Boks back for Sharks
Pietersen and Steyn slot straight into the team to face the Stormers after returning from Japan
FOR once it has not been a case of South African players having got “Big in Japan” and slim and trim Francois Steyn and JP Pietersen are set to slot straight into the Sharks team to play the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday, having only returned to Sharks training on Monday.
And the pair will be alongside each other in forming a brand new midfield combination at the expense of youngster Andre Esterhuizen and veteran Waylon Murray.
It will be an element of rotation as far as Murray is concerned, and Esterhuizen might feel aggrieved, but the bottom line is that two class Boks are back in the fold, are fit, and the Sharks are in the business of winning Super Rugby games, not awards for good fellowship.
Steyn was one of the Sharks best players in the 2014 campaign, and there can be no arguments with his return at inside centre, and the selection of Pietersen at 13 is as much about his proven ability to play there (as opposed to his customary 11) as it is a nod to the form of the current wings in Lwazi Mvovo and Odwa Ndungane.
Pietersen has played 13 for his Japanese club for the last three years and played in the position at the Sharks with relative success under John Plumtree in 2013.
The immediate selection of Springbok stars in Steyn and Pietersen to the Sharks midfield is also a nod to the good form of the Stormers centres, where Damian de Allende in particular has been in outstanding form.
Sharks coach Gary Gold also has the welcome opportunity of adding Springbok flank Willem Alberts to the selection equation. The 30-year-old is over his customary pre-season injury, this time a hamstring problem, and is good to go. This is timely given that Jean Deysel, a player of similar bulldozing mode, yesterday underwent an operation on a broken bone in his foot.
It is an unfortunate blow for Deysel (and the Sharks) given that he has himself just returned from Japan and that his injury came in the final minute of the defeat to the Bulls at the weekend. He will be out of action for four to six weeks.
Another player on the injury list but possibly available for the Storm- ers game is Currie Cup captain and No8 Tera Mtembu. He said the return of Alberts, Pietersen and Steyn had been a tonic for the squad.
“They have definitely lifted the team,” he said. “They are hungry and want to make an impact. They bring a lot of energy and inspire the guys around them. They are world-class players, they’ve fitted in nicely. They will bring a different dimension to what we want to achieve. We have a simple game plan and players of their experience will have no problem adapting easily to what we are trying to do. We’re all looking forward to seeing the impact they can make to our cause on Saturday.”
Mtembu said the growing depth in the squad was giving the coaches a welcome headache.
“In particular, the fight for places in the loose trio is growing,” he said. “If I get an opportunity I know I have to make the most of it.“