Boks bolster travelling Sharks
The Sharks wasted no time in rushing back a number of Springboks for the opening match of their Australasian tour.
Director of Rugby Gary Gold welcomed back hooker Bismarck du Plessis, lock Stephan Lewies and utility back JP Pietersen into the starting line-up to face the Highlanders in Dunedin on Friday.
Du Plessis, who has given up the team captaincy, returns from his four-match ban for kicking an opponent and will replace Franco Marais at hooker. The rookie No.2 drops down to the replacement bench.
Lewies comes in at lock for England international Mouritz Botha in the second row, with Botha also dropping down to the bench.
There is one other change to the pack – Lourens Adriaanse replacing fellow Bok Jannie du Plessis at tighthead prop – with the latter being ruled out with a calf strain.
The Sharks medical team said the elder of the Du Plessis brothers, Jannie, is expected to be fit again for the second tour match – against the Hurricanes next Saturday.
The fourth and final change to the starting XV that lost 10-17 to the Bulls a fortnight ago sees Pietersen coming in at outside centre in place of fellow Bok Waylon Murray.
Murray also gets a spot on the bench.
Other changes to the bench sees Monde Hadebe dropping out, Dale Chadwick coming in for Thomas du Toit – on South African Under-20 duty – as front row cover, Matt Stevens filling the gap left by Adriaanse's promotion to the starting XV, and Lubabalo Mtyanda dropping out.
The Sharks tackle the Highlanders after having enjoyed their first bye last week – after 10 consecutive games and.
Gold warned that the sixth-placed Highlanders are a dangerous attacking side.
"They have real game-breakers and it's going to be a huge challenge for us on Friday," the Sharks boss said.
"I don't think it gets much tougher than what we have coming.
"But we played some good rugby against the Bulls and the Lions and we want to carry that momentum into this game."
Sharks: 15 Odwa Ndungane, 14 Sibusiso Sithole, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Renaldo Bothma, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Marco Wentzel (captain), 4 Stephan Lewies, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Dale Chadwick, 18 Matt Stevens, 19 Mouritz Botha, 20 Etienne Oosthuizen, 21 Conrad Hoffmann, 22 Lionel Cronje, 23 Waylon Murray.
Date: Friday, May 1
Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Kick-off 19.35 (09.35 SAST; 07.35 GMT)
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: Kane McBride, Mike Lash
TMO: Vinny Munro
