SuperSport United head coach Gavin Hunt admits the Carling Knockout is not a priority for him ahead of their clash with Polokwane City in the round of 16 at the TUT Stadium on Sunday.

Kick-off is at 6pm CAT (SA, GMT+2)

Hunt is one of the most successful managers in PSL history, having won the DStv Premiership title four times - a feat he shares with Ted Dumitru and Gordon Igesund.

But the 59-year-old has also had some success in the cup competitions, winning the Absa Cup in 2004, the Nedbank Cup in 2012, the MTN 8 in 2016 and the Telkom Knockout in 2017.

The Carling Knockout has replaced the Telkom Knockout in the South African footballing calendar and Matsatsantsa have only won the trophy on one occasion, when they beat Platinum Stars 3-2 in the 2014 final.

The Tshwane giants trail local rivals Mamelodi Sundowns eight points in the league after winning five of their opening eight matches and Hunt is determined to topple the Brazilians.

"I am old-fashioned. The league is more important for me... I am really a league guy," he said. "Obviously the cup competitions are very lucrative for the club owners, for the players and they create the vibe.

"We are very fortunate in this country to have all these cup competitions over the last 30 years, 40 years, but the league is for me really where you should be judged."

Rise And Shine have made an impressive start to life under Lehlohonolo Seema, who was brought in to work alongside Duncan Lechesa following their promotion as winners of the Motsepe Foundation Championship last season.

The Limpopo outfit are fifth in the league standings after a 0-0 draw with Sekhukhune United prior to the international break extended their unbeaten run to four games.

Seema would be forgiven for suggesting that the October break came at the wrong time, but he insists it's a welcome respite that gives his players time to recover from injury.

"Some people are saying we are having a good run, but we needed this break because it has been tough for us travelling with injuries.

"This will give us time to recuperate again and try to make sure that we give a chance to the guys who are injured. So breaks like this, we welcome them as they give our injured players time to recover."