The Sharks will be sweating over a number of key players as they prepare to welcome Toulouse to King’s Park for a crunch Champions Cup clash on Saturday.

The Durban-based side have a win and a defeat so far and come up against in many people’s view the best team in the pool in the French Top 14 side, who could bring scrumhalf Antoine Dupont for his first visit to the Southern Hemisphere in eight years.

Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi is expected to return from injury but needs x-ray confirmation on a hand injury before being fit to play, while veteran lock Eben Etzebeth is also likely to return, but must still pass a fitness test to be cleared of his concussion symptoms.

Loose forwards Vincent Tshituka and James Venter are also touch-and-go, while centre Lukhanyo Am must still undergo a functional test and x-ray to determine if his injury has healed significantly.

The sharks were beaten 24-20 by the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship late last year and have several injuries fromt hat game.

Fullback Aphelele Fassi (ankle), lock Emile van Heerden (knee) and centre Andre Esterhuizen (knee) all had to leave the field. Esterhuizen is likely to be out for 4-6 weeks.