Durban - The Sharks have made two personnel changes and several positional switches to their starting XV ahead of their Currie Cup clash against the Blue Bulls in Durban on Friday night.
Wing Lwazi Mvovo and hooker Craig Burden, both on international duty, are unavailable this week, with midfielder Paul Jordaan returning to the starting line-up among the backs.
Jordaan comes in at outside centre with Tim Whitehead shifting to the inside in place of Meyer Bosman, who moves to flyhalf.
Louis Ludik, who has played in the number 15 jersey in recent weeks, moves to the wing to fill the spot vacated by Mvovo.
Burden’s place in the front row goes to veteran Pieter Dixon.
John Plumtree’s men are lying second on the log with three rounds of matches remaining, while the Bulls are second from bottom.
Teams:
Sharks: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Tim Whitehead, 11 Louis Ludik, 10 Meyer Bosman, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Keegan Daniel (captain), 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Pieter Dixon, 1 Dale Chadwick
Substitutes: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Julian Redelinghuys, 18 Jandre Marais, 19 Lubabalo Mtembu, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Marius Joubert, 22 S'bura Sithole.
Blue Bulls:
15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Sampie Mastriet, 10 Louis Fouché/Lionel Cronjé, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Arno Botha, 6 Dewald Potgieter (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Morné Mellett.
Substitutes: Bongo Mbonambi, Frik Kirsten, Grant Hattingh, Warwick Tecklenburg, Ruan Snyman, Lionel Cronjé/Willie du Plessis, Ulrich Beyers.