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Sharks confirm Eben Etzebeth surgery

Eben Etzebeth back with the Sharks in Durban

Sharks head coach John Plumtree has opened up on his frustration with injuries in his camp as they prepare to face the Stormers in their United Rugby Championship clash in Durban.

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The Sharks are currently sitting at the bottom of the URC standings with just one win from their nine games after battling to find consistency all season.

Plumtree’s side has suffered some big injury blows to top players and on Tuesday he revealed that Eben Etzebeth will spend some extra time away from the game after having a knee operation.

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Etzebeth’s last outing for the Sharks was off the bench against Oyonnax in the Challenge Cup on January 13.

“We know that we got a really strong pack, but I haven’t been able to put that pack on the park,” Plumtree told reporters.

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“We got injuries to key players and that has probably been the biggest frustration for me.

“We probably had six operations to tight-five players. It’s been really tough to have the depth that we needed up front.”

Plumtree added: “It’s a long season and I do feel like I have been handicapped by the fact that I have had a lot of injuries.

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“We are now in February and it is Bongi’s [Mbonambi] first game coming up and he is our No.1 hooker.

“Eben Etzebeth has started playing and now he had a knee operation, so he is only getting back in a few weeks.

“It has been a bit frustrating that I haven’t been able to put out the pack that I want to.”

Besides Mbonambi, Vincent Koch is also expected to return to the playing field after a lengthy lay-off since the World Cup.

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However, when pressed to reveal which Boks will be playing against the Stormers, Plumtree said: “I’ll name the team on Friday but I will say there are Springboks rested and there are Springboks still injured.

“Lukhanyo [Am] is playing. It [rest period] is not ideal but we understand the importance of it because we have a long season of playing Northern Hemisphere rugby and Southern Hemisphere rugby, which is crazy

“So, until the South African players are playing in one hemisphere and committed to one hemisphere, there is going to be a lot of disruption.

“Hopefully, that will happen over the next couple of years.”

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J
JW 1 hour ago
How can Scott Robertson revive the All Blacks’ playmaking ‘triple threat’?

Love how you stoke up the fire with these slow burners Nick, great time to let the air into this one too coming into Jordies new home for a few months.


Razor (and possibly Cullen?) is the perfect coach to keep fueling Jordies own flame. Foster on the other hand has to be a people person because he's always trying to douse everyones due to his own lack of enterprise.


I didn't want to nark on the man but we still have Reiks waiting to be ignited as well. His own play when he first moved to center was full of threat and tact. He could cut in just as easily as swing out and had some great ball handling to put people away with. While we haven't seen much more of that since, I think he has at least been working hard on his defence and his books under Foster and Schmidt, and could turn into a Conrad (or even Nonu) one day. I'm not quite so sure Jordie has been making the same progress in the meantime.


I've been really happy with Jordies workons this year however, but that Final was a big learning curve and I've not really sure I've seen the calmness required to pull off Nonu type plays through his career so far. In fact he has often been the opposite and been a bit ropey when he was in more of a playmaker role at 15, I do think he has all the skills and desire to make these sorts of plays though, just having such a wide scope as a 'triple' threat put's a big demand on being able to read the game. So perhaps I might not go too much further than trying to use that big boot, and keeping it simple really. Like Nonu did.


I'm happy with all those 10 and 15 pictures myself, especially the ones where Jordan is playing more of a hand. He is someone who certainly could do with some sort of 'double' threat to help his line breaking ability and I certainly think he has some sort of innate skill to do the right thing. Sadly it's not going to happen in conjunction with Beaudie I don't think. This is going to be retirement. 2nd start back playing with his old courage (he actually did run the ball after all) and he's concussed again, not good.


Trouble is for this team, it could be a completely different 10, 12, 13. That shouldn't stop Razor from encouraging all the options the All Blacks have in those positions, right now. Also looking forward to Perofeta coming into fullback late instead of BB or Dmac going there.

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