Timely boost for chastened Sharks by Gavin Rich 10 September 2013, 17:53
The Sharks have injury problems as they head into the second round of the Absa Currie Cup on the back of a chastening halfway-point defeat in Cape Town, but the return of star young lock Pieter-Steph du Toit should considerably offset any player losses.
Du Toit’s three-month absence due to a sternum injury probably cost him a place in the Springbok squad that has done so well in the early part of the international season, and he will be eager to make his comeback to the playing field count against GWK Griquas in Kimberley on Saturday.
Du Toit’s return is a timely one as it coincides with the loss of Marco Wentzel, who dislocated his collarbone against Western Province three days ago and is likely to be sidelined for a few weeks.
The time for more rotation at the Sharks has arrived, and former Griquas player Edwin Hewitt will slot in alongside Du Toit in the engine-room.
“Pieter-Steph is a phenomenal athlete and it’s fantastic to have him back,” said Sharks coach Brad MacLeod-Henderson in a press session alongside the playing field after training on Tuesday.
“The injury to Marco has also obviously accelerated his return to the starting line-up. It will be a tough return for him up in Kimberley, but he’s been training well and done a lot of hard work on his rehab, so we are looking forward to seeing him in action.
"We will have a big physical second row playing for us at the weekend, and we will need it.”
Indeed, the Sharks have a score to settle with Griquas after they were outmuscled by those opponents on their way to a shock defeat in the first-round game at Growthpoint Kings Park.
Fortunately for the Sharks their new signing for next year, Griquas prop Lourens Adriaanse, will not be facing them this time, which will be welcomed by those front-row forwards who remember the mauling they got in the scrums in Durban.
After last week’s capitulation at scrum time to WP, something needs to be done to the pack to get it firing in the set-pieces, and MacLeod-Henderson is clearly hoping that the return of Kyle Cooper will make a difference.
Rayno Gerber is also one of the players struggling with injury, so there should be a return for the highly regarded Wiehahn Herbst.
One injury that has the potential to severely hamper the Sharks in Kimberley is that to Jean Deysel.
“Jean has a bruised thigh. I am confident he will be alright for this Saturday, but if not, we will play Justin Downey at blindside flank and bring Tera Mtembu in on the bench,” said the coach.
One almost certain change will be the return of Charl McLeod at scrumhalf. The veteran has played as a replacement in the last two matches but the timing of the rotation policy should pinpoint this game as his return to the No 9 jersey.
Given how the Sharks have struggled in the scrums, particularly last week, it is probably apt to ask if the rotation policy is working in all areas.
Certainly WP have shown what can be achieved by having the same tight five working together week in and week out, and the Sharks may be making it harder for themselves by switching around their front-row forwards so much.
