‘We will look after them’: Sharks coach JP Pietersen on returning Springboks’ workload
· Citizen
The Sharks have brought six Springboks back into the matchday 23 for Saturday’s clash with Leinster, but this doesn’t mean the union isn’t monitoring their workload, according to head coach JP Pietersen.
Regular captain André Esterhuizen, Edwill van der Merwe and Thomas du Toit join the starting XV, while Ox Nché, Eben Etzebeth and Ethan Hooker join the bench for the 6.30pm United Rugby Championship (URC) match at Kings Park.
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This follows a busy period with the national squad since June, playing a friendly against the Barbarians, three Nations Championship Tests, a solitary Test against Argentina, then four Tests against the All Blacks in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, and another lone match against the Wallabies last weekend.
It also comes after the Sharks battled injury crises for two consecutive seasons, with many Springboks out of action.
‘The boys are keen to play’
“We are aware of the workload they have been doing. The minutes they’ve played and been in training,” Pietersen said.
Still, it was “quite easy to pick them” because of their quality and willingness to play for the Durban union as they looked to bounce back from a 10th-place finish last season.
“The most important thing is the boys are keen to play and there’s nothing much we can do as coaching staff but be more excited that the players want to come back and put the jersey on.
“We have to plan around it (the workload). How we can monitor them or help them train certain days, and just keep their minutes low during training during the week. Then in team selection we will look after them.
“Especially with Ox, Eben and Ethan Hooker playing the most minutes in the last four Tests.”
Young Sharks miss out, for now
He said selection headaches were part of the job, after six players had to make way for the returning Springboks after their emphatic 41-24 victory over Ospreys at Kings Park last week.
Centre Janco Purchase, who earned praise from Pietersen for a strong debut performance, was one of the players to miss out.
“It’s great for the group that we have some experience back with the youth. And we have players who are game ready and can perform,” Pietersen concluded.