Sharks star on revamped Sunwolves roster
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sunwolves have released the first batch of names for 2020, their final season in Super Rugby.
There is a complete revamp of the squad, with none of their World Cup stars available for Super Rugby.
Japan's Top League overlap with Super Rugby.
As they did in the build-up to the World Cup last year, players like Shota Horie, Wimpie van der Walt, Michael Leitch, Uwe Helu and Pieter Labuschagné will not feature in the SANZAAR competition.
Also set to play in the Top League, rather than Super Rugby, are the likes of Grant Hattingh, Craig Millar, Hendrik Tui, Hayden Parker and Gerhard van den Heever.
There are a few interesting selections among the first 15 names released on Tuesday - headlined by Garth April, who headed to the Shining Arcs in Japan after a fall-out with then Sharks coach Robert du Preez.
The 28-year-old April featured in 40-odd games for the Sharks between 2016 and 2018.
Before that, he also had stints at the Golden Lions, Boland Cavaliers and Western Province.
The other noteworthy selection is discarded England international Ben Theo, a New Zealand-born Rugby League convert - who also featured in two matches for the British and Irish Lions, apart from 18 Tests for England.
Another name that will raise a few eyebrows if veteran Georgian hooker Jaba Bregvadze.
The 32-year-old has 58 caps for his country and has featured in the Sunwolves squad on occasion in the past.
There is also a revamp of the coaching staff - with Naoya Okubo, an assistant last year, taking over as head coach from Tony Brown, who has taken up a role with the Highlanders.
Keisuke Sawaki has been appointed as a coaching coordinator and Yoshikazu Tamura is the new scrum coach.
@rugby365com
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