It has come to our attention that Springbok tighthead Jannie du Plessis has been injured and will be out of action for an estimated 6 weeks. This adds to Sharks coach John Plumtree’s worries as his front row stock diminishes.
Jannie du Plessis injured his knee and it is likely that the Springbok will only become available at the playoff stages. Add to this that Beast Mtawarira and Bismarck du Plessis are on the list of contracted players that will be on a conditioning programme and will not be available until the final round in the Currie Cup league stage. All the above culminates in the Sharks having to rely on their depth in the front row as a result.
As Rob mentions in another article, prop Pat Cilliers, who has been playing club rugby for the past few weeks, will most likely get the call straight back into the starting line up on Friday night. Craig Burden will most likely be the hooker on the night with Wiehahn Herbst completing a fresh faced front row.
In other news, it seems as though Keegan Daniel will not recover from his ankle injury sustained on Saturday night against the Bulls, and joins Ross Skeate on the injured list.

it is so damn stupid that Beast and Bismarck have to go and do conditioning. They haven’t played for the Boks in the 3Ns at all. 👿
Agree. It makes sense to pull Bakkies, though. For the safety of everyone concerned 🙂
Bakkies is pulled so that he doesn’t get suspended for the EOYT..
@KSA Shark © (Comment 1) : pssst .. I’m sure somebody thought it through so deeply and there must be some hidden reason paramount to next year planning that we ordinary folks just do not get.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 1) : Bismark has also only played a handful of games in the Currie Cup – he needs game time rather than conditioning. Bismark said he wanted to play Currie Cup to get game time.
@robdylan (Comment 2) :

@robdylan (Comment 2) : just now he headbutts some scrummies and make them unavailable. oh wait… is it why Ricky is in the conditioning group…
@rekinek (back to rugby) (Comment 4) :
See my thoughts on that on the other thread regarding this 🙂
@rekinek (back to rugby) (Comment 7) :
next thing you know one of the coaches in jured. We can’t afford that. There is nobody who wants the Bok job. 🙄
@KSA Shark © (Comment 8) : read it. perhaps it is a plot to confuse all blacks, there is a danger they may see through the common sense 😆
Stupid Boks, breaking our stuff
@KSA Shark © (Comment 9) : ya, should it happen maybe they would have to appoint caretaker 😆
@robdylan (Comment 11) : ahh , can”t say i’m too worried about Bis being called up and Jannie off. Let’s show the brothers we can manage without them.
Pity about Beast though.
You Sharks supporters are so selfish!!
The Boks should come first hence the conditioning camp!! Hello, they’re contracted to SARU and the RWC is a year away!! 😈
@wpw (Comment 14) : shocking. i’m blushing 😈
@ wpw
We only really complaining about our only non contracted front rower being returned faulty..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 16) :
Next time I’ll read the article before posting ok?? 😉 😀
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 16) : “faulty ” implies broken from the start . you might have hit nail on its head here 😈
wpw – he meant Boks broke Jannie and now Sharks need to mend him. They should at least take them for conditioning as it seems that place where all injured players go. 😈
@KSA Shark © (Comment 9) : I`ll take the Bok Job! Just make sure my contract survives scrutiny then throw in the towl after the EOY tour! Make a fortune in no time at all and it`s not as if the country will hate me more than any of the other previous coaches.
Stefan, JP, Juan, Frans, Mvovo, Steyn, Fourie, Alberts, Juan, Big Vic, Bullebak, Incredible Schulk, BJ, Chillyboy and Shrek. Subs: Coenie Oosthuizen!, John Smit, Daan, Flo, Mongoose Hougaardt, Elton and Michael Killian!
On second thought, maybe I should take more Bulls and wp members. Can`t risk Shark injuries before the Super 14 hey wpw?! 😉
Apparently Jannie is only out for 2-3 weeks
@robdylan (Comment 2) : hahaha classic!
it is a bummer that beast and bdup are going to this camp! at least it leaves the door open for burden to shine again like he did in the firs few rounds!
@war1 (Comment 20) : in two consecutive articles on sharksrugby.co.za jannie is out for 6 weeks, then a fortnight to 3 weeks ❓ 😕 maybe the prognosis is a bit better now
@wpw (Comment 14) : You’re not really wrong, I just think that Beast, Bissie and Adi would benefit more from game time than a conditioning program. I understand they are contracted Boks, but they are all recovering from injury and are more in need of game time than gym time. In Beast’s case, not injury, but forced absence due to citizenship issues. Same injury argument could be made for JPP, needs game time, not gym time.
Bath are pissed that James was returned broken… it seems like he might be out for a while with his shoulder injury