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Durban - Returning Springboks Lwazi Mvovo and Craig Burden have been thrust straight into the starting line-up by the Sharks for their Currie Cup encounter against the Golden Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.
The two were amongst five fringe players from all the unions released by national coach Heyneke Meyer this week.
Winger Mvovo comes into the team at the expense of youngster Rosko Specman, while Burden takes over from veteran Pieter Dixon at hooker.
Their return is amongst three changes made to the side by coach John Plumtree, with the other seeing a return from injury for Steven Sykes at lock ahead of Jandre Marais.
There is also one notable inclusion on the bench where promising centre Paul Jordaan is back after missing last week’s win over Western Province due to a facial injury.
The match at Coca-Cola Park is a top-of-the-table encounter and Plumtree believes victory is crucial as the competition reaches a vital point.
"It’s an important stage of the competition, it’s a run-in now with only four games to go before the playoffs," he said.
"It’s the side that finds some real consistency now and strings those three or four wins together that’s going to claim that top spot.
"That’s ultimately key to winning the Currie Cup, having a home final is really important."
Teams:
Golden Lions:
TBA
Sharks:
15 Louis Ludik, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Tim Whitehead, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Riaan Viljoen, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Keegan Daniel (captain), 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Jacques Botes, 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 Brynard Stander, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Paul Jordaan, 22 S’bura Sithole.
The two were amongst five fringe players from all the unions released by national coach Heyneke Meyer this week.
Winger Mvovo comes into the team at the expense of youngster Rosko Specman, while Burden takes over from veteran Pieter Dixon at hooker.
Their return is amongst three changes made to the side by coach John Plumtree, with the other seeing a return from injury for Steven Sykes at lock ahead of Jandre Marais.
There is also one notable inclusion on the bench where promising centre Paul Jordaan is back after missing last week’s win over Western Province due to a facial injury.
The match at Coca-Cola Park is a top-of-the-table encounter and Plumtree believes victory is crucial as the competition reaches a vital point.
"It’s an important stage of the competition, it’s a run-in now with only four games to go before the playoffs," he said.
"It’s the side that finds some real consistency now and strings those three or four wins together that’s going to claim that top spot.
"That’s ultimately key to winning the Currie Cup, having a home final is really important."
Teams:
Golden Lions:
TBA
Sharks:
15 Louis Ludik, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Tim Whitehead, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Riaan Viljoen, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Keegan Daniel (captain), 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Jacques Botes, 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 Brynard Stander, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Paul Jordaan, 22 S’bura Sithole.
