Currie Cup
Sharks buoyed by returning trio
2012-08-16 15:26
Durban - The Sharks have welcomed back experienced trio Louis Ludik, Charl McLeod and Anton Bresler for their Currie Cup clash against the Lions in Durban on Saturday.
Their inclusion forms part of four changes to the starting XV that ran out 25-23 winners against Western Province at Newlands last week.
Fullback Ludik replaces Gouws Prinsloo, scrumhalf Charl McLeod is in for Cobus Reinach and lock Anton Bresler replaces Jandre Marais - all three excluded players will play off the bench.
The only other change sees Francois Kleinhans come in at flank for Lubabalo Mtembu.
Coach John Plumtree admitted there were few positives to take from their opening win of the campaign last week, despite it being in Cape Town.
He said he was looking for a big improvement at Kings Park.
“It was just a start for us and we were happy to get those points,” Plumtree said.
“There weren’t a lot of positives to take out of the game.
“Perhaps there was tenacity within the group to hang on when it was really important, so that showed a bit of character.
“But we’re really looking for a 40-50 percent improvement in all areas this week.”
Teams:
Sharks:
15 Louis Ludik, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 S'bura Sithole, 10 Riaan Viljoen, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Jacques Botes, 7 Jean Deysel (captain), 6 Francois Kleinhans, 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Dale Chadwick.
Substitutes: 16 Monde Hadebe, 17 Julian Redelinghuys, 18 Jandre Marais, 19 Lubabalo Mtembu, 20 Cobus Reinach, 21 Marius Joubert, 22 Gouws Prinsloo.
Golden Lions:
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 JR Esterhuizen, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Waylon Murray, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Butch James, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Josh Strauss, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (captain).
Substitutes: 16 Francois du Toit, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Willie Britz, 19 Jaco Kriel, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Guy Cronje, 22 Ruan Combrinck.