Sharks head coach JP Pietersen is expecting his Vodacom Bulls counterpart to unleash his available Springboks at Kings Park as they look to pull themselves out of their current slump.

The Pretoria outfit arrive in Durban under growing pressure after a string of results that has turned the heat up on head coach Johan Ackermann. That context adds extra edge to an already fierce rivalry, with the Bulls expected to arrive with urgency and intent as they chase a statement performance on the road.

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Pietersen is under no illusions about the size of the challenge, particularly up front, where the Bulls have long built their identity.

“The Bulls have a very good squad, especially with Wilco [Louw], Grobbies [Johan Grobbelaar] and [Gerhard] Steenekamp,” Pietersen said.

“You could see what they did as the Springbok front row and the scrum is an important part of their game.”

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The contest at set-piece time is shaping up as a decisive battleground, with both sides aware that dominance there could dictate momentum and territory.

“It’s going to be an important battle. Will it bring the best out of us? It will. Will we contest at scrum time? Definitely.

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“They have good lineout options, so it’ll be a good and physical game.”

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