Westville hooker Duan Coertzen has been named to start at hooker in the only change to Sean Everitt’s Sharks under 21 side to face the Leopards this weekend.
The side was forced to pay for a sloppy first half against the Blue Bulls last week, with the three tries they conceded in that opening period seeing the hosts trailing 3-27 at the break. While the boot of Fred Zeilinga and a try by Piet Lindeque helped to steady the ship in a far better second half, the Sharks were never going overturn that deficit and lost the game, along with their season unbeaten record, 19-34.
Baby Bok Franco Marais has been called up to deputise for Monde Hadebe in the Currie Cup side, as the repercussions of Bismarck du Plessis’s knee injury – and Craig Burden’s call up to replace him – ripple down through the ranks. Coertzen comes straight into the starting lineup, with no specialist hooker on the bench, as has been the case all season.
The Sharks Under 21s
15. Jaco van Tonder, 14. Piet Lindeque, 13. Jared Meyer, 12. Heimar Williams (Capt), 11. Sizo Maseko, 10. Fred Zeilinga, 9. Hanco Venter, 8. Braam Steyn, 7. Brendon Groenewald, 6. Khaya Majola, 5. Stefan Lewies, 4. Wade Elliott, 3. Nick Schonert, 2. Duan Coertzen, 1. Danie Mienie
Replacements
16. Allan Dell, 17. Nicolaas van Dyk, 18. Paul Sanders, 19. Guy Alexander, 20. Gavin Hauptfleisch, 21. Wandile Mjekevu, 22. Keelin Bastew
Where is Kyle Cooper again? Is he injured?
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 1) : Cooper is injured, yes.
And also way too old to play under 21 rugby
@robdylan (Comment 2) : Yes… sorry, I was referring to the need to call Franco Marais up to the senior side. I wasnt very clear.