The Sharks have announced that three of the four players who picked up injuries in their United Rugby Championship win in Wales at the weekend are on their way home.

JP Pietersen’s team beat Cardiff Rugby 36-21 on an artificial pitch at Arms Park in Cardiff to keep alive their hopes of going unbeaten on this mini tour. They also beat Lyon in France last week in the Challenge Cup competition.

The Sharks end their three week tour on Saturday with a URC match against Munster.

Sharks captain and centre Andre Esterhuizen (right ankle), prop Phatu Ganyane (right elbow) and Jurenzo Julius (right hamstring) are all returning home from Europe.

Lock Jason Jenkins, who also left the field in Cardiff on Friday, is ok and will be considered for this weekend’s match in Ireland.

The Sharks said Monday that Esterhuizen, Ganyane and Julius would undergo scans and consult with specialists on their arrival in Durban to determine the severity of their injuries.

Esterhuizen could miss the Springboks’ tour of Europe, starting next week. They will play four matches in Europe in November in part two of the inaugural season of the Nations Championship.

Three players have been called up by Pietersen for this Saturday’s match against Munster, namely Cameron Dawson, Litelihle Bester and Suleiman Hartzenberg.