Durban - The Sharks travel to Johannesburg on Saturday to take on the Lions in their penultimate pool match of the Vodacom Super Rugby tournament knowing that a clinical performance will provide the result they seek.

According to Sharks website editor, Michael Marnewick, for the Lions, this match represents the opportunity to end their 2011 campaign on a high as they enjoy a bye next weekend. They will give it everything knowing that they don’t have to hold back for more games while the Sharks know that a good performance will add security to their playoff aspirations.

With the way the tournament is currently developing, the top teams are fighting it out among one another for their best possible finishes and upsets along the way have been more frequent than expected, which sets the scene for an explosive final two weeks in the pool stages.

Sharks coach John Plumtree has made some changes to the side that beat the Cheetahs last weekend, Willem Alberts dropping out of the side with a shoulder complaint and an opportunity to freshen up ahead of the tournament climax. This means a re-arranged loose forward trio of Jacques Botes, Keegan Daniel and Ryan Kankowski.

With Alberts out, 20-year-old Marcell Coetzee returns to the side and will play off the bench. In other changes upfront, Beast Mtawarira gets a start at loosehead with captain John Smit starting at hooker, providing Bismarck du Plessis with a well-earned break having started 12 of his 13 games to date.

The backline remains unchanged with Frederic Michalak, Jacques-Louis Potgieter and Adrian Jacobs providing cover off the bench.

The match kicks off at 16:05 at Coca-Cola Park.

Teams:

Lions:
15 Jaco Taute, 14 Dylan Des Fountain, 13 Doppies la Grange (captain), 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Deon van Rensburg, 10 Butch James, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Josh Strauss, 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar/Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco van der Merwe/David de Villiers, 4 Wikus van Heerden, 3 Patric Cilliers, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg

Substitutes: 16 Edgar Marutlulle, 17 Jacobie Adriaanse, 18 David de Villiers/David Bulbring, 19 Warren Whiteley, 20 Michael Bondesio, 21 Elton Jantjies, 22 Michael Killian

Sharks:
15. Louis Ludik, 14. JP Pietersen, 13. Stefan Terblanche, 12. Meyer Bosman, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Patrick Lambie, 9. Charl McLeod, 8. Ryan Kankowski, 7. Keegan Daniel, 6. Jacques Botes, 5. Gerhard Mostert, 4. Steven Sykes, 3. Eugene van Staden, 2. John Smit (captain), 1. Beast Mtawarira        

Substitutes: 16. Bismarck du Plessis, 17. Wiehahn Herbst, 18. Alistair Hargreaves, 19. Marcell Coetzee, 20. Frederic Michalak, 21. Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 22. Adrian Jacobs