The Sharks are wary that the Hurricanes will come to Durban desperate for a win in their match this weekend, after their loss to the Stormers.
The Hurricanes have lost two matches out of three, and must win two out of their next three matches - away to the Sharksand Cats, and at home to the Crusaders - to stay in the race for a semifinal place.
The Hurricanes will have been devastated to lose 27-15 to the Stormers after leading for most of the match only to concede 14 points in the last five minutes.
"The Hurricanes are going to be very hungry for a win," warned Sharks coach Rudolf Straeuli.
"It is going to be another very physical encounter with a New Zealand team highly motivated to return to winning ways.
"We are very aware that they are going to mean serious business."
Straeuli points out that the Hurricanes have no psychological barrier to winning in South Africa, where they have won more often than they have lost, including a shock 34-18 win over the Sharks in East London in 1997.
Graham Mourie's team were boosted on departure by the return to fitness of key loose forward, Kupu Vanisi, the scavenging flank who created chaos in the Sharks ranks in East London.
