Sharks boss Everitt: You never know when Covid is going to strike someone down

Sharks coach Sean Everitt is realistic enough to know that medical reasons could force him to make numerous changes to his team from week-to-week.

But, the good news is that the one change he has made to his team for Saturday’s Super Rugby Unlocked visit to Loftus Versfeld for a match against the Bulls is not Covid-related.

Fit-again Sbu Nkosi (recovered from a sternum injury) is the only change to the side that had a bye last week and beat the Lions in round one. He replaces the seasoned JP Pietersen on the wing.

It is a change by choice, unlike the forced changes the Lions and Stormers coaches, Cash van Rooyen and John Dobson respectively, were forced into making this week, following their players either being hit by Covid-19 or being in contact with individuals affected by the virus.

“You never know when Covid is going to strike someone down, so you have to prepare for it and have a good squad,” said Everitt.

“We’ve been fortunate to have a clean slate for six weeks. It’s not inevitable that someone will get it, but there’s a good chance. You accept it could be the case, you be proactive and prepare in advance. And it helps that our juniors have now finished their U21 competition.

“So we have not made too many changes, but it is notable that Sbu is back, he will bring a lot of energy and the experience he gained at the World Cup. We’re very excited to have another World Cup winning Springbok in the team, he comes with lots of credentials and experience, he’s good under the high ball, dangerous on attack, has good feet and can beat the opposition one-on-one.”

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Three changes on the bench – the return from injury of hooker Kerron van Vuuren and flank Henco Venter, as well as wing Yaw Penxe’s first call-up – would also appear to strengthen the Sharks and Everitt said he has not had to massage their confidence much after the beating they took on their last visit to Loftus Versfeld, a month ago for SuperFan Saturday, when the Bulls beat them 49-28.

“We’re going with a totally different mindset. We took a squad of 30 that day and we wanted to look at combinations and youngsters who had shown progress to measure where they were. But it’s back to business now, we have a settled squad and a much more experienced team, with lessons learnt on that SuperFan day.

“It will certainly be a different ball game, getting one’s rhythm back sometimes takes time and we were unfortunate that after SuperFan Saturday we had a bye with the Green and Gold game, we played the Lions and then we had another bye. It did not help our continuity, but we are smiling because it meant players came back from injury,” Everitt said.

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