Veteran Springbok lock Johan Ackermann has once again come out of "retirement" to join the Sharks for the latter stages of their Australasian Super 14 tour.

The 38-year-old Ackermann, who has been playing club rugby in the Western Cape, will join the Sharks as replacement for the injured Steven Sykes — who is returning home after damaging ankle ligaments in the 21-27 loss to the Brumbies in Canberra last Saturday.

The veteran lock's arrival will be too late to consider him for the encounter with the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday, but he will come into then frame when the Durban-based franchise clash with the Crusaders in a top-of-the-table Round 12 match in Christchurch next week.

Sharks coach Dick Muir has obtained permission from Ackermann's employers, Kepu petroleum, the company that is the financial muscle behind Cape Town Super League club Hamiltons — for whom Ackermann has been playing in recent weeks.

Ackermann announced his retirement at the end of last year, after having made his first class debut for the Bulls back in 1996, but was convinced by Muir at the beginning of this year to help out in the first few weeks of the Super 14. He ended up playing up to Week Three.

He then joined his Cape Town employers/club in the beginning of March, but will now head back to Australasia for another brief stint of Super 14 rugby.

Another veteran Bok lock, Albert van den Berg, is in line to start against the Waratahs this week, although veteran utility forward AJ Venter is an alternative choice.

Van den Berg's line-out skills would come in handy against the rangy Waratah locks, which include South African-born Wallaby Dan Vickerman.

Venter has a more physical approach to his game, although he is no slouch as a line-out forward, and may yet get to start if flank Keegan Daniel fails to recover in time from a lower back injury.

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