Shark Tank abuzz as veteran lock dons kit

ALBERT van den Berg could make an unexpected return to the playing field for the Sharks as Pieter-Steph du Toit’s replacement at lock.

Du Toit was called up to the Springbok Rugby Championship squad for the home matches against Australia this weekend and New Zealand next week.

The Sharks are thin at lock with Anton Bresler out injured for the season while new signing Marco Wentzel dislocated his shoulder at Western Province earlier this month.

Edwin Hewitt, who was roped in from Griquas last month, is likely to partner Peet Marais at lock for the trip to the Golden Lions this Friday but that is as far as the Sharks’ options go.

Van den Berg, 39, was in his full training kit on Monday afternoon and running full-tilt with the team but the Sharks have played down the chances of his coming out of retirement. The Bok veteran last played competitive rugby for Japanese Top League side Canon Eagles before rejoining the Sharks as their under-19 coach.

“Albert van den Berg is not coming out of retirement, he is just helping us out with our line- out,” head coach Brad MacLeod-Henderson said.

“His input has been great for us. (But) I don’t think he’ll be strapping his boots on and putting on a Sharks jersey. Stefan Lewies has been chosen from the under21s to be involved this weekend. He’s done well for the under-21s over the last two years so this is an opportunity for him to show what he can do.”

The Sharks have injury worries in other positions too as hooker Kyle Cooper and loosehead prop Dale Chadwick did not train on Monday.

It appeared that the Sharks would stick with the bulk of the team that beat the Free State Cheetahs 50-26 last Saturday.

MacLeod-Henderson insisted that their game had not reached its peak despite the team going to the top of the Currie Cup log.

“We’ve come a long way since the beginning of the season, but there are still areas that we need to improve on … and we know we have to be good against the Lions, who are a very strong side. They are in third place, they are playing at home and they are pushing for a home semifinal.

“We worked a bit on our defence on Monday and yesterday we polished our attack. Hopefully we’ll put it all together.”