Bok prop to miss entire Super Rugby season
Prop Coenraad Oosthuizen is set to miss the entire Super Rugby season because of the knee injury he suffered during the Springboks' end-of-year tour.
The 28-year-old tore ligaments in the Springboks' match against Ireland in November.
Oosthuizen will also be unavailable for the June international window when England visit South Africa for three Tests.
The Sharks will also be without Jean-Luc du Preez for the first few rounds of the new season.
Du Preez is still recovering from an ankle injury he suffered in last year's Currie Cup Final. He is expected to make his return in March.
"Coenie Oosthuizen is going to have been out for about nine months when he returns from injury, which means he'll probably miss Super Rugby at this stage," said Sharks head coach Robert du Preez.
"Jean-Luc du Preez had an op on his ankle and conservative estimates are that he'll be back for the trip to Australia and New Zealand."
The Sharks are also keeping a close eye on some of their players who did duty in Japan.
"We have also monitored the guys who came back from Japan; Stephan Lewies has a hip pointer injury but he's looking in the best shape he’s ever been in," Du Preez added.
"Lwazi Mvovo and Philip van der Walt will join us next Monday. Andre Esterhuizen is playing a promotion-relegation match so he will be back later.
"New signing, Makazole Mapimpi joins us from the Cheetahs on Monday."
@TheSharksZA
