Du Plessis returns

for tomorrow’s appetising Vodacom Super Rugby clash with the Reds at Mr Price Kings Park in Durban.
Both players were struggling with injuries earlier in the week and along with lock Ross Skeate, who has a neck injury, they were given sufficient time to prove their fitness. Daniel and Du Plessis did that by coming through a training session yesterday morning, but the news on Skeate is less positive.
The former Western Province player has a disc lesion in his neck and the doctor’s advice was that he should rest for a week. Should there be improvement in his condition in that time he may require another two or three weeks rehabilitation before he can play again, but there is a chance that if the condition shows no improvement he may face surgery.
That isn’t good news for the Sharks, who are looking forward to welcoming back another lock, Alistair Hargreaves, from a foot injury in the coming weeks. Hargreaves is expected to start running next week, but like Skeate he will be unable to leave with the rest of the squad when they head to Australia on Sunday for the first part of the overseas leg of their Super Rugby campaign.
Anton Bresler replaces Skeate as Steven Sykes’ second row partner for the match against the Reds that will end the initial part of the Sharks’ home run on Saturday evening. The change is one of three to the team that beat the MTN Lions 32-20 in the first home match last weekend.
The other changes see Springbok prop Jannie du Plessis return at tighthead for Wiehahn Herbst, who drops to the bench, while Charl McLeod is back at scrumhalf for Frederic Michalak. There seems to be an element of rotation about the Du Plessis recall, with coach John Plumtree saying he has been happy with Herbst’s play so far this season but will be “looking for that impact off the bench to give Jannie an opportunity”.
The older of the two Du Plessis brothers started against the Bulls in the opening match but for McLeod this will be his first run on opportunity of the season. Louis Ludik has been recalled to the squad as a member of the bench to enable Paul Jordaan to get in a much-needed full match opportunity alongside former Springbok Marius Joubert for the Sharks XV in their Vodacom Cup match against Western Province. — Supersport.