The Sharks are expecting the Lions to try run them off their feet in the heat of Saturday afternoon on the highveld.
Kick-off is at 3pm at Ellis Park, and former Lions flank Vincent Tshituka knows the drill for the home team when the Sharks come to town.
“With how things have gone for us this season, they will be determined to keep us down,” said Tshituka, who moved from the Lions to the Sharks just over a year ago.
“They don’t want to be the ones to give us the breath of fresh air we are craving. They know we are under pressure, and they want to keep it that way.”
Tshituka knows precisely what is in store for his new team.
“They will be talking about the physical contest, and that is because every match between the sides has been the same – extreme physicality. There is never a dip as far as that is concerned.
“A big thing they will be emphasising is to move the ball. They value the altitude factor, and we are going up to Ellis Park, so they will want to move the ball around a lot.
“They’re going to play a running brand of rugby, and try and tire us out, so they can take us on later in the game. I know that’s going to be a big aspect of their plan.”
Yesterday, the Sharks confirmed that Vincent’s brother, Emmanuel, will be joining the Sharks from the Lions – but on Saturday, they will still be in opposite loose trios.
Also officially on their way to the Sharks are André Esterhuizen (from Harlequins), Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92) and Jordan Hendrikse (Lions).
“It’s always an honour stepping onto the field with my brother,” said Vincent, who at 25 is two years older than Emmanuel.
“I cherish every moment, whether we’re on the same team or opposite sides. It brings the best out of me, and that extra bit of motivation to be at the top of my game.”
The Tshitukas are thorough Joburgers, having been schooled at Northcliff High, and Vincent played 56 games for the Lions before moving to Durban just over a year ago.
“It is special for me to go back to play the Lions at Ellis Park – they’ve played a big part in my career and my life,” he said.
“They’ll always hold a special place for me. But I’m not going there as a friend or teammate, I’m going there to get the job done.”
Tshituka was targeted by the Sharks because of his fine performances in the 2021/2022 URC.
He won a series of player-of-the-match awards, and he needs to show similar form on Saturday if he is to overshadow Emmanuel, who has been excellent for the Lions.
Besides the job of watching out for his brother, a big part of Vincent’s job as a loose forward is to harass the Lions’ No 10.
Recently, Sanele Nohamba has been doing a good job in the position, but there is a good chance that Jordan Hendrikse might start this game, with Nohamba returning to No 9.
“Sanele and Jordan are the heart of the Lions’ attack – they give life to them and open up spaces,” Tshituka said.
“They can drain the other team when they are on top.
“A big part of our game is to shut their momentum down and slow things, because they thrive on broken play and open space.
“You have to put them under pressure, because that’s when they make mistakes. The thing about the Lions is that they are so adamant about counter-attacking and running the ball.
“They tend to make a lot of errors throughout the game, and the more pressure you put on them, the more errors creep out – and the more errors, the more they lose confidence.”