The  team that handles the pressure better in the United Rugby Championship quarterfinal encounter between the Bulls and Sharks on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld (1.45pm) will emerge victorious, former Springbok winger Odwa Ndungane believes.

SA's rugby fraternity will come to a standstill for 80 minutes as they watch the Bulls and Sharks renew their rivalry. This is the biggest game between the two since they met in the 2007 Super 14 final where the Bulls won 20-19. 

This weekend's match is set to draw a huge crowd capped at 25,000 at Loftus Versfeld. With a semifinal berth on the cards for the winner, the game will be a pressure one for both sides. Ndungane believes the team that holds its nerve, stands a better chances of winning. 

“It's not going to be an easy game. Even though the Sharks have won the two games they played this year, the playoffs are a different ball game. The pressure and expectations are different. We're in for a good game,” said Ndungane. 

“In a game like this, you need to build scoreboard pressure. It builds up for a nice encounter between the two teams but for me it's going to come down to who can handle the pressure better,” he said. 

There are plenty of match-ups that will have the fans on the edge of their seats, but the battle of the forward packs is the standout one. The Sharks have a pack full of Springboks such as Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Thomas du Toit and Siya Kolisi while the Bulls have capable players like Marcell Coetzee, Ruan Nortje and Ruan Vermaak. 

Ndungane expects the Sharks to dominate the scrums while tipping the Bulls to have the upper hand in the line-outs.

“If you look at the Sharks pack personnel, it's full of Springboks, players that are starting. You'd expect them to dominate in scrums. However, they have struggled with line-outs when it comes to the Bulls. 

“With Ruan Nortje, he's a mastermind, always putting the Sharks under pressure. I expect it to be a tight and tough battle,” said Ndungane.