Craig Burden has been seen training at Kings Park and is reportedly actually on trial with the Sharks.
He was always a very explosive player, but during his previous stint at the Sharks he often did struggle at line-out time. However that issue was quickly sorted playing in the Northern Hemisphere – I recall him being pin point accurate when in 2014 playing for the World XV against a Bok team with Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha and Duane Vermeulen competing against his throws.
Still only 33 years old – I reckon he would be a very useful addition to the Sharks with Akker leaving at the end of the season.
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Ooh, I like…
Wow, I thought he had retired… Where has he been?
@T-Shark (Comment 2) : he was playing in France.
@pastorshark (Comment 1) : oh me too!!!!!!!
@T-Shark (Comment 2) : Latest club was Stade Francais
Yes, please!
Bruce is back. Seriously unlucky to have the calibre of Smit and Bissie in the same team.
Hehehe I can see Malcolm Marx getting a tight klap sometime soon…..
🙄 And nobody listened when I said he must come back!
Well, he’s back! 😆
Great news
if we have Chilli (still only 32), Kerron, and Craig next year in SR that would be suitable, no need to recruit former sa U21 WC winning hooker Mark Pretorius as I mentioned him as a option before
Look none of them are in the league of marx or akker but at least their solid options
Good to have him back. Will pass his experience to the youngsters and is a player who knows the values associated with the jersey.
Excellent, always loved his play. I hope he cracks the nod and is included in the SR team for the remainder of this year. Should he be up to speed lets start Akker and bench Burden. Should Burden start pushing Akker for a start then let that battle sort itself out.
I’m on board with this.
@Hulk (Comment 12) : Agree 100%. Its awesome to have Craig back home. Can’t wait to see him in action!
This is great news not just for this year but also next when Akker leave’s he’ll be a great mentor to the younger guys stepping up! Welcome back Craig!
As much as I was a huge fan, can’t say I’m as ecstatic about this as some on here.Craig has hardly set the world alight since 2015,he played for three clubs in his stint in France and sort of disappeared in 2017.
I am much more excited about Kerron van Vuuren and hope he doesn’t see his future blocked by one of yesterday’s heroes and takes the road North.
Now if it were Bismark du Plessis back in a Sharks jersey that’s another story.
Hope this is not a recurrence of the last time a former hero returned, anyone remember Matt Stevens copious white belly fighting its way out of his jersey, in the good old Gary, the disaster, Gold’s days.
@The hound (Comment 16) : can’t even compare the two!!! Have you seen pics of how Craig looks?
Yes he did “disappear” a bit in 2017 and 2018 but just remember the class of player drawn to the French leagues!
He really looks fit and ready to play and remember he has a lot of knowledge gained playing with Bizzy and Smit (and also playing in France)! All this can be very useful for v Vuuren and other junior Sharks hookers!
Also remember as far as we know no offer was made yet and he might not even get an offer from the Sharks! All we know for now is he’s training with the Sharks!
@JD (Comment 17) : True but doesn’t he just look so good with a Sharks logo on the chest.
Ag you are all confused. Craig started his career with the Sharks as a centre. There have been rumours about a French centre joining the Sharks, and here he is….welcome Craig!
😆 😆 
😈 😛
@Dancing Bear (Comment 19) : Haha. Good catch!
@JD (Comment 17) : Agreed. You must compare apples with apples here. Matt was also settled and Craig had some upheavals in the clubs he was not always moving because of his performance but larger financial and political issues.
@coolfusion (Comment 21) : For me, the hit he put on Schalk Britz a few years ago in France will make him always welcome back as a Shark in my view.
@Hulk (Comment 18) : for sure!!!
@Dancing Bear (Comment 19) : hahaha true!!! Super sharp bru!!!
@Dancing Bear (Comment 22) : You talking about the Heineken cup 2014? Yes that was spectacular.