Four South African franchises have confirmed their matchday squads for the first round of the United Rugby Championship, according to news24.com. The Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers all submitted their teams ahead of the competition's opening fixtures.
The Sharks' preparations come with a change in the playmaking ranks. SA Rugby magazine reports that JP Pietersen, the Sharks coach, has disclosed a setback involving Hendrikse. The same outlet notes that Moyo will direct the Sharks in their URC opener.
Pietersen has also set out his expectations for the match itself. Speaking ahead of the fixture, he said an unattractive victory over the Ospreys would satisfy him, The Citizen reports. The Ospreys, for their part, have put a previous contentious result against the Sharks behind them, according to BBC reporting.
The four South African teams form part of the URC's multinational field, and the opening round marks the start of their respective campaigns. Team announcements at this stage of the season typically settle selection questions that have built up during the off-season.
With the squads now public, attention turns to how each side performs in its first outing. The coming days will show whether the named line-ups deliver results, and whether the Sharks can manage the absence flagged by their coach.
