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Durban - Springbok back Francois Steyn has been axed from the Sharks' starting line-up and is one of a massive seven changes made by coach John Plumtree for the Super Rugby clash against the Rebels at Kings Park on Saturday.
The Sharks were thumped 29-10 by the Brumbies last weekend with the coach promising changes when he addressed the media earlier this week.
There are three in the backline where Steyn has been replaced by Meyer Bosman at centre, while Lwazi Mvovo and Cobus Reinach return to the run-on XV having played off the bench last week. Odwa Ndungane drops out of the match-day 22 altogether, with Charl McLeod and Steyn moving to the bench.
“There have been changes because of what I saw as poor performance,” Plumtree said on Wednesday.
“Meyer Bosman deserves an opportunity and we've taken Frans Steyn out to give him quite a big week of conditioning."
Among the forwards, Springbok prop Jannie du Plessis appears to have recovered sufficiently from a knee problem, although he only makes the replacements, with Wiehahn Herbst coming into the front row.
Another player carrying a niggle after the Brumbies loss, Anton Bresler, drops out of the squad, allowing Pieter-Steph du Toit to be drafted in. Kyle Cooper and Jacques Botes come in for Craig Burden and Ryan Kankowski respectively.
“I was really happy with what Pieter-Steph du Toit brought to the team last week and we're continuing his development by giving him a start, it's the same with Kyle Cooper,” Plumtree added.
“Jannie has a bit of a knee injury and his wife is about to have a baby, he's had a difficult week so Wiehahn Herbst starts at tighthead prop.
“Jacques Botes has been in great form so he gets a start this week and Ryan will get a rest, the same as Craig Burden. They can show me what they have when they come off the bench.”
Kick-off is at 17:10 on Saturday.
Teams:
Sharks:
15 Louis Ludik, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Patrick Lambie, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Keegan Daniel (captain), 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Substitutes: 16 Craig Burden 17 Jannie du Plessis 18 Jandre Marais 19 Ryan Kankowski 20 Charl McLeod 21 Frans Steyn 22 Riaan Viljoen
Rebels:
TBA
The Sharks were thumped 29-10 by the Brumbies last weekend with the coach promising changes when he addressed the media earlier this week.
There are three in the backline where Steyn has been replaced by Meyer Bosman at centre, while Lwazi Mvovo and Cobus Reinach return to the run-on XV having played off the bench last week. Odwa Ndungane drops out of the match-day 22 altogether, with Charl McLeod and Steyn moving to the bench.
“There have been changes because of what I saw as poor performance,” Plumtree said on Wednesday.
“Meyer Bosman deserves an opportunity and we've taken Frans Steyn out to give him quite a big week of conditioning."
Among the forwards, Springbok prop Jannie du Plessis appears to have recovered sufficiently from a knee problem, although he only makes the replacements, with Wiehahn Herbst coming into the front row.
Another player carrying a niggle after the Brumbies loss, Anton Bresler, drops out of the squad, allowing Pieter-Steph du Toit to be drafted in. Kyle Cooper and Jacques Botes come in for Craig Burden and Ryan Kankowski respectively.
“I was really happy with what Pieter-Steph du Toit brought to the team last week and we're continuing his development by giving him a start, it's the same with Kyle Cooper,” Plumtree added.
“Jannie has a bit of a knee injury and his wife is about to have a baby, he's had a difficult week so Wiehahn Herbst starts at tighthead prop.
“Jacques Botes has been in great form so he gets a start this week and Ryan will get a rest, the same as Craig Burden. They can show me what they have when they come off the bench.”
Kick-off is at 17:10 on Saturday.
Teams:
Sharks:
15 Louis Ludik, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Patrick Lambie, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Keegan Daniel (captain), 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Substitutes: 16 Craig Burden 17 Jannie du Plessis 18 Jandre Marais 19 Ryan Kankowski 20 Charl McLeod 21 Frans Steyn 22 Riaan Viljoen
Rebels:
TBA
