Hargreaves returns for hungry Sharks
Sharks coach John Plumtree has made just one change to his matchday 22 for Saturday’s Currie Cup Final against the Lions in Johannesburg.
Lock Alistair Hargreaves comes into the side on the bench and replaces the very unlucky Jacques Botes, who played his 100th Currie Cup match for the Sharks last weekend.
Having started to find their form as a unit again following the re-introduction of the Springboks, the team will now have some continuity in the final as the same starting XV will run out.
Having finished first and second in the Currie Cup log it seems only fitting that the Sharks and Lions will do battle for South Africa’s biggest domestic rugby prize.
The Sharks are aiming to defend their 2010 crown, where they beat Western Province in the final at Kings Park.
The Sharks take some momentum into the match having beaten the Lions 53-9 two weeks ago, but admittedly that was against an under strength Lions side in Durban.
Sharks: 15 Patrick Lambie, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Stefan Terblanché, 12 Marius Joubert, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Conrad Hoffmann, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Keegan Daniel (captain), 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Jean Deysel, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Eugene van Staden, 18 Alistair Hargreaves, 19 Marcell Coetzee, 20 Ross Cronjé, 21 Adrian Jacobs, 22 Lwazi Mvovo.
Date: Saturday, October 29
Venue: Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT)
Referee: Mark Lawrence
Assistant referees: Stefan Breytenbach, Marius Jonker
TMO: Johann Meuwesen
