Rulani trusts 'honey badger' Hunt to find solution for duo

While SuperSport United are expected to be without Ricardo Goss and Grant Margeman when they face runaway log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Monday, coach Rulani Mokwena expects Gavin Hunt to come up with the best solution.

Matsatsantsa a Pitori are the last team to beat Sundowns this season in the league and will have to do it without the duo, who are on loan from the Brazilians.

Sundowns’ policy is that their loan players are not eligible to play against them, and this puts Hunt at a disadvantage.

“There was a time, I think a couple of years ago, when Gavin Hunt was referred to as a honey badger,” Mokwena says.

“I think he compared Steve Komphela to a honey badger and he even said to coach Steve ‘google the honey badger’. I didn’t know what a honey badger was.

“Although I follow animals, I spend a lot of time on a safari and try to understand a lot. And I will compare Hunt to that animal.

“The honey badger is one of the smartest animals, and you know what makes it so smart, it comes up with solutions.

“Gavin will come up with solutions no doubt, he will complain, saying ‘I didn’t have Grant Margerman’, who is one of his best players, but he will come up with a solution because that’s what honey badgers do.

Mokwena added: “There was a honey badger which was kept in Pretoria and it found a way out of captivity by using stones and sticks to escape.

“For sure, Hunt will be able to find some sort of solution for us and even though the players know, the reality is Gavin is so experienced, he is a winner, he will come up with solutions and means to make sure the team is strong enough to compete with us.”

Sundowns players will return to training this weekend to prepare for the Tshwane derby match after they were given a few days off following their midweek 2-1 win over Chippa United.