Durban - Cell C Sharks Director of Rugby Gary Gold on Monday released the names of his 40-man squad for the 2015 Super Rugby season.
According to Sharks website editor Michael Marnewick, all the familiar names are there in a squad filled with depth in every position available to the leadership group of Bismarck du Plessis, Pat Lambie, Tera Mtembu and Francois Steyn.
Frans Steyn, Ryan Kankowski and JP Pietersen are not yet with the squad as they are currently still completing their Japanese club commitments, as is new-signing Michael Claassens who is still with Toulon, but Jean Deysel reported for training on Monday morning while Willem Alberts, Paul Jordaan, Tonderai Chavhanga, JC Astle and Stephan Lewies are still part of the rehabilitation group and not yet ready to be considered for selection.
The Sharks kick off their 2015 campaign against the Cheetahs at Kings Park on Saturday (17:05 kick-off).
Sharks Super Rugby squad:
Lourens Adriaanse
Mouritz Botha
Renaldo Bothma
Dale Chadwick
Michael Claassens
Marcell Coetzee
Kyle Cooper
Lionel Cronjé
Jean Deysel
Bismarck du Plessis
Jannie du Plessis
Pieter-Steph du Toit
Thomas du Toit
Andre Esterhuizen
Monde Hadebe
Conrad Hoffmann
Ryan Kankowski
Patrick Lambie
Khaya Majola
Franco Marais
SP Marais
Beast Mtawarira
Tera Mtembu
Lubabalo Mtyanda
Waylon Murray
Lwazi Mvovo
Odwa Ndungane
Etienne Oosthuizen
Paul Perez
JP Pietersen
Cobus Reinach
S'bura Sithole
Matt Stevens
Frans Steyn
Stefan Ungerer
Marco Wentzel
Heimar Williams
Jack Wilson
Cameron Wright
Fred Zeilinga
The following players were not considered for selection at this stage due to injury:
JC Astle
Paul Jordaan
Stephan Lewies
Tonderai Chavhanga
Willem Alberts