Just about good to go was the vibe from the Shark Tank last night

Just about good to go was the vibe from the Shark Tank last night after John Smit’s troops worked out on the main Kings Park pitch in anticipation of Saturday’s long-awaited Super Rugby opener against the troublesome Cheetahs (5pm).

Just about? There are a few injury and illness problems but by Friday’s captain’s training run it is hoped that the only non-starters will be battering-ram flanker Jean Deysel (he will back for round three) and former Stormer lock Ross Skeate.

In the meantime there is a cloud over the wing position, with Odwa Ndungane nursing tonsillitis and JP Pietersen a hamstring strain picked up in training last week. Antibiotics will have cured Ndungane by kick-off but Pietersen remains a chief worry.

If neither make it, Sevens Springbok Mark Richards is the man literally and metaphorically waiting in the wings to partner Lwazi Mvovo. The 21-year-old played in the same successful Michaelhouse team as the Cronje brothers, Ross and Guy, and their fullback was a youthful Patrick Lambie. Just ahead of Richards at the Midlands school was recent Sharks Patric Cilliers and Michael Rhodes.

An alternative on the wing is veteran Stefan Terblanche, who could move there from 13 and Adi Jacobs could then start in that position.

Among the forwards, there was relief for coach John Plumtree when second rower Steven Sykes took part in (and completed) his first training session for almost a month after he sustained a calf injury in a practice match against the Sharks XV a week before the Neo Africa Tri Series.

Skeate broke a finger in that series in Cape Town and is expected to be available for selection next week for the home match against the Blues.

The positive development on the lock front is that Alistair Hargreaves is fit and raring to go, which is good news indeed considering he was carted off to hospital in Cape Town with suspected damage to back veterbrae during the Neo Series, and the initial prognosis was bleak.

In that unprofitable series for the Sharks, back-up hooker Craig Burden sprained an ankle but he trained last night with no drama and is fully recovered.

So there are a few physical aches and pains to be ironed out during the week but mentally the Sharks are in fine fettle, reckons Plumtree.

“The players get sick of pre-season training, so game week has brought a lot of excitement,” he said. “For the coaching staff the worrying starts – and we have at least 16 weeks of it! – but the players can’t wait to get stuck in,” Plumtree laughed.

No Durbanite needs reminding of how hot it has been this week and this has raised the question of whether the Sharks in February can maintain their Currie Cup intensity of October, when they ran teams off their feet.

“The conditions will be a factor,” Plumtree acknowledged, “but we won’t change too much. We will stick to our guns, and if occasionally we need to change things, we have good decision-makers on the field.”

And what of the Cheetahs, who fancy their chances of winning in Durban, as they did last year?

“They get excited about playing us, that’s for sure,” Plumtree smiled. “We will just have to negate that excitement by performing really well!”