The continued recurrence of the concussion symptoms that Eben Etzebeth has experienced since he was ruled out of rugby in early December tops the list of Hollywoodbets Sharks concerns as they take stock during what for them will be a down month.
The Sharks do have the return Vodacom United Rugby Championship derby against the Vodacom Bulls coming up on Saturday week, meaning 15 February, but that is the only match the Durbanites will be playing this month. So coach John Plumtree has stuck with his plan of giving all his many Springboks this month off as per the national resting protocols.
That will mean the Sharks will head to Pretoria next week under-strength, but Plumtree is prepared to take that risk in expectation of having his Boks return fresh and hungry in March at the start of an intense few final months of the season. The Sharks’ bonus point win away against Cardiff has given them some breathing space when it comes to their battle for place in the top four on the URC log, and Plumtree will be targeting the two games against the Emirates Lions, home and away, in the first half of March for an all out effort in a quest to get maximum points.
Should they get that right the Sharks should have a good chance of continuing that momentum when they host Zebre on 22 March before an important home clash with Leinster a week later. Plumtree will want to have his team as close to full strength as possible for the Leinster clash. With Leinster due to play an Investec Champions Cup round of 16 tie a week later it is an opportunity for the Sharks to build a buffer before they head across the equator in mid-April to play two tough away games against first Edinburgh and then Ulster.
LIKELY TO FOCUS ON URC CHALLENGE
The Sharks’ EPCR Challenge Cup round of 16 game away to Lyon in on 6 April, with the quarterfinal scheduled for a week later, but it remains to be seen what selection policy Plumtree will adopt for that competition. Last year the Sharks had to go all in to win the secondary European competition because their poor showing in the URC meant it was their only way of qualifying for the prestigious Champions Cup, but they should be reasonably assured of finishing in the top eight in the URC this time around.
With a quarterfinal in the Challenge Cup also likely to be overseas (unless it is against the Lions, which itself will present a logistical curve ball), beating Lyon to advance to the next round will mean the Sharks play four overseas games in successive weeks. The Sharks wouldn’t go in at full strength in all of those games and it is likely it will be the Challenge Cup that sees their understrength combination.
FASSI AND ESTERHUIZEN RECOVERIES ON TRACK
The break in fixtures during February because of the Guinness Six Nations comes at a perfect time for the Sharks as the latest injury update released by the Sharks is an extensive one. There is no time of return attached to any of them, but both the two Boks who were injured in the URC derby against the Stormers in Cape Town, Andre Esterhuizen and Aphelele Fassi, have undergone operations and should be back in March.
According to a Sharks media release, Esterhuizen underwent a knee operation and his recovery is underway and going well, while Fassi had surgery on his ankle and “the recovery is in progress and the ankle is healing well”.
Another Bok, prop Ox Nche, suffered a tear of an upper arm muscle that has kept him out for the last few games. According to the Sharks release recovery is in progress but he is “being treated conservatively”.
The other Bok listed in the group of players currently recovering from injury and unavailable to play is Etzebeth and he is arguably the biggest concern given that with all the others there is no confusion over their condition and their recoveries and rehabilitation can be managed to fit into a targeted return date.
CONCUSSION IS COMPLICATED
Etzebeth’s condition is much more complicated given that it is concussion and the recurring symptoms that the Sharks have referred to that are keeping him from the field will be headaches. Etzebeth has been out since 8 December, when he suffered a head knock in the Champions Cup opener against the Exeter Chiefs.
He was initially due to return to the Sharks team for the derbies against the Bulls (home) and the Stormers (away), but it is understood that recurring headaches kept him from playing.
Concussion is a delicate subject so let’s just quote what the Sharks release said about it: “(Eben) suffered a return of symptoms of his recent concussion. The Sharks take this injury very seriously and player welfare remains our priority. Eben is being managed by concussion specialists. He will be returned to play once they are fully satisfied that his injury has completely resolved.”
🚨 INJURY UPDATE 🚨
— The Sharks (@SharksRugby) February 5, 2025
Read full article on https://t.co/7rrlV9eVNG pic.twitter.com/Hr2SwMS8f5
Sharks flyhalf Patrick Lambie cut his career short a few years ago because of recurring concussion symptoms, and the condition has also prematurely ended the careers of a host of other professional players, so Etzebeth’s ongoing battle will be of concern not only to his franchise employers in Durban but also to the Springbok management.
The other Sharks players currently on the injured list are lock Emile van Heerden, who was the third player to undergo surgery (in his case knee) following an injury sustained against the Stormers, flank Emmanuel Tshituka (dislocated toe), Fez Mbatha (lower limb stress fracture), Gerbrandt Grobler (foot surgery) and openside flank James Venter (tear of chest wall muscle).
The Sharks will hope to have most of those players back in action in March as they begin what should be a concerted drive to excel in the competition they failed in last season and the one that decides the success and failure of South African teams.
Remaining Hollywoodbets Sharks fixtures (Vodacom URC unless stated)
15 February: Vodacom Bulls (away)
1 March: Emirates Lions (away)
8 March: Emirates Lions (home)
22 March: Zebre (home)
29 March: Leinster (home)
6 April: Lyon (away - EPCR Challenge Cup round of 16)
18 April: Edinburgh (away)
25 April: Ulster (away)
9 May: Ospreys (home)
17 May: Ospreys (home)
The Sharks also have an EPCR Challenge Cup fixture away against Lyon on 6 April and a possible quarterfinal the week after that.