Pierre Schoeman boost for Edinburgh as prop returns for Sharks Challenge Cup quarter-final

Scots side fly business class to Durban ahead of their Challenge Cup quarter-final

Pierre Schoeman was part of the Edinburgh squad which flew out to South Africa on Tuesday night for the Challenge Cup quarter-final against the Sharks this weekend.

The Scotland prop missed last Saturday’s win over Bayonne in the round of 16 after sustaining a concussion in training but is on course to return for the match in Durban.

Sean Everitt, the Edinburgh head coach, anticipates the front-row battle being key against the Sharks who are expected to field a trio of South African World Cup-winners in Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch. Edinburgh are no slouches in this department and Everitt will be able to call on three internationals of his own if Schoeman is passed fit to line up alongside his Scotland team-mates Ewan Ashman and WP Nel.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 22: Edinburgh's Pierre Schoeman during a BKT United Rugby Championship match between Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby at Scotstoun Stadium, on December 22, 2023, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

It’s a quick return to South Africa for Everitt’s side who lost to the Stormers and Sharks in the United Rugby Championship at the end of March. The good news is they will be travelling business class this time, courtesy of EPCR, and there will be no stopover in Qatar which means they should arrive in Durban feeling relatively fresh. “It makes a massive difference,” said Everitt. “I don’t think I would be as jovial if I was getting on a flight and going economy class via Doha!”

The coach said the players were relishing the opportunity to take early revenge against the Sharks and he believes they will be better equipped to handle the challenge this time around.

“We knew there was a chance we could be going back,” said Everitt, a former Sharks head coach. “For us it’s a great opportunity to go and challenge ourselves again against the Sharks in Durban. What will be easier for us this time around is that we’re familiar with what we’re going to face. They won’t make many changes to the team that played us two weeks ago. So we know what’s coming. We also know what our shortfalls were the last time we played them and have worked hard on that. We obviously believe we can get a result in Durban.”

“Pierre will be back and we’ll have Ewan Ashman, Dave Cherry, and Boan Venter is back from injury as well as WP sticking up his hand again in the tighthead position. It will make for a good contest, especially when you look at our second row where we’ve got Sam Skinner, Jamie Hodgson, Marshall Sykes and Grant Gilchrist to choose from. We have to believe we can turn them over.”

Sharks are the top-ranked team left in the Challenge Cup having finished top of their pool. They then beat Zebre 47-3 in the last 16 but they struggled in the URC in the first half of the season and have won only three of their 13 league matches. They have regained their mojo in recent weeks, boosted by the return of their core group of international players.

“If you look at the games that the Sharks have played over the last three weeks, they’ve had their Springbok front row back,” said Everitt. “That’s something [head coach] John Plumtree has been wanting that was lacking for them earlier on. We all know their set-piece is a big contribution to winning rugby games. That would have given them a boost. And behind the pack you’ve got an all-Springbok back line apart from Siya Masuku at 10.

“It was always a matter of time before they were going to fire. But we’ve got Scottish internationals in our group and we believe we can go to South Africa and win and that’s the most important thing for us.”