Question mark hangs over Springboks captain Siya Kolisi

Sharks head coach JP Pietersen has been unable to confirm how long he will be without South Africa captain Siya Kolisi after he picked up a calf injury last week.

The flanker was due to make his 50th Sharks appearance last week, having been named to start against Munster in the United Rugby Championship. However, he was forced to withdraw from the matchday squad with a calf injury as his side recorded a 45-0 victory at Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium.

With Cardiff visiting on Friday, Pietersen has confirmed that Kolisi, who is set to rejoin the Stormers at the end of the season, will still be absent, and was unable to give a timeline as to when Sharks fans can see him back on the field.

“He’s got a calf problem,” Pietersen said. “He won’t be ready for next week, but we’ll see how it goes week by week.

“He feels good, but then some days he doesn’t feel so good. I don’t know what kind of calf injury it is, but we’ll look at it week by week and see how it goes.”

Fixture

United Rugby Championship

Sharks

10:00

27 Mar 26

Cardiff Rugby

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This casts Kolisi’s participation in the Challenge Cup round of 16 tie with Connacht the following week into doubt, as the Durban outfit look to reclaim the title they won two seasons ago.

Pietersen will be boosted by the return of Eben Etzebeth for that match, with the lock serving the final week of his 12-week ban for gouging this weekend.

Sharks XV: 15 Luan Giliomee, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Ethan Hooker, 12 Andre Esterhuizen (c), 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Bradley Davids, 1 Phatu Ganyane, 2 Fez Mbatha, 3 Hanro Jacobs, 4 Jason Jenkins, 5 Emile van Heerden, 6 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 8 Nick Hatton

Replacements: 16 Eduan Swart, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Corne Rahl, 20 Jannes Potgieter, 21 Jaden Hendrikse / Ross Braude, 22 Jean Smith, 23 Le Roux Malan