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Cape Town - Sharks coach John Plumtree says they won't fall into the "trap" set by Western Province who labelled them as favourites for the Currie Cup final at Kings Park on Saturday.
"That's a bunch of nonsense," he told the Beeld website, referring to WP coach Allister Coetzee's claims that the Sharks will start as overwhelming favourites.
"We won't fall far it. I know what he (Coetzee) is trying to achieve. He wants to put all the pressure on us and make it look like we almost can't lose. So I don't buy that one. They just want to make us too assured and then catch us cold."
The men from Cape Town have been severely depleted by injuries and will start the final without several of their stars like Schalk Burger, Jean de Villiers, Andries Bekker, Tiaan Liebenberg, Siya Kolisi, Rynhardt Elstadt and Nick Koster.
But Plumtree feels there remains enough quality for WP to walk away victorious.
"They have more than enough guys with X-factor like Gio Aplon and Bryan Habana - who can win the game on their own if you give them half a chance.
"They also have a solid pack of forwards who can provide enough opportunities for those X-factor guys. So I don't view us as the favourites," said Plumtree.
The clash at Kings Park kicks off at 17:00 on Saturday.
"That's a bunch of nonsense," he told the Beeld website, referring to WP coach Allister Coetzee's claims that the Sharks will start as overwhelming favourites.
"We won't fall far it. I know what he (Coetzee) is trying to achieve. He wants to put all the pressure on us and make it look like we almost can't lose. So I don't buy that one. They just want to make us too assured and then catch us cold."
The men from Cape Town have been severely depleted by injuries and will start the final without several of their stars like Schalk Burger, Jean de Villiers, Andries Bekker, Tiaan Liebenberg, Siya Kolisi, Rynhardt Elstadt and Nick Koster.
But Plumtree feels there remains enough quality for WP to walk away victorious.
"They have more than enough guys with X-factor like Gio Aplon and Bryan Habana - who can win the game on their own if you give them half a chance.
"They also have a solid pack of forwards who can provide enough opportunities for those X-factor guys. So I don't view us as the favourites," said Plumtree.
The clash at Kings Park kicks off at 17:00 on Saturday.
