‘Loftus clash a Springbok trial’
COACH: SPECIAL EFFORT NEEDED TO CONVINCE SELECTORS
Sharks coach Sean Everitt believes this weekend’s Rainbow Cup SA showdown against the Bulls at Loftus will serve as a mini Springbok trial ahead of the visit by the British and Irish Lions in a few weeks’ time.
Everitt however believed it would require a special performance from a player to change SA Rugby’s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus’s mind.
“I think Rassie has already selected his squad from the players who attended the alignment camps,” said Everitt.
“I presume most players who went to those camps will be in the Bok squad, but the players could be competing for starting positions and every game is a trial,” he said.
Everitt said two players in his team are probably on the fringes of selection and would want to perform well this weekend. “We also have guys who have been on the fringes of Bok selection like fullback Aphelele Fassi and flyhalf Curwin Bosch,” he said.
The match is between the only unbeaten teams in the competition, with both having won their opening two games. The last time these teams met in a competitive competition, the Currie Cup, the Bulls edged the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld.
Everitt has made only one change to his team from the first two rounds, picking the exciting Jaden Hendrikse to start at scrumhalf this week. With Sanele Nohamba on the bench, last week’s starter at scrumhalf, Grant Williams, misses out completely.
Meanwhile World Cup winning Springbok wing Makazole Mapimpi on his way back to Durban.
Mapimpi returns to South Africa from Japan tonight and Everitt said the speedy try-machine would undergo medical testing on Monday before any decision is made about picking him.