The Sharks leave for Australia on Thursday where they will be starting their journey against the Reds on February 24 in Brisbane before travelling to Canberra to face the Brumbies the following week.
They complete the first session of their Australian engagements with a home date against the 2014 champions the Waratahs on March 11.
“Having a young team and going with it into the unknown is always a difficult thing but I do think the boys are up for the challenge. We’ve worked out our goals over the three weeks with the three Australian teams‚” Everitt said.
“We’re seeing the travelling as a positive because it’s good to get the group together very early‚ because it helps to build the team spirit very quickly. It’s also good to get the tour done very early.”
The Sharks have shed a fair number of experienced campaigners in the past three seasons but it’s not something that concerns Everitt.
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They used the Currie Cup and part of last year’s Super Rugby campaign to blood players who will be crucial to their cause in the absence of the departed.
There also is the important role set to be filled by former French international Clement Poitrenaud‚ especially in the light of Curwin Bosch’s development as a fullback.
The youngster showed immense promise in the Currie Cup side and also had a run in the Super Rugby unit before the Wellington quarterfinal blowout against the eventual champions the Hurricanes.
Scrumhalf Cobus Reinach is also set for an important year‚ not just for the Sharks but in the race to secure the Springbok scrumhalf berth that neither Faf de Klerk and Rudy Paige tried to make their own.
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“We’ve missed Cobus and he’s been unfortunate with his injuries in the previous years‚” Everitt said.
“He does provide us with X-factor because he’s a good all-round scrumhalf and an opportunistic player with a good boot. He knows the system and he delivers on the field.
“Clement is definitely in contention for a role in the starting line-up in the match-day 23. He brings a lot of experience having played 49 tests for France.
“We have a young backline and some of the experience earned through his test matches will be necessary and good for us from a mentoring perspective.”
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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