Big Eben blow to Sharks on eve of Toulouse match

South Africa’s most capped international player Eben Etzebeth will not be in the Hollywoodbets Sharks team that faces Toulouse in Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup third round clash in Durban after all.

Etzebeth was understood to be ready to play at the start of the week and was said to be back in training but the Springbok legend did not pass a fitness test later in the buildup and is missing from the Sharks team that was announced on Friday afternoon.

Also out, but of course this was anticipated, are the two Springboks who were injured in the recent clash with the DHL Stormers - centre Andre Esterhuizen and fullback Aphelele Fassi.

The latter is replaced by the highly promising but inexperienced at this level, Hakeem Kunene, while Francois Venter slots into Esterhuizen’s place at inside centre.

Bongi Mbonbambi is back to complete an all Springbok front row with Ox Nche and Vincent Koch, while Siya Kolisi will captain the side from No 8, so the Sharks do still have plenty of international experience in the team.

For instance, Makazole Mapimpi is back on the wing after missing the game against the Stormers.

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However Etzebeth heads a list of missing Boks that in addition to Esterhuizen and Fassi also includes Lukhanyo Am, while lock Emile van Heerden, who started alongside Jason Jenkins in the second row in the Cape Town game just before New Year, is also on the injured list.

Another Bok, scrumhalf Grant Williams, will miss the game due to a family bereavement.

Vincent Tshituka returns from an injury layoff via the bench but James Venter is still out.

All of which amounts to a Sharks team that looks some way short of full strength for a game they must win if their advance to the Champions Cup playoffs is not to be thrown into jeopardy.

The Sharks’ last Pool game in the competition will be away to another crack French outfit, Bordeaux Begles.

The Sharks won their opening game against Exeter Chiefs in December with a try- scoring bonus point but since then they’ve been ravaged by injuries and their second string side failed to move the points column on the log when they lost heavily to Leicester Tigers in the Sharks’ second match in the competition.

Still, the Sharks have a history of winning when the odds are stacked against them, and they will know that beating a Toulouse team studded with French internationals will be a massive statement for them and a huge achievement.

That should provide plenty of motivation in what is being eagerly anticipated as one of the match-ups of this round.

Hollywoodbets Sharks team: Hakeem Kunene, Yaw Penxe, Ethan Hooker, Francois Venter, Makazole Mapimpi, Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse, Siya Kolisi (captain), Emmanuel Tshituka, Phepsi Buthelezi, Jason Jenkins, Corne Rahl, Vincent Koch, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche.

Replacements: Dylan Richardson, Ruan Dreyer, Trevor Nyakane, Jeandre Labuschagne, Vincent Tshituka, Nick Hatton, Bradley Davids, Jurenzo Julius.