Cats need flair against Highlanders

They love Laurie Mains down Dunedin way. Still do, even though he is now coaching the Cats. But that's about as far as their affection extends when it comes to Friday morning's (SA time) Vodacom Cup Super 12 match in Carisbrook's House of Pain amphitheatre.

Everyone remotely connected with Otago rugby from the ballboys to skipper Taine Randell and his players is out to ensure that there is no fairytale return for Mains.

It's okay for him to mastermind a Currie and Vodacom Cup double for the Golden Lions but successfully plotting the downfall of their beloved men in blue for a South African squad, is totally out of the question, good Otago stock or not.

It's a huge task for the Cats, especially as the pace-setting Otago Highlanders are looking ominously impressive. It's one thing to know how they'll play but it's entirely another matter to be able to find effective counters during a super-charged game against opponents who at times appear to be on roller skates, such is the slickness and speed of their co-ordinated moves.

Jeff Wilson, Tony Brown, Roma Ropati, Brendan Laney, Rua Topaki - the backline danger-men - roll off the assembly line like high-powered, sleek sports models. Up front the armoured-cars in the pack including an impressive All Blacks' frontrow of Carl Hoeft, Anton Oliver and Kees Meeuws, provide the steely framework for the speedsters behind them and can show a surprising turn of pace when needed.

Simply identifying Otago strengths and flaws won't be enough; the Cats need to take the game to the home team among the forwards where the return of Springbok lock Johan Ackermann's presence - if successful - could have an impact far beyond a possible Cats victory tonight extending to future Tri-Nations battles later this year.

Given that the Cats' frontrow of Marius Mostert, new hooker Delarey du Preez and Willie Meyer supported by Ackermann and Victor Matfield, can gain some measure of control, the backline has both pace and punch to surprise the Highlanders. That's if they produce their best and for that to happen the Cats - like most current South African squads - need to shed their insecurities and fears of making crucial mistakes.

The Cats will know from Mains that it's time for a sense of adventure rather than conservatism. Flair, not safety-first, has to be the rallying ingredient coupled with sensible option-taking. Sure, Super 12 is a deadly serious business but playing well is also about having fun and enjoying the moment. That way, winning is a more likely spin-off than those dour, stern-faced, don't-lose-at-all-costs protagonists will ever achieve.

This is one of those rare cathartic opportunities that come along at watershed times; the Cats can strike an encouraging Super 12 blow for the other three SA squads this weekend - and they can do it in the heartland of New Zealand rugby.

Only 24 hours after the Dunedin fixture, the ailing Sharks also face their most critical moment of truth in the short history of Super 12 since the format change a few years ago. A fourth straight defeat would condemn the hitherto most successful SA side in the competition to early also-rans.

It would have been unthinkable only a few weeks ago but now coach Hugh Reece-Edwards and the players have nowhere to hide as they tackle the NSW Waratahs in the forbidding Sydney Football Stadium. Excuse time has expired. Even bad injuries to key forwards like Mark Andrews and Wayne Fyvie, no longer carry much weight, even with diehard Sharks' fans.

The Waratahs have made meals of the Bulls (33-13 at Loftus) and the Cats (51-16 at SFS) after suffering an attack of bad heartburn in their opener at Newlands against the Stormers. Of all people, Aussie expatriate, former Springbok No 8 and captain Tiaan Strauss knows the significance of a winning habit and what it does for morale and confidence.

He continues to be a NSW lynchpin and will know that the Waratahs will need to play significantly better than they did to beat the nervous Cats if faced by a Sharks' squad primed to be at their best because of the desperate need to win - and play well.

One point only from three matches should not require any further motivation from Reece-Edwards. The Sharks have made necessary changes to the starting lineup.

What they most need is a change of heart and mind if they and the whole of sporting South Africa is to get a Super 12 uplift in these downbeat rugby times.

And to complete the trio of pressure-laden squads, Corne Krige's Stormers tackle the formidable ACT Brumbies at Newlands after the Australian side dissected the Sharks last week. A repeat of that clinical form and the Newlands' favourites could be on a hiding to nothing, especially if they cannot improve collectively on their form in a 19-all draw against the struggling Bulls last week.

Nothing should focus the mind better than adversity, so most SA supporters will be hoping that the tasks facing the Cats, Stormers and Sharks will provide glorious deeds, not further rugby ignominy.

Teams

- Highlanders: Marc Ellis, Jeff Wilson, Rua Tipoki, Romi Ropati, Pita Alatini, Tony Brown, Byron Kelleher, Taine Randell (captain), Josh Kronfeld, John Blaikie, Brendon Timmins, Kelvin Middleton, Kees Meeuws, Anton Oliver, Carl Hoeft. Reserves: Brendan Laney, Dan Parkinson, Brett McCormack, Samiu Vahafolau, Simon Maling, Joe McDonnell, Tom Willis.

- Cats: Thinus Delport, Jannie van der Walt, Grant Esterhuizen, Chester Williams, Hennie le Roux, Louis Koen, Werner Swanepoel, Andre Vos (captain), Andre Venter, Piet Krause, Victor Matfield, Johan Ackermann, Willie Meyer, Delarey du Preez, Marius Mostert. Reserves: Kobus Englebrecht, Mac Masina, Jimmy Powell, Rassie Erasmus, Jannes Labuschagne, Pierre Ribbens, Adrian Garvey.

- Stormers (v Brumbies) is: Percy Montgomery; Breyton Paulse, De Wet Barry, Brendan Venter, Pieter Rossouw; Robert Markram, Dan van Zyl; Janneman Brand, Hendrik Gerber, Corne Krige (capt), Wayne Boardman, Hottie Louw, Cobus Visagie, Charl Marais, Rob Kempson. Reserves: Wayne Julies, Braam van Straaten, Dave von Hoesslin, Chean Roux, Julian Barnard, Toks van der Linde, Johan van Wyk.

- Sharks: Justin Swart; Rodger Smith, Joe Gillingham, Pieter Muller, Stefan Terblanche; Gaffie du Toit, Craig Davidson; Warren Brosnihan, Wayne Fyvie (capt), Charl van Rensburg, Albert van den Berg, John Slade, Baksteen Nel, Chris Rossouw, Ollie le Roux. Reserves: Ricardo Loubscher, Clinton van Rensburg, Chad Alcock, Jacques Greeff, Phillip Smit, John Smit, Mornay Visser.

- NSW: Matt Burke, Scott Staniforth, Jason Little (capt), Nathan Grey, Matt Dowling, Manuel Edmonds, Chris Whitaker, Tiaan Strauss, Phil Waugh, Stuart Pinkerton, John Welborn, Peter Besseling, Rod Moore, Brendan Cannon, Richard Harry. Reserves: Marc Stcherbina, Christian Warner, Sam Payne, David Lyons, Daniel Manu, Cameron Blades, Mark Crick