Christo Buchner

Johannesburg – The Sharks’ Vodacom Super Rugby match against the Crusaders may still be played at Twickenham in London next weekend. However, it will have to be on the Sunday.

England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU) have already given the go-ahead, but the Sharks are yet to agree to it.

The match was initially scheduled for next Friday, but that would have clashed with Harlequins’ match against Gloucester.

Sharks commercial manager Rudolf Straeuli said on Monday that the decision taken would have to be in their best interests.

They play the Stormers the following Saturday (2 April) in Durban. Apart from the Sharks, the Cape side are the only other unbeaten side in the competition.

If the match is played on the Sunday, the Sharks will only be back in South African the following Monday or Tuesday, and that may not leave them with enough time to prepare for the Stormers.

Another stumbling block for the Sunday game is the scheduled maintenance work on the railway network.

Spectators will be dependent on trains to get to the stadium. If the match cannot be played at Twickenham, it will take place in Timaru in New Zealand.