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Beast returns via the bench

Gavin Rich

Cape Town - Springbok loose-head prop Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira will return to the Sharks team via the bench when the Durban team plays the Lions in a Vodacom Super 14 match at ABSA Stadium on Saturday evening.

After the good away win over the Stormers last week, where the Sharks retained their composure under pressure before drawing away quite comfortably in the second half, it can hardly be rated as a surprise that coach John Plumtree has elected to go with the same starting team that played in Cape Town.

And in a year where the Sharks may not have quite the same strength in depth in some positions, it should also not surprise if unchanged Sharks teams become a regular occurrence, with most players choosing themselves.

The exception is front-row, where there are a plethora of Springboks to choose from. For instance, with Bismarck du Plessis continuing on the bench this week alongside Mtawarira, it means the Sharks have two incumbent starting front-row forwards coming off the bench – a great position for them to be in.

Du Plessis played the last quarter at Newlands, but is still easing himself back from injury, so it probably made sense to continue with John Smit as the starting hooker from a continuity viewpoint, as well as from a form aspect. Smit must have come pretty lose to grabbing the man of the match award last week with his outstanding effort and it was enough to underline the fact that the debate over which of Du Plessis or the Bok skipper is the best hooker in the country is by no means a closed case.

Sharks team: Stefan Terblanche, Odwa Ndungane, Adrian Jacobs, Frans Steyn, JP Pietersen, Ruan Pienaar, Rory Kockott, Ryan Kankowski, Jean Deysel, Keegan Daniel, Johann Muller (captain), Steven Sykes, Jannie du Plessis, John Smit, Deon Carstens. Replacements: Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira, Alistair Hargreaves, Jacques Botes, Ross Cronje, Riaan Swanepoel, Luzuko Vulindlu.

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