Sharks mentor Powell confident of victory against Stormers despite absence of key Bok players

Sharks director of rugby Neil Powell isn't too worried about the seven-week absence of his clutch of Boks, even though the Stormers await at Kings Park on Saturday for a United Rugby Championship clash.

The Stormers also have their Boks they need to relinquish, but they'll be a far less fearsome prospect as defending champions.

The coastal derby will be the tournament's only fixture as the Northern Hemisphere sides will be on their Six Nations break.

That also allowed SA Rugby to get their players on a seven-week break, four of those weeks being spent far from the field with three weeks in a camp.

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Powell said they've got enough depth to navigate the next four games without their clutch of key players.

"In the absence of Siya Kolisi, you have Dylan Richardson, who was injured but is back now," Powell said.

"He's a quality player who has been in the Scotland training group and is capped. There's also James Venter, so we have enough quality in the group.

"We have to be successful in the game where we don't have the Boks, but the bulk of them are here in South Africa.

"I do believe we have the quality in each position to cover for where we don't have our key players. It’s a process of building squad depth not just for now but for the future."

The Sharks also have to deal with the Stormers without rising halfback star Grant Williams, who is nursing an injury that'll keep him idle for just under two weeks.

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Bradley Davids has been drafted from the juniors to deputise for him on the bench while Cameron Wright gets a start.

Powell's expectation of what Davids can bring for Saturday's game was palpable. 

"Bradl