Puke Watson to turn up at the Sharks?

Jake calls on Watson

Jake White will assess Luke Watson in the new year and says he has no issue with picking the player he was forced to include as a Springbok in 2007.

World Cup winning coach White, who will lead the Sharks 2014 Super Rugby challenge, has already made contact with Watson.

‘It was a very encouraging and exciting telephonic chat,’ Watson told Keo.co.za. ‘I should be training again by mid-January and be available to play near the end of February. Jake said we would chat again mid January and asked for a regular update on my injury recovery.’

Watson had an operation mid year because of a fracture in his foot.

White, in 2007, was infamously forced to include Watson in his Springbok squad because of politics.

Watson says both men have moved on from the unfortunate events of 2007.

‘So much of what happened back then was third-party related. It is history. What excites me is the now and what is possible in the future. I am committed to the Kings but have always stated my desire to play Super Rugby again – and Jake’s phone call gives me hope that if my fitness and form is good enough I will be a consideration at the Sharks. It adds to the motivation for 2014.’

Watson made his Super Rugby debut for the Sharks as a 19 year-old before moving to the Stormers. He then captained English club Bath before returning to Port Elizabeth four years ago.

White, who enjoyed two seasons with the Brumbies in Australia, believes the Sharks are good enough to win Super Rugby.

‘The Sharks have incredible depth and I will look to any player who can add to the depth of the squad and to a successful 2014 challenge,’ said White. ‘I have already drafted in a few Kings players who impressed me in 2013. Luke missed half the Super Rugby season because of injury and I wanted to establish his recovery period from the foot operation. I also wanted him to know that I wanted to have a look at him when he was fit again and that as far as I was concerned the past belongs in the past and that all I was interested in was putting together the best possible Sharks squad.’

White’s Sharks have been in pre-season training since November 18. The squad will take two weeks out over the Christmas period and reassemble in the first week of January. The side will also play against Saracens in London on January 25.

Luke is a good player and the Sharks do not have a true openside........makes perfect sense to sign him.

He has also grown up and discarded the baggage  

On the face of it, this sounds absurd. I think Jake is perhaps relating to his success with George Smith.....but I know George smith and Luke Watson is no George Smith, never has been, nor ever will be.

At best this is a bit of media hype.

Lets hope this is just a rumor and othing more. LOL 

Saying that,did he not start his playing career at the Sharks?

 There  are person problems her as well.   It seems that there was a big breakup between John Smit and Luke Watson at one stage and he left the Sharks in a huff as a result.   Will John welcome him back?  I am not so sure about that one.

Question - Is he an opensider?   As far as I can remember he played at 7 for the Kings in the few games he played in Super 15 this year.   In any event he will only with difficulty make the team as Marcel Coetzee is still the preferred opensider for the Sharks and they have both Sloth and Deysel as blindsiders - not that any of the latter two has anything remotely relating to a rugby brain between the two o f them.

 There  are person problems her as well.   It seems that there was a big breakup between John Smit and Luke Watson at one stage and he left the Sharks in a huff as a result.