Janse van Rensburg bolsters Sharks
THE Sharks have had a tough time of late in terms of player availability in the United Rugby Championship (URC).
But they have had a lucky break in the formidable form of Rohan Janse van Rensburg, who will return from suspension on Sunday when Cardiff visit Kings Park (6.10pm kick-off).
The stocky centre was banned for four matches when he was redcarded for reckless tackling against Leinster on October 8.
He would still have been suspended this week had it not been for SA Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus informing the powersthat-be that he had intended picking Van Rensburg for the SA ‘A’ games.
So, those fixtures were taken off his four matches, and he is free to play.
So, well done to Erasmus, who will be pleased to hear some praise in these troubled times for him, following his own two-test suspension for his tweets about decisions made by match officials in the Ireland and France games ...
The Sharks are thrilled to have Janse van Rensburg back, given they have nine players on duty for the Boks against England this weekend and have another Test centre, Lukhanyo Am, injured.
In further good news on the player front, flyhalf Lionel Cronje’s broken arm has healed and he will be on the bench on Sunday, while former Springbok pivot Curwin Bosch is a week away from returning to play after his own fractured arm.
This is double good news on the flyhalf front because the Sharks have been playing the URC with just one fit No 10 in Boeta Chamberlain, and there were plenty of fingers crossed that he did not get crocked.
The Sharks’ last game was at
Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, where an under-strength team lost 40-27.
They need to beat Cardiff on Sunday to get back on track and then next Friday, they host another Welsh team in the Ospreys.