Youngster Garth April could start at flyhalf for the Sharks against the Hurricanes in Durban on Saturday, with Patrick Lambie making his comeback from long-term injury off the bench.
“It was always the plan to slowly bring Garth into Super Rugby, and I think we have got that right,” Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold said last night.
“Garth was excellent in playing off the bench on tour, and then in starting, and now that we are home we must be shrewd in who we pick at 9 and 10.”
Scrumhalf Cobus Reinach returned home mid tour with injury, and he was more than adequately replaced by veteran Michael Claassens, who is likely to start alongside April on Saturday.
“We must be careful with how we bring back Patrick (Lambie). We have seen how important it is to have continuity at halfback and how well the Hurricanes have done in that respect,” Gold said.
The Wellington-based team smashed 50 points past the Lions at the weekend, and Gold said his team had digested the result with interest.
“We return from tour with anything but celebration,” Gold said.
“We do not feel that we did justice to ourselves in taking six log points from the three games.
“We are hugely encouraged by the character we showed, but we do not believe that we showed enough against the Chiefs last week to suggest we can win against the form team from New Zealand.” – The Mercury