Cape Town - The Sharks team named to take on the Lions in Johannesburg on Friday shows just two changes to last weekend’s side for this important Super Rugby derby match.
Kick-off is at 19:10.
Robert du Preez continues at flyhalf while Curwin Bosch is included at fullback.
The loss of Akker van der Merwe to a three-week suspension has necessitated a change in the front row, with Kerron van Vuuren starting and Fez Mbatha coming onto the bench as cover at hooker.
Despite his relative youth (23 years of age), Van Vuuren will have the country’s most experienced Super Rugby player packing down beside him (and a fellow Bok in Coenie Oosthuizen on the other side of the front row).
Tendai "Beast" Mtawarira will start this crucial match and make national history when he becomes the most capped South African rugby player in the competition. This will be his 157th appearance, overtaking the former record-holder Adriaan Strauss.
Bosch in place of Aphelele Fassi at fullback is the only other change to the starting XV.
On the bench, Juan Schoeman comes in for Khutha Mchunu while JJ van der Mescht (like Mbatha, another player from last year’s triumphant Sharks Under-19 campaign) is poised to make his Super Rugby debut, replacing Gideon Koegelenberg as cover at lock.
Teams:
Lions
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Tyrone Green, 13 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 12 Lionel Mapoe, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Ruan Vermaak, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Rhyno Herbst, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Malcolm Marx (captain), 1 Sti Sithole
Substitutes: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Frans van Wyk, 19 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 20 Stephan Lewies, 21 Nic Groom, 22 Hacjivah Dayimani, 23 Sylvian Mahuza/Wandisile Simelane
Sharks
15 Curwin Bosch, 14 Lwazi Mvovo, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Louis Schreuder (captain), 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Luke Stringer, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Substitutes: 16 Fez Mbatha, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 JJ van der Mescht, 20 Philip van der Walt, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Kobus van Wyk, 23 Aphelele Fassi
