Rob du Preez has made just one change to his starting line-up for Saturday’s clash against the Stormers, with Pat Lambie, perhaps expectedly, not returning to action this week after all.
Prop Coenie Oosthuizen was rested for last week’s trip to Singapore, but comes back in to start in the number 3 jersey this week, meaning a drop to the bench for Lourens Adriaanse. Chiliboy Ralepelle and Thomas du Toit again start, ahead of Franco Marais and Beast Mtawarira, who are on the bench. The Sharks front row have been well-rewarded for their form this season, with Adriaanse (on his way to France) the only one of the six not included in either the Springbok or South Africa “A” squads named earlier this week.
Ruan Botha and Stephan Lewies continue as the locks, meaning a 50th Sharks cap for Etienne Oosthuizen will come off the bench. Philip van der Walt captains again, with the du Preez twins in tow, while Tera Mtembu is again on the bench. John-Hubert Meyer is the unlucky forward to miss out this week.
The backline is the same too, with Garth April and Cobus Reinach again inside Johan Deysel and new Bok Lukhayno Am. Sbu Nkosi enjoys another start with Kobus van Wyk on the other wing, while Lwazi Mvovo continues at fullback.
Mika Claassens is fit again and will replace Rowan Gouws as backup scrumhalf, with Odwa Ndungane taking the place of out-of-sort S’bura Sithole on a backline bench that also includes Benhard Janse van Rensburg.
Sharks: 15 Lwazi Mvovo, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Johan Deysel, 11 S’busiso Nkosi, 10 Garth April, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Philip van der Walt (captain), 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Ruan Botha, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Thomas du Toit
Subs: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Beast Mtawarira, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Etienne Oosthuizen, 20 Tera Mtembu, 21 Michael Claassens, 22 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 23 Odwa Ndungane
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Two red lights in this team:
Starting Coenie at th, could backfire the way it did against the Kings.
Deysel at 12, needs to really up his game. (dammit Esterhuizen – would’ve loved to see you against Duhduh).
Other than that, well-done coach for rewarding the guys.
Yes Coenie.. Lets rather say nothing. Not today at least
Is Lambie’s omission precautionary or is he still sufferning from the concussion? Glad he decided against playing the France games
Sharks by plenty. Stormers fairies to be exposed again for the pretenders they are. 😈
Was Coenie that bad against the Kings? I still haven’t watched the game, but he’s been very good this season…
@McLovin (Comment 4) : These fairies will be representing SA in test rugby……says a lot.
@McLovin (Comment 4) : Stormers by a million…because they are the best…
Pity that Lambie is not ready yet to return and hope he will be soon.
Otherwise no problem with the team, we should have enough firepower to make it a real contest.
Would of like to have seen Keegan on the bench, but not sure how he has been playing for Sharks IX
@FireTheLooser (Comment 6) : Better not lose to them then. 😉
@McLovin (Comment 9) : Seems you streamers supporters have already thrown your team under the bus in hopes of winning the under-dog tag….
If it makes you feel any better, Sharks haven’t lost at home this season – should cement your status as “under-dogs”
Who is officiating ?? are we in for another game were we will be eating turd sandwich via the ref and the TMO?
Jean-Luc vs Kolisi will be interesting.
@Andrew Fletcher (Comment 11) : Not the same Andrew Fletcher from Depeche Mode, right?
@robdylan (Comment 13) :
how dare some keyboardist steal my namesake……even tho he be a decade or two my senior 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 13) : Hey Rob, is Marius van der Westhuizen fair ?
@Andrew Fletcher (Comment 15) : 😯 🙄 😕
@robdylan (Comment 13) : Personally I enjoy the silence…so if they could both just shut up. …
@McLovin (Comment 9) : Don’t you know that if we do lose it’ll be the refs fault…clearly… 😆
@pastorshark (Comment 18) : Of course.
@Andrew Fletcher (Comment 15) : fair but clueless would be my assessment
@pastorshark (Comment 18) : @McLovin (Comment 19) : This whole blaming of the ref business is both tiresome and unbecoming, and I wish people would just move on from that. Sometimes teams lose because they’re just not good enough.
So if the Sharks win, it’s because they’re the better team. If the Stormers win, well, obviously they got lucky. Must be due to the @$&#! incompetent refs.
@Culling Song (Comment 21) : No, if the Sharks win, it is despite the $!Q&[email protected]# incompetent ref.
😛
Just a shame that other than bragging rights this match has little to nothing riding on it.
Stormers will top their conference with no chance of catching Lions & Saders.
Sharks will get the wildcard spot.
Might as well send out the juniors and give the stars a rest.
@Culling Song (Comment 21) : So you are telling us that When Jaco and Greef team up it isnt their fault that they are bias?
@McLovin (Comment 23) : That is a pity…of course, bragging rights are mighty nice… 🙂
@pastorshark (Comment 25) : I really hate losing to the Streamers
@Bokhoring (Comment 26) : There is literally nothing worse in rugby…