Lukhanyo Am is rested and replaced by Jeremy Ward in the starting lineup. Andre Esterhuizen will take over the captaincy.
Sanele Nohamba gets a chance to start at 9, after doing exceptionally well as an emergency fly half. Mapimpi has recovered from his head knock and will hopefully get the chance to torment the Rebels with ball in hand.
Thomas and Ox are back in the starting lineup. The Sharks have the backs and loose forwards to cause problems for any opponent, but the forwards will need to start fronting up at scrum and line out time. A repeat of last weeks performance will see the Sharks get zero log points from this game.
15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Madosh Tambwe, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Andre Esterhuizen (c), 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Sanele Nohamba, 8 Sikumbuzo Notshe, 7 Tyler Paul, 6 James Venter, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Ox Nche.
Subs: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Miami Majola, 18 John-Hubert Meyer, 19 Le Roux Roets, 20 Hence Venter, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Marius Louw, 23 Lwazi Mvovo.

Is Chamberlain injured
@Gerriecellcshark (Comment 1) : He has a Lambie injury
@SheldonK (Comment 2) : to soon bru way to soon!!! 😕
There’s something special about dark humour… Oor years after Jonah was first diagnosed, my cousin used to punch me in the kidney and shout Jonah Lomu!
@SheldonK (Comment 2) : hmm, yah let’s not.
I figured we would likely lose this game, however looking at the team we are able to put on the field and the bench I think we may actually make it a close game and or win.
Key factors: what condition is Bosch going to be in having now traveled back to Australasia? how will our scrums and lineouts execute?
With Thomas du Toit and Ox Nche starting, that’s in my humble opinion an encouraging sign, and hopefully Majola and Johnny Meyer can front up as well. Mind you the rest of the pack has an influence, Hookers, Locks and loose forwards. One wonders the significant of Sign vs Technique in term of the players supporting the props. I would think ideally you would want both. The Australian national team forwards would often reported to be lighter than their opponents (though when and where are those weight stats sourced) and yet on a few occasions are able to find ways to obtain the upper hand or at least not get destroyed.
The most referenced solution to our scrum issue seems to be drop Hyron and bring in Le Roux and JJ to start at lock and blind side flank or lock and bench. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try.
Tambwe is defintely going to be targeted with the high balls. Hope he’s ready for the Gary Owen. What’s the situation with JJ? i was expecting to see more of him this season.
@revolverocelot (Comment 6) : @dawj (Comment 7) : Last i saw JJ Van Der Mescht was on crutches and a leg brace, that was a few weeks ago so not sure the extent of the injury
Mapimpi scores after great work by fassi and notshe, what a revelation he has been at 8
7-0 after 6 minutes
First scrum for us was solid
9 minutes rebels strike back through korobeti
10 minutes 7 all
Perfect line by korobeti
First line out successful
Aj Jacobs has no clue at ruck time
Set pieces improved 100% off last week, we are camped in their 22, big Andre scores, nice patience and footwork
12-7 sharks 17 minutes Bosch missed the conversion
20 minutes rebels take shot at goal, missed
Forwards are really doing well
Defense also improved off last week, match being played at an extremely quick tempo by both teams
Mapimpi drops a pass off nohamba just outside our 22
Big Andre and Bosch hold player up for turnover scrum
Aj Jacobs lost with scrums and rucks, lottery for either team
12-10 28 minutes, penalties all against the sharks at the moment
Our maul is doing well, penalty rebels 10m for offside. Bosch going posts, should rather have gone corner
15-10 sharks 31 minutes
Penalty against rebels off restart
Fassi knocks on 7 meters out from our line.
