Griquas hooker Ryno Barnes says they are extremely confident of picking up not only the two required log points but a victory, in their decisive Currie Cup clash against the Sharks in Kimberley on Saturday.

Griquas host the Sharks on the back of two heavy defeats at the hands of the Blue Bulls and Western Province respectively.

While the two successive defeats placed Griquas in a precarious position heading into the final round of league action, Barnes is adamant that it hasn't derailed their Currie Cup playoff campaign nor has it affected their mentality with a final shot of making the semis remaining this weekend.

Griquas need two log points from the Sharks clash and Barnes stressed that they are not focussing on the minimum requirements but they are going 'all out' for the win on Saturday.

"It will be more difficult to go for two points, therefore we are going all out for the win," Barnes told this website during the build-up to Saturday's clash.

"It was difficult at Newlands [two weeks ago] with the wet weather as we not used to that kind of weather but against the Bulls we didn't play that badly although the result doesn't show that. But we are confident for this week's game.

"We want to make the semis."

Griquas had a fairytale start to the 2009 Currie Cup after recording five consecutive wins in the first half of the tournament. However, their magic run did not continue in the latter half of the competition after the big unions welcomed back their Springboks and Griquas subsequently suffered a few injuries to key players.

"We lost only one game in the Vodacom Cup and we started well in the Currie Cup. I think our recent slump was inevitable. It's very difficult, you can't just win all the games," Barnes explained.

"The guys were a bit tired [in the second half of the Currie Cup] and we had a few injuries as well."

Ryno Barnes Profile

Barnes played almost every game this season and he admits that fatigue as well as player-resources is a major problem for a small union such as Griquas.

"Depth is a problem but then again if you want to make it you have to go all out," he said.

"We decided at the beginning of the year that we have the talent, so why can't we go for it?"

Barnes hinted that they will revert to the tactics which worked so well at the start of the season for Saturday's decider. And the 28 year-old rake isn't daunted by the challenge of facing a Bok-laden Sharks front row on Saturday.

"Our kicking game worked for us in the first five games and so we will try and do that and put up defensive lines. The Sharks can attack from anywhere so our defence will also have to be tight.

"We did well against the Bulls, who also have a world-class front row. So, we'll be up for it."

If Griquas come away with the points on Saturday, they will knock their Super 14 partner, the Free State Cheetahs, out of the playoff race.

Barnes was part of the Cheetahs' Super 14 set-up in 2009 but he didn't feature in the tournament with Naka Drotske preferring the Strauss double, Adriaan and Richardt.

However, Barnes is hoping that his form in this year's domestic competition will boost his Super 14 chances.

"I was involved in the Cheetahs set-up at the beginning of the year but I didn't get an opportunity with the two Strauss' there. If we make the semis it might give us a bit of a boost when we get to the Cheetahs' super 14 squad."