Sharks coach JP Pietersen has revealed when their Springboks will be available for the URC. SIMON BORCHARDT reports.
The Durban-based club kicks off its campaign with two home matches, against the Ospreys next Saturday and defending champions Leinster on 3 October.
The Boks are currently in Perth, where they will face the Wallabies next Sunday. Their next commitment is the northern hemisphere leg of the Nations Championship, which starts against Italy in Turin on 7 November and concludes with the finals weekend at Twickenham from 26-28 November.
Pietersen on Thursday confirmed that captain André Esterhuizen and the Sharks’ other Boks are expected to rejoin the squad after returning from Australia and remain available until the end-of-year tour.
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“They’re obviously playing next week and and then they will be back with us after that,” Pietersen said. “They will be with us until the end of October. Then they go into the end-of-year tour, and then December they’re back with us.
“André will probably be back for the Leinster game, if everything goes well.”
With the Boks having had a demanding 2026 season, which included four successive Tests against the All Blacks, Pietersen expects his Bok contingent to take their required eight-week break during February and March.
The Sharks have named a sizeable 67-man squad for their 2026-27 campaign, and Pietersen says rotation will be essential as they negotiate the URC and EPCR Challenge Cup.
“If you look at previous URC campaigns, there are things that happen, injuries that you can’t control. There is also the travel from South Africa to Europe. It’s not easy.
“Then obviously there are two competitions, so we do need to rotate the squad to keep them fresh.
“We’re starting in September, we finish in June. It’s a whole season of bodies moving in and out.
“I think squad rotation will be key. But if the guys are performing well, we will reward the guy who’s putting his hand up.
“The squad knows it. We made it clear that we want to rotate the squad, but if you perform, you will get rewarded and play.”
Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images
The post JP maps out Sharks’ Bok plan appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Sharks coach JP Pietersen has revealed when their Springboks will be available for the URC.
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