Ox Nche of the Sharks has been rated as the MVP of the URC. Photo: BackpagePix
According to statistics released by the United Rugby Championship (URC), the Sharks have some of the best players in the competition but precious few of them will play against the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday.
The Sharks team will be something of a mixed bag as coach John Plumtree juggles resources that have been severely depleted by a jaw-dropping amount of injuries and Springbok resting protocols.
How Plumtree would love the services of, for instance, Ox Nche in the forwards and Andre Esterhuizen in the backs.
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Nche, both injured and a key Springbok, has been revealed as the most valuable player in the URC and Esterhuizen, still nursing a knee injury courtesy of a reckless ruck challenge by Stormer Dan Du Plessis, is eighth in the URC Top 100 ranking system.
Nche takes over from another Springbok loosehead prop, Steven Kitshoff, in a ranking system which reflects performances across the URC, EPCR competitions and international rugby.
Kistshoff was twice ranked No 1 by the StatMaster xP algorithm which analyses matches played over the last 12 months.
A Bulls player who will be in action on Saturday against the Sharks, Gerhard Steenekamp is ranked second while a Bull who will be watching from his hospital bed, Elrigh Louw, is third.
Incidentally, Lions fullback Quan Horn comes in at No 6 and former Cheetah Boan Venter, now with Edinburgh, is ninth.
The Sharks have had the long break Plumtree craved after their injury list hit the 16 mark — they last played on January 25 against Cardiff — and they are well placed at fourth on the URC points table.
They are six points behind the third-placed Bulls and both these teams have a game in hand over the teams above them, Glasgow and Leinster.
The latter will be difficult to haul in with eight rounds to go. They are way ahead of the pack thanks to their ten-out-of-ten sequence in the competition.
Given that the Sharks will be under strength on Saturday, the Bulls have an excellent chance of extending their five-match winning run and overtaking second-placed Glasgow.
The Sharks won’t be completely devoid of Springboks, though. Veterans Bongi Mbonambi and Trevor Nyakane will be amongst a team of youngsters while hot property Grant Williams will be at scrumhalf and, replacing Nche, is Bok back-up loosehead Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Plumtree will also have the versatile Jordan Hendrikse and he is likely to continue at fullback because of the absence of Aphelele Fassi and the option of Siya Masuka at flyhalf.
The player Plumtree will want to keep the calm in the Loftus bullring is veteran Lukhanyo Am. The outside centre is vastly experienced and is astute and marshalling the defence, an area where the Sharks are likely to be under heavy pressure.
Notable absentees joining Nche, Fassi and Esterhuizen on the sidelines are Vincent Koch, Eben Etzebeth, Makazole Mapimpi, Siya Kolisi, Jaden Hendrikse, Emmanuel Tshituka and James Venter.
Still, the Sharks have some enterprising firepower in youngsters Ethan Hooker and Jurenzo “The Boogieman” Julius.
They are among the most exciting players in South Africa and are the future of Sharks rugby. Hooker is likely to be on the wing and Julius and Am will be the midfield pairing.
The Sharks next face the Lions in Johannesburg on March 1 before hosting the same team at Kings Park on March 8.
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