Sharks lose Beast and Coetzee

Bok prop Beast Mtawarira has been sidelined for a month with a calf injury and will miss the Sharks’ tour to Australia and New Zealand.

The powerful loosehead prop injured his leg in the Sharks’ loss to the Cheetahs in Durban on Saturday, and adds to the under-performing side’s already undermanned tour squad.

Andries Coetzee – called up on loan from the Lions, will also miss the first game of the tour against the Chiefs after he went off with a suspected dislocated shoulder against the Cheetahs. Two other players are on loan for the tour – flanker Derick Minnie and centre Piet Lindeque (who played centre for Tukkies this year).

Lwazi Mvovo (hand), Tim Whitehead (hand), Butch James (knee), Louis Ludik (shoulder), Bismarck du Plessis (knee), Jacques Botes (hand) and Willem Alberts (shoulder) are already missing the tour which includes fixtures against the Chiefs, Highlanders, Reds and Force.

No. 8 Ryan Kankowski has been dropped because of poor form, but many suspect a rift between the player and his coach and captain, Frans Steyn cannot make the run on XV because of poor conditioning, while winger JP Pietersen has been included in the tour squad despite being on crutches at the Bok training camp in Cape Town because of an ankle concern.

Last year’s beaten finalists seem to be in a world of hurt, with both off-field and on-field issues putting them in real risk of losing all four of their tour matches.