Andre and ward tackle rebels back 40 meters and get the turnover penalty
Thomas the tank makes 30m, tmo for tambwe try
Try halftime 22-10 sharks
Bullshit yellow card for van vuuren
Mystery offsides called against sharks
@byron (Comment 34) : Korebeti falls on his stomach with hands extended and Jacobs states on his shoulder, yellow, seriously
2 yellows tough times ahead
Rebels going down at every set reff
Two drops there ref
No 8 lost that
Mapimpi scores a dubious try, but that’s Karma for the rebels try
Roets slow poison has started …
Our scrum is demolishing the rebels
@byron (Comment 41) : As well as the screuder slow as shit play
Another try unselfishly given to Bosch after mapimpi runs length of the field, what team spirit
Mapimpi gives away hat trick so Bosch scores on his 50th match, beautiful try
Andre esterhuizen has been immense, deserves motm
Poor tambwe pinged again for offside, other side of the field and honestly on side, aj Jacobs has been very inconsistent this match, both teams
@jdolivier (Comment 43) : right time to slow it down 37 -16 up
@byron (Comment 48) : Gives the defense time to organize, and then we lose the bonus point instead of putting them to the sword
Good win…pity about letting the bonus point go…
@byron (Comment 48) : Honestly when Louis is on our backline appears flat footed and slow, his style is perfect in wet conditions, nohamba and cam are great when we want to run
@jdolivier (Comment 49) : To be fair, we were trying to put them to the sword and got a bit loose to give away the intercept…
@jdolivier (Comment 51) : I thought Louis was good today…
Ja pity about the bonus point but at the start of the game I think most of us would have been thrilled just with a victory! 2 from 3 in NZ and Oz is not to bad!
@jdolivier (Comment 49) : AJ Jacobs also missed a grasscutter no arms tackle in that move…so I’m not going to hold that against the boys. Good win! We outplayed them and deserved the win.
@pastorshark (Comment 53) : The only player that wasn’t giving his all was andrews, 3 seasons and he is yet to attempt a steal in the ruck or even counter ruck. Every other player was good, tambwe was unlucky with his yellow, having Bosch back also seemed to calm everyone down. Big Andre and jem ward really click well, lovely headache to have as Am is also in the form of his life
I liked the fact that, with such windy conditions we kicked a lot less…
@jdolivier (Comment 56) : yeah, that sounds like a spot on summary…
@pastorshark (Comment 55) : Aj Jacobs missed a lot, but it was on both sides. Tambwe scored his try off a forward pass, rebels scored off a knock, mapimpi scored his second in interesting fashion, entertaining game, poor officiating
Our replacement tight 5 is much stronger than our starting tight 5…but maybe that’s not bad…unless we play a side that will put out starting tight 5 to the sword. Roets makes a huge difference…
But out lineouts are just rubbish…with both sets of tight 5s…
@pastorshark (Comment 60) : Roets is a big boy, maybe his cardio gives out after 40, but every time he is on the park we improve
@jdolivier (Comment 61) : yes, the only criticism I have on him is that he goes into contact too high…every time…both when carrying the ball and when defending…stands up straight. That has to be corrected by coaching.
I usually think we have every chance of winning in New Zealand and always expect the worst in Australia because our record just shows that…so that makes me very chuffed with this win today…
@pastorshark (Comment 62) : Agree with you on Roets. If he gets lower in contact he will be very effective on defense and attack. He also needs to use his size to intimidate opponents physically. Notshe has impressed in the sharks jersey. I was sceptical about his singing but was obviously wrong. Also good game by Johnny Meyer. I’ve been highly critical of his scrumming but he proved me wrong and did well. Seems like there is a good vibe in the sharks camp and players are stepping up. Well done to the coaches and administrators.
@sudhir (Comment 64) : agreed…
Notshe has been very good…
Jeepers, the Brumbies are dismantling the Chiefs. Impressive! I didn’t pick that…
0-19 at halftime…
@pastorshark (Comment 65) : Notshe, James venter and Tyler Paul are really working well, they also look very balanced.
