Sharks announce Team to battle the Blues
Riaan Swanepoel will play off the bench this week, after John Plumtree opted to start with Andries Strauss at inside centre against the Blues. Swannie went over on an ankle against the Lions last weekend and was in danger of missing out altogether.
The only other change to the 22 that beat the Lions sees Vodacom Cup utility forward Michael Rhodes come onto the bench in place of Wilhelm Steenkamp, the lock forward on loan from the Bulls. This leaves the Sharks with a far more standard bench than they had last week, with two locks on the wood. Although Rhodes is a capable second-row replacement as well, his preferred position is blindside flank. With Jean Deysel and Willem Alberts both having taken a fair bit of strain down in Johannesburg, expect to see the big Michaelhouse lad weighing in with a few hits of his own in the second half. If Rhodes does get onto the park, he will be making his Super 14 debut.
The rest of the team is as we’ve come to expect, with Pat Lambie continuing at fullback, Stefan Terblanche again at outside centre and John Smit once again captaining the side from the loosehead prop position, while Beast Mtawarira remains on the bench.
The Sharks
15. Patrick Lambie
14. Odwa Ndungane
13. Stefan Terblanche
12. Andries Strauss
11. JP Pietersen
10. Andy Goode
9. Ruan Pienaar
8. Willem Alberts
7. Jean Deysel
6. Jacques Botes
5. Johann Muller
4. Steven Sykes
3. Jannie du Plessis
2. Bismarck du Plessis
1. John Smit (capt)
Replacements
16. Craig Burden
17. Tendai Mtawarira
18. Alistair Hargreaves
19. Michael Rhodes
20. Rory Kockott
21. Riaan Swanepoel
22. Lwazi Mvovo
[Info from Sharksworld.co.za]
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