Esterhuizen makes miracle recovery

Springbok centre Andre Esterhuizen has either made a miraculous recovery from shoulder surgery or he’s put off an operation until later, but either way the midfield bruiser will turn out for the Sharks in their Currie Cup semifinal against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld tomorrow.

Just two weeks ago, following Esterhuizen’s return from a lengthy ban for a dangerous tackle, he was left out of the Bok squad for the Rugby Championship matches against the All Blacks, with coach Rassie Erasmus stating he would be out for 12 weeks (three months) following surgery to correct a shoulder problem.

“Always when they’ve got to get surgery they fix two or three things all at once, things that have been bothering them,” Erasmus said at the time.

Esterhuizen though, who is back playing with the Sharks after a few years turning out for Harlequins in England, will wear the No 12 jersey against the Bulls on Saturday.

The 30-year-old wasn’t included in the Boks’ 28-man squad for their trip to Argentina, where they face the Pumas in a Rugby Championship match next weekend.

Erasmus has only included two centres in the travelling group, namely Jesse Kriel and Lukhanyo Am, with Canan Moodie able to play in midfield as well as on the wing and at fullback.

Vincent Tshituka will lead the Sharks tomorrow. The team includes recent Test players

Ntuthuko Mchunu, Phepsi Buthelezi, and Jordan Hendrikse, as well as veteran centre Francois Venter and rising stars Siya Masuku and Ethan Hooker. Trevor Nyakane and Emmanuel Tshituka are among the players on the bench.

The Sharks were this week unable to select 18 players who are on an injury list, including Cameron Wright, Dylan Richardson, Jason Jenkins, Jurenzo Julius, Ruan Dreyer and Yaw Penxe.

It will be interesting to see who the Bulls pick following their 24-18 defeat by the Sharks in their final round robin game.

But expect a good number of URC stars such as Akker van der Merwe, Cameron Hanekom, Marcell Coetzee, Wilco Louw, Embrose Papier, Harold Vorster and David Kriel to all play tomorrow.