Lambie back for Christchurch crunch
Sharks Director of Rugby Jake White opted to start with Patrick Lambie at flyhalf as his team looks to rewrite history.
The Sharks will look to become the first team ever to beat the Crusaders twice in one season in Christchurch, when they meet in a Super Rugby semifinal on Saturday.
They managed to record their first-ever win in Christchurch when a 13-man Sharks team triumphed 30-25 in a Round 14 match in May.
White made a number of changes from last week's line-up, when they edged the Highlanders 31-27 in the quarterfinal in Durban.
The most significant is in the backline, where Lambie starts in his preferred position at flyhalf, with Francois Steyn moved to inside centre and Paul Jordaan wearing the No.13 jersey occupied by JP Pietersen – who in turned moved to the wing in place Sibusiso Sithole, who was dropped to the replacement bench.
With Anton Bresler being ruled out with a rib injury, suffered half-an-hour into the encounter with the Highlanders last week, Willem Alberts shifts from flank to the second row, with his place on the side of the scrum taken by Jean Deysel.
With Deysel having been elevated into the starting line-up, Lubabalo Mtembu.
Sharks: 15 SP Marais, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Francois Steyn, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Willem Alberts, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis (captain), 1 Thomas du Toit.
Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Dale Chadwick, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Etienne Oosthuizen, 20 Lubabalo Mtembu, 21 Charl McLeod, 22 Sibusiso Sithole, 23 Tonderai Chavhanga.
Date: Saturday, July 26
Venue: AMI Stadium, Christchurch
Kick-off: 19.35 (07.35 GMT; 09.35 SA time; 17.35 AEST)
Referee: Glen Jackson
Assistant referees: Rohan Hoffmann, Mike Fraser
TMO: Ben Skeen
