More Springbok injury woes for Sharks ahead of big Bordeaux clash

Leighton Koopman

The Sharks will be without several Springboks ahead of their final Champions Cup group showdown against Bordeaux Begles on Sunday (3pm kick-off).

Flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse, winger Makazole Mapimpi and tighthead Vincent Koch all failed Head Injury Assessments following this past Saturday’s 20-8 loss to Toulouse in Durban.

The Challenge Cup holders are already without influential Bok lock Eben Etzebeth, who is also battling to recover from a concussion, and backs André Esterhuizen and Aphelele Fassi.

Hendrikse, Koch and Mapimpi will be monitored over the next week to see if they can link up with the squad in Wales, where they will resume their United Rugby Championship campaign against Cardiff.

The Sharks’ ambitions at the 33,000-seater Stade Chaban-Delmas took a knock with the absence of the Bok trio, but the team are still pushing for a place in the Round of 16 of the Champions Cup. They basically need one point from the duel in Bordeaux to end fourth in their group.

The 28-man ensemble for the French mission selected by head coach John Plumtree consists of 16 forwards and 12 backs. This includes the return of Springboks Lukhanyo Am, Grant Williams and Ntuthuko Mchunu, as well as loose forward James Venter and utility back Eduan Keyter. Their presence should bolster the squad’s performance in these critical fixtures.

Plumtree acknowledged the impact of missing several pivotal players as the Sharks faced Toulouse, expressing that a full-strength side could have altered the dynamics of that match.

They struggled to maintain possession during the first half, leading to a lack of pressure against their opponents, who were inspired by talisman Antoine Dupont. Yet their performance improved in the second half when they managed to hold on to the ball better.

There will be some crucial decisions for Plumtree to make in certain positions, like flyhalf and scrumhalf, and how his midfield combination will look. Despite the injuries, he has enough depth in the forwards to cover those crucial positions. Siya Masuku is the only fit flyhalf touring with the squad, and he has had limited time on the field in the last couple of games.

Jaden Hendrikse can fill in at No.10, but he has been the in-form scrumhalf. With Williams’ return, though, it does give Plumtree some leeway to play around with that combination.

Sharks Tour Squad

Forwards: Ruan Dreyer, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Hanro Jacobs, Bongi Mbonambi, Dylan Richardson, Ethan Bester, Jason Jenkins, Corné Rahl, Vincent Tshituka, Emmanuel Tshituka, Siya Kolisi, Phepsi Buthelezi, James Venter, Jeandré Labuschagne.

Backs: Grant Williams, Jaden Hendrikse, Bradley Davids, Siya Masuku, Francois Venter, Lukhanyo Am, Ethan Hooker, Yaw Penxe, Eduan Keyter, Jurenzo Julius, Hakeem Kunene, Litelihle Bester.