Expect Eben Etzebeth to make his return to the rugby field when the Hollywoodbets Sharks host Zebre in Durban on 21 March or at the worst a week later when they go into a crucial home face-off against runaway Vodacom United Rugby Championship leaders Leinster a week later.
Sharks coach John Plumtree was unable to include Etzebeth in his plans for this weekend’s South African Shield decider against the Emirates Lions at Hollywoodbets Kings Park, but sounded cautiously optimistic at the team announcement press conference on Friday that the Springbok behemoth will be part of the Sharks’ challenge after this game.
“I am too scared to tell you anything positive about Eben as every time I have done that before and raised my hopes we have ended up going backwards again,” said Plumtree.
“But he is training with us and is looking really good in training, he trained well this week. We don’t play next week but hopefully he will play for us at the end of the month. As I say, I am nervous about going for any really positive timelines but right now it is looking really good.”
Judging from what Plumtree says, Etzebeth returning off the bench against Zebre to prepare his body for the crunch game against Leinster the following week might be a smart bet.
Etzebeth has been out since the Investec Champions Cup game against Exeter Chiefs in early December with issues related to concussion.
Plumtree’s cautiously optimistic view supports that of Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, who said earlier in the week that Etzebeth was progressing well and should soon be in a situation where he has the all clear to start playing again.
He said that he expects Etzebeth to be part of the national team's 2025 season and did not appear overly concerned.
Etzebeth’s absence has hurt the Sharks and it coincided since late December with that of Emile van Heerden, who was effectively one of the first choice locks before he was injured in the Cape Town derby against the DHL Stormers.
The good news for the Sharks is that Van Heerden is back in the starting team for Saturday, so the lock crisis that saw young Deon Slabbert added to the Sharks squad is starting to ease.
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LOAN PLAYERS UNDERLINES BRUTALITY OF SEASON
Indeed, that is the case in most forward positions now, but not so at the back, where the Sharks have been forced to select loan player Henry Immelman (from the Bulls) in Saturday’s clash with the Lions.
Plumtree said the fact that Immelman has been called up for this important game is an indication of how deep the injury problems have gone for the Sharks, who also had to loan Scarra Ntubeni from the Stormers to ease a crisis at hooker.
“We have 46 players in our squad so that we still had to go outside to shore up certain positions shows the brutality of the long season and how deep you have to go in each position,” said the Sharks coach.
“It was shown by us bringing Deon Slabbert into our group four or five weeks ago. We already had five top locks and then to go deeper than that shows how much depth you need. Going back to Henry, he came in and was part of our preparation for the Lions game, but this week we had to pick him (because of the injury to Siya Masuku that forced Jordan Hendrikse back to flyhalf).
“He’s had a few weeks here and has got to know a few of the boys. He brings a wealth of experience and that is what we need. He brings a calm head and I am backing him to do well. Yes, he will make mistakes, but I believe he will be a good addition.”
LOOKING FOR A RESPONSE
Plumtree said that after the disappointment of the blow out against the Lions in the first of the two back to back games in Johannesburg last week it was great to have a chance to play the same team again so soon and also to have a trophy on the line in this game.
“Look, we have to get through a tough 80 minutes against a very good Lions team first before we can really celebrate the trophy, but it is meaningful to us and it was part of our motivation last week. We had our destiny in our hands and then lost it but fortunately the Stormers did ourselves and themselves a favour by beating the Bulls.
“We do want to win the Shield and being able to lift that trophy will be meaningful for us. It has been part of our focus. After losing like we did last week it is great to be in a position to put that right so quickly and to be playing for a trophy. We thought we had messed it up in Johannesburg where we were off our game and not mentally up to it in the early minutes and the Lions took advantage of that by playing really well and sticking to their plan across the entire game.
“We got a good taste of what they are about though and this week there is no excuse and we know what we need to do. It is not going to be easy as they are a formidable team and we know we will have to play well to win.”
The Sharks just need to win the game to win the Shield as although a win without a bonus point will just take them level with the Stormers on log points, the number of games won will become the tie-breaker.
The Stormers don’t have any derbies left and both of the coastal sides have three wins thus far, with the Sharks poised to go to four if they defend their home fortress.
“We haven’t played at home since the game against Toulouse and we are looking forward to the advantages of being back in front of our fans and we are going out to give them something to smile about,” he said.