Natal Sharks coach Rudolf Straeuli had reason to smile on Monday with the news that star flanker Warren Britz's ankle injury is not as bad as first feared.
The flanker was stretchered off the field during their 49-31 Bankfin Currie Cup win over the Griffons in Welkom on Sunday. Initial fears that he might have broken the ankle were dispelled after X-rays revealed only a slight ligament tear was sustained.
Britz was one of the many stars during the Sharks run to the Vodacom Super 12 final and was tipped to win national honours this year. He missed out on the Tri-Nations squad, but many believe he is a certainty for the end-of-year tour to Europe and the US.
It is still unclear as to how long the flanker will be out of action, but Straeuli will surely be hoping for his availability in their next match against the Boland Kavaliers on August 18th.
Other good news for Sharks' fans is that Gaffie du Toit will be rejoining his teammates on the training field this week and looks set for a return to the game against Boland.
Etienne Fynn has also made good progress since his injury and he too will be returning to training with the Sharks squad this week.
Straeuli proclaimed him happy with the performance against the Griffons, especially after the long break since the last game against the Lions. Due to a lack of match practice and the extended time between each match played in the Currie Cup competition, it was not surprising that it took the Sharks some time to get back into their rhythm.
The coach lauded the performance of Shaun Sowerby, the young No 8 who won the Man of the Match award. "I believe Shaun can go all the way and is a very talented player. If he continues to work on his game he will be very successful."
Another very satisfying performance was given by AJ Venter, who saw himself out of position and playing in his first full outing for the Sharks at lock. Not only was he contesting well for the ball, but he was able to drive well which had a big influence on the game and caused problems for the Griffons.
The coach was encouraged by the way the Sharks remained calm and focused on the field while Britz was receiving attention, but more importantly how they pulled together and work well as a team after the flanker left the field.
There are no other serious injuries to players and that in itself is a big boost to the coaching team.