Sharks head on European tour without Springboks, but strengthened by players returning from injury

Flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu may be one of the few returning Springboks players to join the Stormers squad before their derby against Sharks in the United Rugby Championship (URC) this Saturday in Cape Town.

Stormers are expected to bring in their Springboks players this week for the clash with Sharks at the DHL stadium. This match is highly significant for the Cape Town team as it is their first home game of the new season, and they are facing an opponent they failed to defeat in two previous coastal derbies last year.

Meanwhile, the Durban side has already included its Boks players, including lock Andre Esterhuizen, wingers Ethan Hooker and Edwin van der Merwe, and versatile prop Thomas du Toit. All these players have played one match after the tough game against Leinster last Saturday, posing a challenge for Stormers rugby director John Dobson regarding the management of international player returns.

However, it is suggested that flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, versatile defender Damian Willemse, versatile forward Deon Fourie, tighthead prop Wilco Louw, and flanker Paul de Villiers should be available for selection.

Following the 17-13 loss to Edinburgh in Scotland on Friday, where Stormers had a chance to win, the team needs a boost to its starting lineup. The main question is where exactly they will fit into the scheme. Feinberg-Mngomezulu is needed at position #10 to direct the attack, although Dobson previously stated that his return would be managed. But given that Yuri Matty is on the injury list and young player Yaqeen Ahmed is still developing, using this Springboks playmaker in this match seems the most logical. His participation will likely be the easiest, alongside the potential return of Wilco Louw, although Stormers tightheads have shown good performance in scrums.

The dilemma arises at the fullback, inside centre, and flanker positions. Will Willemse return to position #15, or will Dobson risk placing the two-time world champion next to captain Ruhan Nel in the half-back line? Currently, given how the defensive line is struggling to initiate attacks, the decision might be to move Willemse to the inside centre position next to Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Nel to add another dimension to the attack, as well as provide him as a kicking option.

Rookie Jonathan Roach has performed reasonably well in the half-back line in the last two games, but Willemse's experience might be exactly what the Cape Town team needs against Sharks, especially considering the imposing presence of Andre Esterhuizen in the half-back line.

De Villiers should take the place of the primary player at position #6, despite the return of Kolisi and the availability of experienced Deon Fourie. The 22-year-old player has shown his value to the Springboks and should be immediately brought back into the starting lineup. Fourie could then become an option at the hooker position, especially after starting player #2 Andre-Hugo Winter sustained a head injury against Edinburgh, and inexperienced Vernon Paulo struggled with the throw-in.

Kolisi could play an important role as an impact substitute against former teammates. Dobson hinted that the squad will look significantly different from the teams participating in the tour as the important period of home games in the URC approaches.

He stated: 'We are very excited about the upcoming match against Sharks. Obviously, our squad will look different (with the return of Boks players). It will be a big event, and we will be much better than against Edinburgh.'

The Sharks squad has included South African national players in their starting lineup to face the defending champions Leinster at Kings Park stadium on Saturday evening.

United Rugby Championship

The Sharks have quickly integrated their strength by returning Andre Esterhuizen to captain a strong team against Leinster. The match is scheduled for 18:30, and all six current Sharks players from the South African national team have been named in the starting 23 after returning from international duties.

The starting six includes Esterhuizen, Thomas du Toit, and Edwill van der Merwe, while Ox Nche, Eben Etzebeth, and Ethan Hooker provide serious firepower on the bench. This is a significant addition of experience for the Sharks team, which impressively started the URC season by defeating the Ospreys 41-24 last week.

However, Leinster presents a completely different challenge. The Irish giants arrive in Durban with a squad rich in international quality, giving the Sharks an ideal opportunity to assess the progress made during the three-month pre-season period. The returning South African national players only arrived in South Africa on Tuesday but were ready to participate immediately in the game.

Team captain Fepsy Buthelezi believes that the match will show whether the tough pre-season training will start yielding consistent results. He noted that the start of the campaign against the Ospreys was very positive and benefited the group. Buthelezi added that the team analyzed its game and believes it could have performed better at certain moments, but overall it was a good start.

He emphasized the importance of the upcoming week to demonstrate how far the group has advanced and what has been discussed around the team. Buthelezi also mentioned that attack is part of their game, which they have worked hard on, and thanks to Scott Matie's return, the group reacted well to his influence. 'We scored amazing tries, and that is a really positive point,' he stated.

The Sharks demonstrated many attacking ambitions against the Ospreys, and Buthelezi believes this is an area where they can continue to develop. The Sharks squad for the match against Leinster includes: Luan Gilloomie, Edwill van der Merwe, Jurenzo Julius, Andre Esterhuizen (captain), Lily Bester, Wusi Moyo, Jayden Hendricks, Nick Hatton, Manu Tsituka, Fepsy Buthelezi, Darren Landsberg, Jason Jenkins, Vincent Koch, Esetchu Mnebelele. Reserves: Ethan Bester, Ox Nche, Hanro Jacobs, Eben Etzebeth, Matt Romao, Ivan van Zyl, Zeketelo Siyaya, Ethan Hooker. Players who will not be available: Bongani Mbonambi, Eduan Swart, Emile van Harden, Fez Mbata, Hendre Stassen, Jaco Williams, Yannis Potgiter, Jordan Hendricks, Makazole Maphimmi, Murray Koster, PK Sobale, Stefan Levis, Trevor Nyakane, Vincent Tsituka, Yaw Penxe.