DURBAN – On Sunday the Sharks will field a full-strength squad in their Superhero match against the Stormers at FNB Stadium which features some exciting off-season signings in the forwards plus a Springbok-strength backline.
An interesting inclusion in the forwards is man mountain Le Roux Roets, the 135kg 24-year-old who starred for the Pumas in the Currie Cup last year after having returned from Super Rugby duty with the Waratahs. He will rival Ruben van Heerden for the No 4 jersey.
Former Cheetah Ox Nche will have a chance on Sunday to state his case as successor to Tendai Mtawarira while another exciting Free Stater, Henco Venter, will get a run at some stage at openside flank. The blindside flank position could well be occupied by rugged Tyler Paul, who missed much of last season because of injury.
Former Stormers man Sikhumbuzo Notshe could be the starting No 8 this season, while there are two former Lions in the squad in flanker James Venter and wing Madosh Tambwe.
Coach Sean Everitt said he was pleased with where the Sharks were after three months of pre-season training and promised his team would have a full go at the Stormers.
“Sunday is a dress rehearsal for us (for the round one match against the Bulls on January 31 at Jonsson Kings Park),” he said. “We don’t have another friendly after this and this is because of our difficult schedule - we play eight games in a row including an eight-week tour. So Sunday is an opportunity for us to put in a good performance.”
Everitt said that he expected a ferocious game from the Stormers.
“Unfortunately there is no such thing as a friendly in rugby. I think we only call them friendlies because there are no log points. Playing with intensity is something we have worked very hard on. We want a high work rate, we want a lot of energy and we want the crowd to judge us on that.”
Each of the four franchises is allowed to use 28-man squads and the respective coaches will want to give all of those players an airing.
“It will be an unforgiving game even if changes will be made,” Everitt said. “All the squads will be using more than 28 players in the tournament. The average used by franchises last year was between 35 and 40. So the players you will be seeing on Sunday are definitely going to see action in Super Rugby in 2020, so it is a big day for everyone.”
Sunday will also see the Sharks’ World Cup Boks in action for the first time this year after they were rested from the warm-up games against Russia and Pukke.
“I think the return of the Boks this Sunday will lift our standards,” the coach said of Makazole Mapimpi, Lukhanyo Am and Sbu Nkosi. “They didn’t play in the warm-up games because they joined us quite late in December, and they were kept out of contact work due to their workload in 2019, so we have eased them back in.
“They have come to training with a fantastic attitude and are keen to get going. They want to get back on the field and show why they are World Cup champions. We are lucky that we have players at this union that are so positive about playing for the Sharks.”
The Sharks squad:
Backs: Aphelele Fassi, Sbu Nkosi, Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Curwin Bosch, Louis Schreuder, Sanele Nohamba, Boeta Chamberlain, Jeremy Ward, Marius Louw, Madosh Tambwe, Lwazi Mvovo
Forwards: Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Tyler Paul, James Venter, Henco Venter, Reuben van Heerden, Hyron Andrews, Le Roux Roets, Thomas du Toit, Kerron van Vuuren, Ox Nche, Dylan Richardson, Mzamo Majola, John-Hubert Meyer, JJ van der Mescht, Tera Mtembu.