Dick Muir has resisted making sweeping changes for the clash with the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Frans Steyn is given another chance to play flyhalf, with Fred Michalak getting a rest. The French star will look to make an impact coming off the bench this week. Steyn’s shift to pivot opens up a spot at fullback, which Stefan Terblanche fills, leaving the right wing open for Odwa Ndungane. The rest of the backline is unchanged, although Ruan Pienaar comes onto the bench at the expense of Charl Macleod.
In the pack, BJ Botha is fit to play and will start at tighthead prop. Beast Mtawarira comes back into the starting team at loosehead, with Jannie du Plessis on the bench. The rest of the pack is unchanged from the unit that handled the Blues last weekend, meaning that AJ Venter will have to make do with a spot amongst the substitutes. Steven Sykes drop out this week, leaving AJ to cover the second row, while Jean Deysel is the back row cover.
Sharks team:
15. Stefan Terblanche
14. Odwa Ndungane
13. Waylon Murray
12. Bradley Barritt
11. JP Pietersen
10. Francois Steyn
9. Rory Kockott
8. Ryan Kankowski
7. Jacques Botes
6. Keegan Daniel
5. Johann Muller ( Capt )
4. Albert van den Berg
3. BJ Botha
2. Bismarck du Plessis
1. Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements
16. Craig Burden
17. Jannie du Plessis
18. AJ Venter
19. Jean Deysel
20. Ruan Pienaar
21. Frederic Michalak
22. Adrian Jacobs
Tweet
Look out kitties… Sharks are gonna getcha!
That’s a mean team – and what a bench!
😎 You can say that again Nessa – what a bench !
Good changes by DM…although “some bloggers” would’ve preferred Steyn moved to 12.
We’ll maul those Kitties to death.
ah hell yeah. Sten next to Barritt next to Murray… can I get a “you shall not pass”?
I mean defensively speaking, of course!
So many good backs , but I for one would love to see Frans at 12 and I would really like to see Ruan given a bit of arun at no 10.
Scary how we don’t have any quality no 10’s in SA at the moment.Hope they call up Butch for the Springboks.
Very happy with that team and pleased to see that Dick isn’t taking the Kitty’s lightly.
As Nessa says what an awesome bench…could do some serious damage!!
Anyone know when Jaque Fourie is back for Lions?
Good team – Freddie must be well-managed.
I would have been very tempted to rest BJ if Carstens were fit though.
That is why it may benefit Ruan to make the switch. He is not going to get a regular Bok start at 9 with Fourie Du Preez, Januarie etc ahead of him.
I personally would like to see Ruan at 15 but 10 might be best for his Bok prospects!
BF
BJ only plays for about 50 mins a game and is a Tighthead. Deon is awesome as a loosehead but been shown up as a tighthead. BJ softens up the opposition and then Jannie can come on when they are tired and sore! Perfect!!
Haven’t managed to see the full Sharks-Blues match yet but I have to eat my words on Barritt and kicking, that try he set up for Muller was a beauty, on that alone he almost deserves to keep his starting place.
I also seem to have been wrong on the make up of the pack being too light…will have to view the whole match.
Any way it seems the Sharks made the right move in appointing Muir and Plumtree to coach over me 😉
MMMMM – I suppose I will HAVE to go with this team… 😉
welcome to the light side, DP.
On Jacques Fourie… he’s apparently back in training, but will only be ready to play again in 3-4 weeks.
Muir has a very pleasant problem at the moment…. Who to leave out?
Barrit,Steyn, Murray,Jacobs,Freddie,Stefan,Kockott,Ruan.
How the Lions would love to use some of the Sharks leftovers.
Villie, Tighthead is high attrition – injuries always occur.
I was thinking of starting Jannie at his preferred possie with Deon, and then subbing one or the other with Beast.
Jannie and Deon can play both sides reasonably well if necessary.
Emphasis on the reasonably if we’re talking DC at tighthead 😉
hard not to like this team
i’m looking forward to watching the front row take on Heinke and co
yeah… should be good. Beast against Geldenhuys will be interesting. I rate the latter VERY highly…
Good side. Am worried about Steyn at the moment but it makes sense that he plays his way back into form. That he ahs talennt is undeniable
with you, biscuit… he has done nothing so far this year, but he will come right.
Yeah Rob, with you on that one. Have been very impressed with Geldenhuys this season. Good in the tight phases and a high workrate to boot!
a bit of a turnover specialist as well
Hmm … Ruan on the bench. Is this because Kockott is preferred or is Ruan eased back?
Dick could do worse than leaving Kockott at 9 and playing Ruan at 10.
Yip old White might have been right with his parting call on Pienaar being a 10….don’t believe he has been at his best at 9 this year.
But it must also be added that a lot of the RWC Boks seem to be suffering from a hang-over from the RWC and the non-sensicial end of year tour.
I think Ruan is still seen as first-choice 9… the idea is to ease him back off the bench.