Cape Town - Springbok lock Alistair Hargreaves could make his return to rugby this week when the Sharks tackle the Leopards at Kings Park in Durban on Friday night.

Hargreaves returned from the Boks' Australasian leg of the Tri-Nations with an abdominal muscle injury.

Sharks team doctor, Ewoudt van der Linde, told the Beeld newspaper that Hargreaves has a 50% chance to play on Friday night.

Flyhalf, Frederic Michalak - the hero in the Sharks' win over Western Province at Newlands last week - is struggling with a hamstring injury, but is expected to start training again on Tuesday and should play against the Leopards.

The same can be said for prop forward, Dale Chadwick, who injured his ankle.

Sharks coach John Plumtree will also need to pick a new centre and wing, after Patrick Lambie (who played at centre for the Sharks last week) and Lwazi Mvovo was called up by the Springboks for the Test match against the All Blacks in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

Plumtree has also assured fans that his charges won't underestimate the men from Potchefstroom.

"We have struggled against the so-called smaller unions this season and therefore we must make sure that we are accurate.

"It will be a test to see how clinical we are.

"Our approach towards this game needs to be right, otherwise we could experience some problems," said Plumtree.