Sharks coach John Plumtree has said his team will go 'defensive' if they have to in order to win, meaning they are likely to discard the often ineffective expansive game that marked their Super 14 campaign, when the Currie Cup competition gets underway this weekend.

Plumtree, who will be throwing his Springbok contingent straight back into action for their opening clash against Western Province in Cape Town on Saturday, said they are going to play a style of rugby that wins matches.

"We have to be able to find a way to win," Plumtree said in an interview on the Sharks website.

It will be remembered that the Sharks often talked up their expansive game in the Super 14, but after falling short - failing to make the play-offs - and not scoring enough tries, Plumtree has had a change of heart.

"If we have to be defensive and play a 10 man game to get the victory, it's what we will do on the day.

"We definitely want to play a 15-man game, but if it's not going to work for us, we will be fairly direct and disciplined in the game plan we believe we can win with."

Plumtree said he will use all his available Springbok players in Saturday's opening round.

"They've not had lot of rugby since the Super 14 and are keen to get right back into it," he said on the Sharks website.

"Both of Guy Cronje and Ryan Kankowski are nursing minor niggles and will both be monitored during the week.

"Otherwise we're not in bad shape injury-wise."

The Sharks coach confirmed that Waylon Murray could return to action as soon as next week or the week following.

"He's responded very well to a second operation and although he lost some muscle mass in his leg, that's coming back."

Rocco Janssen, the Bulls flyer who spent some time with The Sharks and played for them against the Pumas last week has been released back to his province.

"He was good but he's not staying on with us," explained Plumtree. "He'll go back to the Bulls, but he knows he's always welcome to return."

Western Province are missing a number of players to the Springboks and injury as well as retirement and a few who have moved on to greener (read European) pastures and playing at home will have huge amounts of pressure to perform, especially considering last year's failure to reach the knockout stages.

"They'll know they need to front up physically against The Sharks, especially our forwards," said Plumtree.

"They have plenty of speed amongst their backs and players with a fair amount of Super 14 experience, we just need to make sure we're in the fight the whole way and if can do that, the players know they need to stick together and when we get into half, build pressure and get some points."

As defending champions, there is no denying the fact that The Sharks go into this year's tournament with a target on their backs.

Plumtree admits that there is some pressure facing his side.

"We have our own expectations and there are no excuses, last year we were in the same boat, maybe slightly worse off, but the players understand the responsibility of wearing the jersey, it's a Sharks team regardless who wears it, they must go out there and play.

"We've won down there before, just need to believe we can go out there and do it again."