The Free State Cheetahs will only be able to use half of their victorious Springbok quota when they tackle the table-topping Sharks in a Currie Cup crunch match in Durban on Saturday.

Cheetahs assistant coach Hawies Fourie told this website that the back injury which ruled flank Juan Smit out of the Tri-Nations-clinching 32-29 win over the All Blacks last Saturday, will also keep off the field this week.

However, poacher par excellence Heinrich Brussow will put his considerable skills on display in Durban - despite having featured in all the Boks' Tri-Nations games. Brussow will be in the starting XV.

Fourie confirmed that Smit's back is still bothering him.

"We don't know yet how long Juan [Smit] will be out for, as he went for an MRI scan - but it will be at least another week," Fourie told this website.

There is other good news on the injury front - with loose forwards Kabamba Floors and Hendro Scholtz both fully fit and ready to play against the Sharks.

"Most of our injured players are coming back and it is certainly a very good time to get those players back," Fourie said, adding: "This week [against the Sharks in Durban] and next week [against the Blue Bulls in Pretoria] are two very important weeks for us."

Sevens Springbok Danwel Demas has also recovered from his knee ligament injury and will be considered for the encounter with the Bulls, as will scrumhalf Tewis de Bruyn - who underwent shoulder surgery after the Super 14.

Fourie admitted that every game in the last four weeks of league action is a "must win" fixture for the Cheetahs.

"The fact that we lost our first four games means we now can't afford to relax until the last minute of our last [league] game against Boland [on October 10]," the backline coach said.

"In a sense it is a good thing, because it keeps the guys focussed and they know exactly what they are up against.

"However, on the flipside it puts a lot of pressure on the team."