Brad Macleod-Henderson has made four changes to his team for Saturday’s showdown at Newlands, two of which are injury enforced.
S’bura Sithole shifts from wing to centre in an expected move, given Paul Jordaan’s season-ending hip injury. Tonderai Chavhanga, who’s been in the sidelines for the past fortnight, comes in to start in the number 14 jersey. In the other injury change, Monde Hadebe start at hooker, in for Kyle Cooper, whose ankle keeps him out of action this week.
The return of Cobus Reinach from Springbok duty sees the side bolstered at scrumahlf, with Cameron Wright the man released; he will presumably add the under 21 side a much-needed boost, while Conrad Hoffmann retains the bench spot. The final unforced change sees Matt Stevens handed a start at tighthead, ahead of Lourens Adriaanse who has carried a heavy workload over the last few weeks.
Franco Marais will wear the number 16 jersey, joining Adriaanse as the only new membres on an otherwise unchanged bench.
Sharks: 15. SP Marais, 14. Tonderai Chavhanga, 13. S’bura Sithole, 12. Andre Esterhuizen, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Lionel Cronje, 9. Cobus Reinach, 8. Tera Mtembu (Capt) , 7. Etienne Oosthuizen, 6. Jacques Botes, 5. Marco Wentzel, 4. Stephan Lewies, 3. Matt Stevens, 2. Monde Hadebe, 1. Thomas du Toit
Replacements: 16. Franco Marais, 17. Dale Chadwick, 18. Lourens Adriaanse, 19. JC Astle, 20. Khaya Majola, 21. Conrad Hoffmann, 22. Fred Zeilinga
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Fred Zeilinga should really be playing now.
Except for Cooper and Zeilinga, that’s the strongest starting team the Sharks will put on the park thus far. 😎
@Uli Boelie (Comment 1) : Fred is good and I do believe he will get his chance again, but the way Cronje is playing, he does deserve to be there. Our backline has just started to look dangerous again, and we have forced changes with Jordaan injured and Reinach back. I think Cronje deserves a chance with Renaich there to see how they play together
Pity about Wright losing out. I really like his strong pass from the base – no two step needed.
@Uli Boelie (Comment 1) : Big fan of Fred, but his general play has been below par in the CC.
Good team! Only concern is Hadebe at hooker, im not a fan but others are so will see.
Cam deserves the bench spot (or is he injured?)
Hoffman really? 🙄
Still a very good side all things considered.
And Fred is luckily to even be benching it. Other than his kicking last week, he had a shocker of a game.
@vanmartin (Comment 7) : They probably feel that sitting Hoffman out is a waste of a player cos he cant play u21s. Wright will play u21s this week
@JarsonX (Comment 8) : Exactly, I also only saw that now.
@SheldonK (Comment 10) : Strange but fair enough
Good side, and the reasoning is understandable.
I do feel for Wright, but game time is better than bench time for a youngster.
Hadebe is a battler, but I’m not sure he has the physicality for this WP team.
@Big Fish (Comment 13) : have you seen the WP team? 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 14) : ja Sharks could just beat them.
Nope. But they are ALWAYS physical nowadays.
Not a bad Sharks team!!!!!!
@robdylan (Comment 14) : now if only the Cheetahs can get a victory in Jhb!!!!!
That backline looks dangerous, some serious speed merchants in there. But, please can someone tell SP to stop that stop-jum-and-hop dance of his? I don’t know who he is trying to fool with that move.
@KingRiaan (Comment 19) : LMAO!!!!!
Hears to hoping the Cats pull off a draw or the one with more spots win away… and with a weaker WP side, we get 5-points in the bag… Id much rather host the lions in the semis than play them in their own den.
@Stiko85 (Comment 21) : Then the Cattle just need to beat the Mountain Goats and us the Kittens, and next thing you know, we have a home final
@KingRiaan (Comment 22) : all of that could happen.