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Christo Buchner
Johannesburg – The Sharks will be biting their nails about the fitness of steamrolling loose forward Willem Alberts for the next few days.
Alberts is doubtful for Saturday’s Currie Cup match against Western Province in Durban.
The match will determine which team finishes the first round at the top of the Premier League log.
Alberts, who has been making an impression with his storming runs this year and his ability to bump off opponents, sustained a leg injury in last Friday’s win over the Leopards in Phokeng.
While x-rays did not reveal a fracture, team doctor Ewoudt van der Linde said that further tests would be conducted to determine the nature of the injury. Alberts did not train on Monday and his first possible involvement this week may be Thursday’s contact session.
Good news for the Sharks is that Springbok No 8 Ryan Kankowski may well be released to play against WP. He has been out with an injury for the past few weeks, but is fit and may be a key player in the showdown between the top two sides in the Currie Cup.
Prop Eugene van Staden, fullback Louis Ludik and flyhalf Patrick Lambie sustained light injuries against the Leopards, but should all be fit by Saturday.
Sharks coach John Plumtree said he was delighted that his team could follow up a good performance against a “big” side like the Lions with an equally impressive one against the Leopards, who are among the so-called smaller unions.
“We struggled against the Pumas after beating the Blue Bulls earlier in the season. That is why I wanted us to follow up a victory over one of the big unions with another one against a small union,” said Plumtree.
“We had good rhythm on the defence and the hard work in training reaped rewards. We made some good tackles and that was nice to see.”
Alberts, in particular, made some big tackles and Plumtree would therefore like to see him in action against WP.
The one negative aspect that Plumtree wants to address is the large number of penalties conceded.
“Our discipline will have to be excellent against WP,” he said.
Johannesburg – The Sharks will be biting their nails about the fitness of steamrolling loose forward Willem Alberts for the next few days.
Alberts is doubtful for Saturday’s Currie Cup match against Western Province in Durban.
The match will determine which team finishes the first round at the top of the Premier League log.
Alberts, who has been making an impression with his storming runs this year and his ability to bump off opponents, sustained a leg injury in last Friday’s win over the Leopards in Phokeng.
While x-rays did not reveal a fracture, team doctor Ewoudt van der Linde said that further tests would be conducted to determine the nature of the injury. Alberts did not train on Monday and his first possible involvement this week may be Thursday’s contact session.
Good news for the Sharks is that Springbok No 8 Ryan Kankowski may well be released to play against WP. He has been out with an injury for the past few weeks, but is fit and may be a key player in the showdown between the top two sides in the Currie Cup.
Prop Eugene van Staden, fullback Louis Ludik and flyhalf Patrick Lambie sustained light injuries against the Leopards, but should all be fit by Saturday.
Sharks coach John Plumtree said he was delighted that his team could follow up a good performance against a “big” side like the Lions with an equally impressive one against the Leopards, who are among the so-called smaller unions.
“We struggled against the Pumas after beating the Blue Bulls earlier in the season. That is why I wanted us to follow up a victory over one of the big unions with another one against a small union,” said Plumtree.
“We had good rhythm on the defence and the hard work in training reaped rewards. We made some good tackles and that was nice to see.”
Alberts, in particular, made some big tackles and Plumtree would therefore like to see him in action against WP.
The one negative aspect that Plumtree wants to address is the large number of penalties conceded.
“Our discipline will have to be excellent against WP,” he said.
