The Cell C Sharks' power comes from their pack and their scrum in particular, and if the Vodacom Bulls have any chance of moving towards the playoff semifinals, they need to overcome that.
The Bulls lost both their Vodacom United Rugby Championship matches - home and away - to the Sharks this season and while some may see them as favourites because they’re playing at home, those matches will be a timely reminder that the Bulls have a battle on their hands on Saturday.
In both those games the Bulls' scrum struggled and gave away penalties to the Sharks pack, and it influenced the result. While the Bulls may have a better all-round game at the moment, their dominance is normally based up front, and if that can’t be established, then they are likely to struggle.
The Bulls' scrum has improved significantly since then, but they still rank lower in the scrum stats this year than they would like. And that forms perceptions, which can easily influence a referee in a 50-50 decision.
Bulls lock Walt Steenkamp knows this all too well, and knows that it could easily set the tone of the game if the Bulls don’t at least find parity on Saturday.
“The big thing is that the Sharks have a good scrum. I think we conceded four or five penalties during that game against them, so we have worked hard on that last week and this week,” he said on Tuesday.
“We are not Springboks too – although Ruan was at the alignment camp now – so we can definitely put pressure on in the lineouts. But they are a great pack as a whole, and there are no weaknesses.
“At the scrums, there are different interpretations from the different referees, so you have to plan for them that side, and the refs this side – to show ‘good pictures’.”
'Good pictures' has become an overused term in rugby circles of late, but the reality is that if the referee believes your scrum isn’t holding its own, then the penalties can flow thick and fast against your side.
Steenkamp may be heading overseas, although the Bulls are trying hard to keep him for another year, but he and Ruan Nortje have formed a formidable lineout combination and complement each other well.
“The Sharks’ lineouts and scrums are good, but Ruan and I have a good combination going. We understand each other. We have plans for them, so we will see what happens,” Steenkamp said.
This will be his first playoff game in the URC, something he never achieved while playing at the Toyota Cheetahs.
“From a personal point of view, I played Pro14 with the Cheetahs and never achieved it, so with the Bulls in the first URC season, to achieve it is great. We just have to get the job done on Saturday,” he explained.
“From a team point of view, everyone is on the same page and knows what to do, and we must just go out and do it.
“I played No 4 and 5 at the Cheetahs, although more 5, and here almost totally 4. But with a lock like Ruan at 5, it makes it easy for me to play 4. I had to adjust my game, but with the players around me, it makes it easy.
“The old thing is the No 4 lock being the dominant lock but coach Nollis Marais sees it differently and, we worked a lot on rucking
“The No 4 has to get the mail set, and has less pressure than a 5 lock with the calling, so I can concentrate more on my loose play.”
Nortje believes the game will still be a 50-50 game, and while the side had a week off ahead of the playoffs, it will be tight as the teams know each other so well.
“They always say altitude matters, but the Sharks have played here a lot. They would have prepared for it, plus they come from a place with high humidity, so it’s a 50/50 game.”
As always though, the Bulls know that they need to be at their disciplined best - at the scrum and in the setpieces, and they cannot afford to concede a card - Morne Steyn’s one favoured the Sharks heavily in their last clash.
This time there are no second chances and getting it wrong ends their season. It’s that simple.