Durban - While the to-ing and fro-ing over the possible signing of Argentine international Juan Martin Hernandez appears to still lie in the balance, coach John Plumtree has not ruled out the possibility that the Stade Française star will be turning out for the Sharks in the upcoming Absa Currie Cup.

Hernandez has wowed the crowds in Europe in top-flight rugby while his Rugby World Cup antics earned him accolades the rugby world over and news of his possible signing is making headlines.

While he is not likely to turn out for The Sharks in this weekend’s opening clash against Western Province, it looks certain that last year’s Under-19 star, Guy Cronje, will have the inside track at flyhalf.

Which seems to have solved one problem the Sharks encountered last year when, with many of their Springboks away for the first half of the tournament, they battled to settle on one player to run the ship.

While the start of this year’s Currie Cup mirrors that of 2008 for the Sharks, who had to make do without a number of players away on national duty, the emergence of Cronje as a probable solution has eased one selection headache for Plumtree.

“Last year it was frustrating because we weren’t able to settle on a flyhalf - I think we used five in the first five or six weeks,” the Sharks coach explained.

“Now we know we have one, so we have a head start in that position. If we’re able to sign Hernandez it will be great too because he’s world class.

“If we can get him signed, he’ll be out here on the next plane, he wants to come, that’s the most important thing. I think Fred’s (Frederic Michalak, the 50 Test veteran for France who won a Currie Cup medal with The Sharks last year and raved about the experience) passed on some good things. Reports from Paris are that whatever the conditions, sun or rain, Hernandez can do some freaky things.”

Cronje played at flyhalf for in the Sharks’ compulsory friendly against the Pumas on the weekend, which provided important answers to the question surrounding that vital position.

“I was very happy with Guy,” admitted Plumtree. “We’ll be looking at playing him at 10 because a lot of things about that position come naturally for him and he understands time and space, he’s going to be excellent in time. It will certainly be a baptism of fire for him in Cape Town, but we’ll put him in and see how he goes.”

With the British Lions series now a thing of the past and the Tri-Nations just around the corner, there was good news for the Sharks with the return to their province of Odwa Ndungane, Ryan Kankowski, Steven Sykes, Johann Muller and Deon Carstens, who will all add huge depth and experience in these early, testing times.

“The majority of them are forwards so we are still down a bit in terms of experience in the backs,” said Plumtree.

However, he did point out that of the team that runs out at Newlands on Saturday, “The majority of the team will have had Super 14 experience, and whether we get the right combinations, we’ll have to see.”