Lambie back in black
The long-awaited return of Springbok Patrick Lambie highlights the Sharks team for their Super Rugby play-off encounter with the Highlanders in Durban on Saturday.
Scrumhalf Cobus Reinach also makes a welcome return ahead of this preliminary qualifier.
However, it is the return of Lambie's – albeit on the replacement bench – that will hog the headlines.
Lambie returns in place of Fred Zeilinga.
The coastal franchise has been without their star flyhalf since late March, when he suffered a torn bicep against the Bulls.
At the time, he was expected to be out for six months, but has made a quicker than expected recovery and will feature off the bench in Durban.
Reinach is back in the starting line-up, after being named in the matchday squad last week – but having to pull out at a late stage with a minor complaint and didn't feature in the impress 34-10 win over the Stormers.
JP Pietersen has been declared fit, after being knocked out cold in a clash with Duane Vermeulen last week.
The return of Reinach at No.9 is the only change to the starting XV.
Director of Rugby Jake White is under no illusions that despite his team's good performance last and strong squad, they are up against formidable opposition who defeated his team earlier in the season.
"When they are on song, they can perform," White said of the Highlanders.
"They beat some big teams this year and this is a team that can score tries, they have the players," he added.
Sharks: 15 SP Marais, 14 Sibusiso Sithole, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Paul Jordaan, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Frans Steyn, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Anton Bresler, 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 Jean Deysel, 21 Charl McLeod, 22 Pat Lambie, 23 Tonderai Chavhanga.
Date: Saturday, July 19
Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 17.05 (03.05, Sunday, July 20 NZT; 01.05, Sunday, July 20 AEST, 15.05 GMT)
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Cobus Wessels (South Africa)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
