Cape Town - Having played a few seasons for the Cheetahs, Walt Steenkamp participated in the PRO14 – the precursor to the United Rugby Championship (URC) – but never featured in a play-off match.
While the Bloemfontein-based team just missed out on the quarterfinals previously, Steenkamp’s current team, the Bulls, did well enough during the round-robin stage to host Saturday’s showdown with the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld.
And it comes at just the right time, with the 26-year-old lock reportedly heading to Japan at the end of his Bulls contract in October.
He was reluctant to talk about that yesterday – “I think that’s a discussion for another day. For now, I am contracted to the Bulls, and I am focused on the work for the rest
of the time (in Pretoria)” – but he is excited to get stuck into the Sharks pack this weekend.
Steenkamp has formed a dynamic second-row partnership with Ruan Nortje, who is pushing hard for a Springbok call-up.
“From a personal point of view, I played PRO14 with the Cheetahs and never achieved it, so with the Bulls in the first URC season, to achieve it is great. We just have to get the job done on Saturday,” Steenkamp said.
“From a team point of view, everyone is on the same page and knows what to do, and we must just go out and do it.
“I played No 4 and 5 at the Cheetahs, although more 5, and here almost totally 4. But with a lock like Ruan at 5, it makes it easy for me to play 4. I had to adjust my game, but with the players around me, it makes it easy.
“The old thing about the No 4 lock being the dominant (enforcer) lock … But with coach Nollis (Marais), we worked a lot on rucking, and that’s a big thing I worked on. And also tackle-fight – that’s a thing you must do.
“Getting the maul set … A No 4 has another job, and has less pressure than a 5 lock with the (lineout) calling, so I can concentrate more on my loose play.”
The Sharks fielded Ruben van Heerden and Reniel Hugo at lock in their last match, the 24-21 loss to Ulster on May 20, with Hyron Andrews on the bench. Gerbrandt Grobler and Le Roux Roets have started a few games this season as well, so coach Sean Everitt has a number of options available.
But while the Bulls duo have won plenty of opposition lineout throwins, they are gearing up for a tough scrum battle.
“The Sharks’ lineouts and scrums are good, but Ruan and I have a good combination going. We understand each other. We have plans for them, so we will see what happens,” Steenkamp said.
“The big thing is that the Sharks have a good scrum. I think we conceded four or five penalties (in that area) during that game against them, so we have worked hard on that last week and this week.
“We are not Springboks too – although Ruan was at the alignment camp now – so we can definitely put pressure on there (in the lineouts). But they are a great pack as a whole, and there are no weaknesses.
“At the scrums, there are different interpretations from the different referees, so you have to plan for them that side, and the refs this side – to show ‘good pictures’.”
The Loftus encounter will be handled by Irish referee Andrew Brace.
Meanwhile, Independent Media understands that star Bulls fullback Kurt-Lee Arendse is still a doubt for the Sharks game.
It is understood that Arendse – who has been out with a broken thumb in recent weeks – is still a 50-50 chance to be ready for Saturday, and a final call will be made on him later in the week.*