The Sharks have a difficult fixture against Connacht on the back of Springbok duty, a coaching shake-up, and injuries.
All eyes will be on the Sharks when they return from their month-long break to face the tricky Irish side, Connacht, in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday.
The teams clash in Galway at 9.45pm with the Sharks having secured their first win of the season against Scarlets, and Connacht on a three-game losing streak before the break.
But the latter side are perhaps in better form, with close losses against Cardiff in Wales (14-8), Bulls in South Africa (28-27), and Munster at Thomond Park (17-15).
Their home win against Benetton in the opening round ensures they sit a place above the Sharks on the table, even though they have a game in hand.
Of course, it will be interesting to see how head coach John Plumtree manages the Sharks, having mutually agreed to step down at the end of the season.
Sharks up against it
The Durban union’s coaching shake-up sees a technical coach consultant in the mix, a refocusing of director of rugby Neil Powell’s work on “key operational areas”, and the keeping of the entire rugby programme under critical review.
The Sharks will be without Springboks Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Ox Nché, André Esterhuizen and Ethan Hooker, who are part of the squad playing against Wales this Saturday, though it appears Edwill van der Merwe and Grant Williams will be available.
Meanwhile, injured Springboks Vincent Koch and Aphelele Fassi, and former Boks Francois Venter, Jason Jenkins, Ruan Dreyer and Trevor Nyakane, have had four weeks off to recover for the Sharks.
Sharks form: ‘You won’t see it for a while’
Plumtree said before the break that the Sharks “don’t look totally collected at the moment”.
“We just don’t look like a side that’s really clicking yet, and it’s been a combination thing – we’ve had to use different 10s this year, we haven’t had Jordan Hendrikse back up to speed yet. So our playmakers around Siya Masuku, Jordan and Jean Smith have all played 10 in this year.
“We haven’t really got going in that space. The backs haven’t clicked yet. When we get it all together we will be good. But you won’t see it for a while.”
After Connacht, the Sharks travel to Stade Toulousain for their opening Champions Cup pool match. They host Saracens the following week.
