Tight five shake-up for Sharks

 

Hooker Kyle Cooper is the only survivor from the tight forwards that started in the defeat to the Pumas in Nelspruit last week, with Springbok tighthead Lourens Adriaanse and Junior Springbok loosehead Thomas du Toit joining him in the front row.

 

With lock JC Astle ruled out with a hamstring injury and Etienne Oosthuizen moving to flank to cover for the injured Francois Kleinhans there is a brand new second row pairing of Stephan Lewies and 22-year-old Wiehan Hay.

 

There are changes in the backline as well with Heimar Williams starting at inside centre with Paul Jordaan outside him and Sibusiso Sithole on the wing in place of Tonderai Chavanga, whilst Jaco van Tonder replaces SP Marais at fullback.

 

Sharks coach Brad Mcleod-Henderson said his team will have to lift their game if they are to get the better of a hungry Griquas side.

 

"We did manage to get one over the Griquas in Kimberley, but we will need to play better than we did the past weekend against the Pumas if we want to get a result. 

 

"It will be a very physical contest between the two sides, the battle will be won and lost up front and we just need to make sure that we win that battle," he said. 

 

Sharks: 15 Jaco van Tonder, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Heimar Williams, 11 Sibusiso Sithole, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Conrad Hoffmann, 8 Lubabalo Mtembu (captain), 7 Etienne Oosthuizen, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Wiehan Hay, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Thomas du Toit. 

Replacements: 16 Monde Hadebe, 17 Matt Stevens, 18 Marco Wentzel, 19 Johan Meyer, 20 Cameron Wright, 21 Lionel Cronje, 22 Tim Swiel. 

 

Date: Saturday, September 6

Venue: Kings Park, Durban

Kick-off: 17.05 (15.05 GMT)

Referee: Lourens van der Merwe

Assistant referees: Jaco van Heerden, Francois de Bruin

TMO: Deon van Blommestein