Durban - The Sharks have been bolstered by the return from injury of Springbok wings JP Pietersen and Lwazi Mvovo to their side for Saturday’s Super Rugby clash against the Highlanders.
Kick-off is at 09:35 SA time.
According to Sharks website Editor Michael Marnewick, with all the talk of the crippling injury toll suffered by the Sharks hopefully behind us, the two players bolster the side with their pace and experience out wide, while the further inclusion of Lions prop JC Janse van Rensburg among the replacements, himself no stranger to this level of rugby, adds further to the stocks off the bench.
Sharks coach John Plumtree has been able to rotate players to keep them fresh, starting in the front row where Kyle Cooper and Craig Burden swap positions. Franco van der Merwe is back and he replaces Anton Bresler while Keegan Daniel returns to captain the side at flank alongside Marcell Coetzee, the pair replace Derick Minnie (bracketed on the bench with Odwa Ndungane) and Jean Deysel with Tera Mtembu securing his position at the base of the scrum following his outstanding game against the Chiefs last week.
Tian Meyer, called up for Cobus Reinach who returned home with an ankle injury, joins Piet Lindeque on the bench.
Following their narrow loss, but courageous effort against the Chiefs last week, the Sharks will look to follow their attacking instincts once again, having managed four tries in the match and hoping to do more of the same.
“We took a step up in the try-scoring department against the Chiefs when we scored four tries against the current champions and we’re hoping we can continue that this week against the Highlanders,” said Sharks coach John Plumtree.
“We took some confidence out of the way we played, but at end of day, we lost and that’s disappointing. The players are really disappointed, they’ve lost three games in a row and we’re under pressure now, we can’t really afford to lose any more and we have to create that desperate edge that will drive us hard on the weekend.
“It’s tough times for all of us but the players need to have the confidence to go out there and play on the weekend - that’s certainly been something we’ve talked about.”
Teams:
Highlanders:
TBA
Sharks:
15. Riaan Viljoen, 14. JP Pietersen, 13. Francois Steyn, 12. Meyer Bosman, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Patrick Lambie, 9. Charl McLeod, 8. Lubabalo Mtembu, 7. Marcell Coetzee, 6. Keegan Daniel (captain), 5. Franco van der Merwe, 4. Pieter-Steph du Toit, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. Kyle Cooper, 1. Wiehahn Herbst
Substitutes: 16. Craig Burden, 17. JC Janse van Rensburg, 18. Anton Bresler, 19. Jean Deysel, 20. Tian Meyer, 21. Piet Lindeque, 22. Odwa Ndungane / Derick Minnie
Kick-off is at 09:35 SA time.
According to Sharks website Editor Michael Marnewick, with all the talk of the crippling injury toll suffered by the Sharks hopefully behind us, the two players bolster the side with their pace and experience out wide, while the further inclusion of Lions prop JC Janse van Rensburg among the replacements, himself no stranger to this level of rugby, adds further to the stocks off the bench.
Sharks coach John Plumtree has been able to rotate players to keep them fresh, starting in the front row where Kyle Cooper and Craig Burden swap positions. Franco van der Merwe is back and he replaces Anton Bresler while Keegan Daniel returns to captain the side at flank alongside Marcell Coetzee, the pair replace Derick Minnie (bracketed on the bench with Odwa Ndungane) and Jean Deysel with Tera Mtembu securing his position at the base of the scrum following his outstanding game against the Chiefs last week.
Tian Meyer, called up for Cobus Reinach who returned home with an ankle injury, joins Piet Lindeque on the bench.
Following their narrow loss, but courageous effort against the Chiefs last week, the Sharks will look to follow their attacking instincts once again, having managed four tries in the match and hoping to do more of the same.
“We took a step up in the try-scoring department against the Chiefs when we scored four tries against the current champions and we’re hoping we can continue that this week against the Highlanders,” said Sharks coach John Plumtree.
“We took some confidence out of the way we played, but at end of day, we lost and that’s disappointing. The players are really disappointed, they’ve lost three games in a row and we’re under pressure now, we can’t really afford to lose any more and we have to create that desperate edge that will drive us hard on the weekend.
“It’s tough times for all of us but the players need to have the confidence to go out there and play on the weekend - that’s certainly been something we’ve talked about.”
Teams:
Highlanders:
TBA
Sharks:
15. Riaan Viljoen, 14. JP Pietersen, 13. Francois Steyn, 12. Meyer Bosman, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Patrick Lambie, 9. Charl McLeod, 8. Lubabalo Mtembu, 7. Marcell Coetzee, 6. Keegan Daniel (captain), 5. Franco van der Merwe, 4. Pieter-Steph du Toit, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. Kyle Cooper, 1. Wiehahn Herbst
Substitutes: 16. Craig Burden, 17. JC Janse van Rensburg, 18. Anton Bresler, 19. Jean Deysel, 20. Tian Meyer, 21. Piet Lindeque, 22. Odwa Ndungane / Derick Minnie