for us at Loftus.
“I played there for a couple of years, and I know that they pride themselves in forward dominance and physicality. But we play the game to measure ourselves against the best when it comes to specific things.
“They scrumming and mauling is good and that is why you need to stand up and show your character. We have put a few things in place and working very hard. We are not going up there to lie down and accept that we will be defeated.”
Meanwhile, the Sharks are facing a significant injury crisis impacting the effectiveness of their forward pack. Springboks Eben Etzebeath and Ox Nche will miss the Bulls match, while hooker Fez Mabatha and the combative James Venter are also out.
Nyakane played down the injuries and praised the fringe players who have stepped up.
“You are not going to have everyone in the squad available every week,” he continued.
“You have to learn to adapt around that. The pressure is always there even when the Springboks are there or not.
“However, for us, it’s about working hard and producing what the coaches expect of us. It is pressure and it’s going to be difficult at Loftus, but the boys who have come in are stepping up. They are showing they’re hungry to showcase themselves and it’s easier to lead a group like that.
“They have been making amazing progress and the energy they are injecting into the sessions is really infectious, especially for the older guys.”
