Springbok Ruan Pienaar will play at fly half for the Sharks in 2009 and Francois Steyn will revert to the position he played at during the Rugby World Cup which was inside centre.
Sharks coach John Plumtree has ended speculation surrounding whether Steyn and Pienaar would fight it out for the No 10 position after Frederic Michalak returned to France.
Before Michalak the Sharks played Butch James at flay half but he is still in England playing for Bath.
Plumtree says that when the Sharks kick off their 2009 Super 14 campaign on February the 14th against the Stormers Pienaar will be at flyhalf and will play there for pretty much for every game thereafter.
“We reckon Ruan is the answer for us at 10 and he is happy to make the switch (from scrumhalf),” Plumtree told the Cape Times.
“He realises that there is a big opportunity for him in this position with the Springboks (he was the flyhalf on the end-of-season tour).”
“Similarly, Frans is happy to make a full go of playing 12 and is keen to push hard to regain the Springbok No 12 shirt.”
Pienaar and Steyn were among the chief beneficiaries last week when Plumtree brought in Australian rugby league great Andrew Johns for an intense week of coaching.
Johns is held in high regard by many Australian and is often spoken of as the greatest ever player in Rugby League and worked with the Sharks on all aspects of attacking running, including running angles and changing pace.
Plumtree pointed out that the squad had been focusing on fitness over the past two months and that the focus was now shifting towards the technical side of the game.
“We will spend this week at Michaelhouse in what is essentially a training camp,” he said.
“There will be a big emphasis on our structures and set pieces, and also goal-setting.
“It will also be good to have a week of training away from the humidity.”
Plumtree added that there has been a high pre-season casualty rate, with four players having undergone operations.
“The injury side of things is not good at all, although some of the problems have been inherited from the Currie Cup” he said.
“Pat Cilliers (knee), Albert van den Berg (shoulder), Waylon Murray (knee) and Jacques Botes (groin) had to have surgery and will be touch and go for the first round of the Super 14.
“Our depth is pretty good among the forwards but we might be in a bit of trouble if we pick up more injuries among the backs.”
Plumtree also said that the Sharks are very excited about the imminent season.
“This is a happy group of players and they can’t wait for the season to start. The Currie Cup success has been put well and truly behind us and everybody realises that the Super 14 is a very different and much tougher competition.
“There is no breathing space, every match is tough and every week you have to play with great intensity.
“But is a challenge the guys are looking forward to. They are already talking about the Stormers game. It is going to be huge. They are certainly going to be waiting for us, we know that.”
The Sharks has been scheduled to warm up for the Super 14 with a match against the Cheetahs in Abu Dhabi on January the 24th and then host the Bulls in Durban on February 4 (5pm) but the Abu Dhabi match was cancelled.
