The Sharks will begin the 2006 season, the most important in their 115-year history, without the distinguished services of their most important player, revered Springbok captain John Smit.
An International Rugby Board (IRB) disciplinary hearing in Paris on Tuesday night suspended Smit for the opening three matches of next year's inaugural Super 14 competition. The 27-year-old hooker had been cited for an incident in the Springboks' Test match against France in Paris at the weekend. After the incident French captain Jerome Thion was taken to hospital with a fractured larynx.
Smit, who has an exemplary disciplinary record, was deemed to have recklessly used his elbow to keep Thion at bay when he was taking the ball up during the first half of the Boks' 26-20 defeat. It seemed obvious that Smit did not intend to injure his counterpart, but the IRB has been under intense pressure from France to take action against the Springbok captain.
Smit and his team-mates have been branded "thugs" by the French media, and there was a hysterical call for Smit to be banned from rugby for a year. In the end, Smit was given a six-week ban, effective from the start of the South African season on January 14 until February 26.
This means he will miss the Sharks' first three Super 14 games, against the Chiefs from New Zealand on February 11; against the Free State Cheetahs on February 18 (both in Durban) and against the champion Crusaders in New Zealand on February 25.
The Sharks will be under excruciating pressure in this new competition (the Super 12 has been expanded from 12 to 14 teams) because SA Rugby has ruled that the bottom South African team at the conclusion of the Super 14 will be automatically relegated for the 2007 and 2008 seasons to provide an opportunity for the newly created Eastern Cape franchise, who will sit out the 2006 event.
The Sharks are favourites for the dreaded drop after their dismal form in recent seasons. The Durban team came last in the 2005 Super 12 and over the past two years have failed to make the Currie Cup semifinals.
Coach Dick Muir was unavailable for comment on Tuesday evening, but it goes without saying that he will be desperately disappointed to be entering this crucial year without Smit's enormous presence, both as a player and a captain.
Relegation from the Super 14 will mean financial ruin for the unfortunate province cursed with that sentence.
Andy Marinos, the manager of national teams at SA Rugby, and Nick Usiskin SC accompanied Smit to the hearing in Paris. Both Marinos and Usiskin said they were satisfied that Smit had received a fair hearing.
"It is important to note the contribution John has made to world rugby, both as a player and as a captain," said Usiskin.
"The judge who presided over the proceedings certainly took this into account, as well as the outstanding character of John when he determined the period of sanction."
Smit said he had never intended to harm Thion in any way. Although disappointed with the suspension, he accepted the decision.
"I received a fair hearing and want to wish Jerome a speedy recovery," said Smit. He will not appeal against the ban.