We won’t underestimate the Sharks, says Bulls Ruan Nortje

Johannesburg — The Vodacom Bulls did much to raise their stock in the United Rugby Championship (URC) this past fortnight with back-to-back victories over neighbours the Emirates Lions, but if they are to continue this momentum, they will have to prove how far they have truly come against the Cell C Sharks this weekend.

In December last year, the Bulls were dominated by a Springbok-laden Sharks outfit at Hollywoodbets Kings Park, losing 30-16 in that match-up. And although a much-improved Lions outfit tested the men from Pretoria this past weekend, they will have to show their growth in the URC by managing a wounded Sharks team.

According to Bulls lock Ruan Nortje, one of the areas where his team will have to show how far they’ve come in recent weeks, will be in the set-pieces.

“If I remember correctly,” said Nortje on Monday, “we did struggle (against the Sharks last year) a bit in our set-pieces at scrum-time.

“That gave the Sharks a lot of opportunity to get into our 22 and covert that into points. A massive step up is needed from us at scrum-time this weekend and also at the breakdown ... We will have to work hard this week.”

The Sharks were pummelled into submission this past weekend in Cape Town in a 20-10 loss to the DHL Stormers — a defeat Nortje believes will do little to stifle the Durbanites ambitions

Said Nortje: "The Sharks are a quality side with lots of internationals.

“I don’t think this past weekend’s result will affect them in any way. They will definitely be a team that will be back up for it and will be ready to bounce back. So, it will be important for us to really, really step up this weekend."

In spite of two good victories over the Lions in as many Saturdays — the first a powerful 34-10 victory in