Pieter-Steph du Toit
MTN Golden Lions lock Franco van der Merwe, currently on loan to The Sharks, has been called up to the Springbok squad in the place of the injured Pieter-Steph du Toit.
In this Article we look at the contenders for LOCKS at the Sharks 2013 Super Rugby group.
At Lock the Sharks have had their fair share of worries this past year, none more so than the semi-final and final of the Currie Cup 2012.
Anton Bresler and Jandre Marais along with Steven Sykes were the frontline jumpers but there always seemed to be something missing, and although the Sharks made both the Super Rugby and Currie Cup Finals, one glaring aspect of their play that at times was very troublesome was the poor line-outs.
This was due, one can assume, to various issues such as injuries to key players at critical stages of the season as well as just poor play.
The season of 2013 will see the Sharks with the same young locks accept for two changes – Steven Sykes has signed for the Kings and is returning to his family farm (Steven was a great servant to Natal rugby and will no doubt be sorely missed) and on loan to the Sharks for the Super Rugby season 2013 is Franco van der Merwe, who no doubt with his experience can help fill that void and add some much needed experience.
Springbok pair Patrick Lambie and Frans Steyn were the two notable absentees from the Sharks squad named on Sunday that will travel to Australia for next week’s Super Rugby qualifier against the Reds in Brisbane.