Bosch understands the bigger picture

Durban - Curwin Bosch is back in a Sharks jersey this weekend after a stint with the Springboks that saw his earn his Test debut against Argentina last month. 

The 20-year-old was not selected in Bok coach Allister Coetzee's touring squad for Tests against Australia and New Zealand, and instead he will line up against the Pumas in a low-key Currie Cup encounter in Nelspruit on Friday afternoon. 

But, according to Sharks coach Robert du Preez, Bosch has returned to the union with his head still screwed on and is not disappointed to have missed out on the Bok tour.

"I think he understands the bigger picture. He's fitted in like he's never been away. It's great to have him back," Du Preez said this week.

"I think just that exposure has given him a lot of confidence. It's great. I think we underestimate how much it actually means to a guy to go to the Bok set-up."

The Sharks have won their last six Currie Cup matches and are currently top of the log.

While fixtures away to the Pumas and then Griquas might look good on paper for the Durbanites, Du Preez somewhat surprisingly suggested that Friday's game will be as difficult a challenge as his side has seen all year. 

"This week is going to be our toughest game in the Currie Cup this season," he said.

"They've got an abrasive pack of forwards. In Nelspruit on a Friday afternoon ... we're going to have to be mentally up for it."

Du Preez believes that the sharks are on the right path and he has a lot of faith in what they are doing.

"We've got a fantastic bunch of guys and I think we're onto something special here," he said.

"If we keep this squad together for the next two or three years, I think we can do good things.

"Having said that, we haven't won anything yet. It's about taking it one game at a time."

The Sharks last won the Currie Cup in 2013.

Kick-off on Friday is at 17:00.

Teams:

Pumas

15 Justin van Staden, 14 JP Lewis, 12 Jerome Pretorius, 12 Hennie Skorbinski (captain), 11 Ruwellyn Isbell, 10 Kobus Marais, 9 Reynier van Rooyen, 8 Willie Engelbrecht, 7 Thembelani Bholi, 6 Chris Cloete, 5 Cameron Lindsay, 4 Stefan Willemse, 3 Pieter Scholtz, 2 Mark Pretorius, 1 De-Jay Terblanche

Substitutes: 16 Frankie Herne, 17 Khwezi Mona, 18 Hugo Kloppers, 19 Brian Shabangu, 20 Theo Mare, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Devon Williams

Sharks

15 Garth April, 14 Tythan Adams, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Lukhanyo Am, 11 Sibusiso Nkosi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Tera Mtembu, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Keegan Daniel, 5 Ruan Botha (captain), 4 Tyler Paul, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Armand van der Merwe, 1 Thomas du Toit

Substitutes: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Jean Droste, 19 Wian Vosloo, 20 Michael Claassens, 21 Marius Louw, 22 Rhyno Smith