Sharks ready to bite against Pumas

Kevin Putt believes the best has yet to come from his table-topping Sharks.

"The way I look at it, I've been critical (of the side's performances in the past), but I've changed my tune," the coach said on the eve of Saturday evening's Bankfin Currie Cup clash with the Pumas, who include Bok sensation Brent Russell, at Absa Stadium.

"Things are actually going very well. We're unbeaten, on top of the log (Section Y) and two games away from the Super Eight round.

"With a bit of fine tuning - even sides that are winning by 70 points can always improve - once the guys put it all together, which I'm sure they'll do soon, we're going to start converting those (try-scoring) chances."

Video analysis of last weekend's 17-all draw with the Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld has given him further reason for encouragement.

"I kept looking at the tape and I was highly impressed by our defensive abilities as well as our ability to create opportunities," he disclosed. "We came away with two points from Loftus. I've been in a few Currie Cup-winning sides that weren't able to do that. There were a lot of very strong positives to be drawn from that performances.

"The Bulls have only had five tries scored against them in the Currie Cup this season, two of those were scored by ourselves and we could have had quite a few more. That says something about our capabilities.

"If they weren't creating chances I'd be worried, but I'm looking forward to seeing the guys going out there on Saturday and doing their thing."

Putt said there was no way his team would underestimate the fifth-placed Pumas who can still qualify for the Top Eight themselves.

The Pumas need to pick up points tomorrow as well as from their final pool encounter at home to the SWD Eagles in Witbank the following weekend to force their way into the top four.

"Look, I've got a saying that you're only as good as your last game, after that you've got to look ahead to your next one.

"Anyway the Pumas should have beaten the Lions (in Witbank) last weekend and only lost in the end to the last kick of the game.

"Our guys will know exactly what's expected of them, playing in front of their home crowd where everything is familiar.

"We'll certainly respect our opponents, but at the same time, focus on what we've got to do ourselves."

Meanwhile, front ranker Conrad Magiera was promoted to the Sharks' replacements bench on Thursday afternoon after Etienne Fynn, his Jaguars team-mate, cried off with a "slight back strain."

Teams

Sharks:

Gaffie du Toit

Stefan Terblanche

Deon Kayser

Andre Snyman

Rodger Smith

Butch James

Nicolas Fernandez-Miranda

Brad Macleod-Henderson

AJ Venter

Warren Britz

Mark Andrews (captain)

Philip Smit

Deon Carstens

John Smit

Federico Mendez.

Replacements:

Conrad Magiera, Eduard Coetzee, Charl van Rensburg, Shaun Sowerby, Neil Cole, Herkie Kruger, Rudi Keil.

Pumas:

Marius Goosen

Hannes Venter

Brendall Brandt

Weldon Saayman

Jan-Harm van Wyk

Brent Russell

Hakkies Husselman

Frans Allers

Pierre Uys

Clarke Roberts

Marco Wentzel

Derick Grobbelaar (captain)

Danie Saayman

Paul Hoffman

Christo Bezuidenhout.

Replacements:

Michael MacLean, Hakkies Swart, Ryan Jacobs, Corniel van Zyl, Robbie Janse van Rensburg, Bernard Myburgh, Phillip Burger.