Kankowski returns for injured Sharks
The return of Springbok Ryan Kankowski is a rare ray of light for a Sharks team bucking under the pressure of injury.
Kankowski makes a welcome return to action, after missing their Australasian tour with a knee injury, and slots in at No.8 while Willem Alberts is subject to a late fitness test.
However, the team will be without two key players – lock Stephan Lewies and Frans Steyn, who were injured in their 21-14 win over the Reds.
Steyn, who has been influential since his return from his ban, left the field in the 60th minute with a pectoral muscle injury and has been replaced by Andre Esterhuizen – who shifts from wing to midfield – with Odwa Ndungane being drafted in to fill the void left by Esterhuizen.
Lewies, who missed the first half of the season through injury, looks set to miss the remaining matches after dislocating his knee cap in the 31st minute of the match when he landed awkwardly at a line-out and will be replaced by Mouritz Botha.
With the likes of Cobus Reinach (fractured hand), Pieter-Steph du Toit (knee) and Pat Lambie (neck vertebrae) on the injury list, the Sharks will be happy that scrumhalf Stefan Ungerer seems to has recovered enough to take his place at scrumhalf.
Ungerer – who damaged his hamstring while attempting to put pressure on James O'Connor, only to pull up short with a hamstring strain and then be gifted a try when the kicker, as O'Connor shanked his attempted clearance – was in doubt. However, he trained with the team this week and has been named at No.9.
The return of Kankowski means Renaldo Bothma will move to flank in place of Marcell Coetzee – who enjoys a much needed break.
Lubabalo Mtyanda and Heimar Williams will take their respective places on the bench while Khaya Majola has been bracketed, on the bench, with Etienne Oosthuizen as cover for the pending outcome Alberts' late fitness test.
Sharks: 15 Lwazi Mvovo, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Sibusiso Sithole, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Willem Alberts/Etienne Oosthuizen, 6 Renaldo Bothma, 5 Marco Wentzel (captain), 4 Mouritz Botha, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis , 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Matt Stevens, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 20 Etienne Oosthuizen/Khaya Majola, 21 Conrad Hoffmann, 22 Fred Zeilinga, 23 Heimar Williams.
Date: Friday, May 29
Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 19.10 (17.10 GMT; 03.00, Saturday, May 30 AEST)
Referee: Jaco van Heerden
Assistant referees: Rodney Boneparte, Ben Crouse
TMO: Marius Jonker
