The Sharks have spent the last week away from the hustle and bustle of Durban, enjoying a week on the South Coast at a training camp aimed at fine-tuning their game ahead of the Currie Cup, as well as building team spirit.
By all accounts, the week seems to have been a big success; apart from training sessions (and a couple of decent evening excursions) the team has also hosted training clinics for local kids, taking the opportunity to pass on their skills in the hope that maybe one day, another Sharks legend in the vein of Marcell Coetzee might emerge from the southern reaches of the province.
There’s a great team picture, taken at the end of the camp, featuring most of the squad in their mud-caked glory, that’s been widely shared on social media. I’m not sure who took it (I think it might be physio Dean Macquet) but since it’s out there already, I’ll share it here without too much concern over copyright. I just love hos happy and relaxed everyone looks in this picture – let’s hope this vibe continues throughout the campaign.

Nice to see Gold wearing Sharks shirts now
@Uli Boelie (Comment 1) : where’ve you been?
Nice initiative, and photo. Rob does that picture differ from your squad list at all?
Lionel Cronje embracing the code of conduct for flyhalves and having the cleanest kit ๐
No picture visible to me.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 5) : really?
That’s odd.
Try open this in your browser
http://res.cloudinary.com/robdylan/image/upload/c_scale,w_580/v1437726611/CKmAz8-UAAIUeWl_ilvolm.jpg
@robdylan (Comment 6) : Thanks.Weird, now that Ive refreshed it, its there.
@Seth101 (Comment 3) : not hugely.
A couple of faces that I’d expect to see aren’t there…. Wentzel, Hoffmann, Botha…. Not sure why
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 7) : odd
Lourens wins the prize for the most commitment!
@robdylan (Comment 8) : There was a rumour floating around that Hoffman was joining Ulster… I’d have expected you to have heard my yells of delight over in the UK
@Culling Song (Comment 11) : Please please please let this be true.
@Culling Song (Comment 11) : I saw that rumour on Twitter, but not any confirmation of the same.
So grateful I’m not in charge of laundry at the Sharks
@Culling Song (Comment 11) : @robdylan (Comment 13) : Sound travels at roughly 1220 km/h. Keep an ear out for Culling Song’s cries of agony after reading that comment in the next 8 hours.
@robdylan (Comment 13) : AAAAAAUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAUUUUUURRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! You take that back!
Soooooooo chuffed that it is pouring here in the Midlands and that our very own mud bath is being created! We have our annual Meat Sale tomorrow with vintage cars and German Delicatessen, food, music and more. Normally when. Would not be chuffed about weather like this for such an event. But right now we are ecstatic and tomorrow we will be singing in the rain!!!! ๐