Injured Pienaar returns home

Durban - The Sharks' Springbok flyhalf Ruan Pienaar will return home after injuring his knee in Saturday's losing Super 14 match against the Reds in Brisbane.

Pienaar will be undergo a scan for what appears to be a medial ligament injury, reports the Sharks website, which says an assessment on the severity of the injury cannot be made without the required medical investigation.

The injury does however not appear to be serious enough to warrant a lengthy layoff.

A replacement for the Sharks will be flown out to provide depth. They still play the Western Force this weekend before returning home after two matches in New Zealand and two in Australia. The Sharks play the Brumbies in Durban on the weekend after their return.

The Sharks also lost Jean Deysel and Alistair Hargreaves to injuries that ended their tour.