The hookers needs to work on the accuracy in the lineouts. Although there was an improvement today we still had a few lineouts lost,.especially when throwing to the back. Maybe they need to dart in the throw instead of lobbying it. I have no knowledge on this skill so just assuming.
@revolverocelot (Comment 6) : interestingly today van Heerden went off when Roets came on…and with Hyron still on the field our scrum still showed that huge improvement. It also looked to me as if, when Burden was on for Kerron during his yellow card, the scrum was much better. So it’s probably a combination of factors. It seems to me that several players in the tight 5 have areas that the coaches can look to improve…
@jdolivier (Comment 67) : yeah, nice loose trio…something of everything, both old school and new…
@sudhir (Comment 68) : It seems that the timing of the jump vs the throw is why we struggle, not necessarily the accuracy of the throw itself.
@sudhir (Comment 68) : yup, seems to be an issue with both hookers. By and large front ball is good, but middle and back wobbly…
@pastorshark (Comment 70) : First season in many years where it feels like we have the personnel to do extremely well
@jdolivier (Comment 71) : ai, I think today accuracy was also an issue. There was one lineout to the back where their jumper got in front of ours, but ours was much higher…ball went straight to their jumper and even if their jumper had not got up, ours would have caught it in front of his chest…
@jdolivier (Comment 73) : yes, our recruitment to replace those who left was very good. Venter, Notshe, Tambwe just some of those who have served us well so far. But it also seems like this young side still has a lot to learn and one can just hope that these guys can be kept together…
Brumbies score again…0-26 after 43 minutes. Wow! Don’t think there will be many Super Bru points for that game today…
Roets 140 kg has stabilized our scrum in every game this season. Noticed it in the super hero game against the Stormers as well as the scrum never went backwards while he was on the field. It’s the additional pressure he adds in the middle of the scrum.
Stormers lucky to win, impressed with rasta’s Spanish though
Good win. Pity about giving up the bonus point at the end. Have to compliment coaches Everitt and Williams – great interplay between forwards and backs had even the Aussie commentators gushing. Scrums were solid and then dominant when Roets came on. Defense bar a few slips here and there also not being neglected. Sharks tackling the Rebels back some 30 metres was a sight to behold. But the lineouts – oh dear
@Bokhoring (Comment 79) : I’ve been happy with both Fassi and Curwins defense this year. Under Rob du Preez both seemed to have huge defensive frailties but this year, although not dominant, are making their tackles.
So I read a story that kwagga Smith may be joining the sharks after the Olympics. Wonder if there is any truth to this.
@Shane Hansen (Comment 81) : Joe Dwebe leaving the cheetahs at the end of the season, we should approach him also
I am very happy with what we are seeing from the sharks this year. They are playing an excellent brand of rugby.
I think we in for a few tough weeks ahead because our tight five isnt the best but we have reason to be positive about the future. During the lions 3 year run near the top I kept expecting their loose game plan to be a problem and it got them great results and we could grow into an even better side.
Defense needs work though. Who is our D coach?
@jdolivier (Comment 82) : Agreed. He is a big unit.
@Shane Hansen (Comment 81) : @jdolivier (Comment 82) : I wouldn’t be too thrilled if we bought Kwagga, but Dweba is class.
@Shane Hansen (Comment 81) : @Culling Song (Comment 85) : Kwagga could add a lot to the current style of play that Sharks is playing as it is exactly his type of playing style! Also remember Kwagga is only 26! As for Dweba somehow I think he will be heading up north as I do not think any SA team will be able to match the offers he will be receiving from there but yes could be nice to have him and van Vuuren pushing each other for the starting spot!
@Culling Song (Comment 85) : Dweba is a legend in the making
@JD (Comment 86) : Dweba and ox used to be a formidable pair on the field, would love to reunite them
@jdolivier (Comment 88) : for sure would be good if Sharks could sign him but also keep van Vuuren as teams really need at least two good hookers in their squad!
@JD (Comment 89) : We need 2 good players in each position to keep the competitiveness high