{"209":{"title":"Six Nations","uri":"six-nations","id":"108","oid":"209","order":0,"hasData":1},"210":{"title":"Rugby World Cup","uri":"rugby-world-cup","id":"111","oid":"210","order":1,"hasData":1},"3":{"title":"International","uri":"internationals","id":"107","oid":"3","order":3,"hasData":1},"201":{"title":"Gallagher Premiership","uri":"premiership","id":"101","oid":"201","order":4,"hasData":1},"204":{"title":"United Rugby Championship","uri":"united-rugby-championship","id":"138","oid":"204","order":5,"hasData":1},"203":{"title":"TOP 14","uri":"top-14","id":"102","oid":"203","order":6,"hasData":1},"217":{"title":"U20 Six Nations","uri":"u20-six-nations","id":"217","oid":"217","order":7,"hasData":1},"211":{"title":"Pro D2","uri":"pro-d2","id":"119","oid":"211","order":8,"hasData":1},"208":{"title":"Bunnings NPC","uri":"bunnings-npc","id":"105","oid":"208","order":9,"hasData":1},"242":{"title":"Investec Champions Cup","uri":"european-champions-cup","id":"110","oid":"242","order":10,"hasData":1},"243":{"title":"Challenge Cup","uri":"challenge-cup","id":"118","oid":"243","order":11,"hasData":1},"340":{"title":"PWR","uri":"premiership-womens-rugby","id":"127","oid":"340","order":12,"hasData":1},"205":{"title":"Super Rugby Pacific","uri":"super-rugby","id":"104","oid":"205","order":13,"hasData":1},"207":{"title":"Currie Cup","uri":"currie-cup","id":"106","oid":"207","order":14,"hasData":1},"248":{"title":"Women's Six Nations","uri":"womens-six-nations","id":"125","oid":"248","order":16,"hasData":1},"274":{"title":"Women's Internationals","uri":"womens-internationals","id":"274","oid":"274","order":17,"hasData":1},"249":{"title":"Women's Rugby World Cup","uri":"womens-rugby-world-cup","id":"126","oid":"249","order":18,"hasData":1},"365":{"title":"Autumn Nations Series","uri":"autumn-nations-series","id":"124","oid":"365","order":19,"hasData":1},"2000":{"title":"Nations Championship","uri":"nations-championship","id":"2000","oid":"2000","order":20,"hasData":1},"1":{"title":"Rugby Hybrid Friendlies","uri":"rugby-hybrid-friendlies","id":"1","oid":"1","order":21,"hasData":1},"269":{"title":"Rugby Europe Championship","uri":"rugby-europe-championship","id":"269","oid":"269","order":22,"hasData":1},"221":{"title":"British & Irish Lions 2025","uri":"british-irish-lions","id":"113","oid":"221","order":23,"hasData":1},"214":{"title":"The Rugby Championship","uri":"the-rugby-championship","id":"109","oid":"214","order":24,"hasData":1},"141":{"title":"Super Rugby Pacific","uri":"super-rugby-pacific","id":"141","oid":"141","order":25,"hasData":1},"216":{"title":"World Rugby Junior World Championship","uri":"world-rugby-u20-championship","id":"216","oid":"216","order":25,"hasData":1},"219":{"title":"Pacific Nations Cup","uri":"pacific-nations-cup","id":"219","oid":"219","order":26,"hasData":1},"120":{"title":"Pacific Four Series","uri":"pacific-four-series","id":"120","oid":"120","order":27,"hasData":1},"862":{"title":"WXV 1","uri":"wxv-1","id":"862","oid":"862","order":29,"hasData":1},"863":{"title":"WXV 2","uri":"wxv-2","id":"863","oid":"863","order":30,"hasData":1},"864":{"title":"WXV 3","uri":"wxv-3","id":"864","oid":"864","order":31,"hasData":1},"151":{"title":"Major League Rugby","uri":"major-league-rugby","id":"131","oid":"151","order":32,"hasData":1},"116":{"title":"Premiership Cup","uri":"premiership-cup","id":"116","oid":"116","order":34,"hasData":1}}
38 - 19
FT
51 - 25
FT
24 - 25
FT
54 - 28
FT
24 - 34
FT
29 - 14
FT
17 - 27
FT
36 - 36
FT
27 - 27
FT
7 - 38
FT
21 - 43
FT
33 - 40
FT
14 - 39
FT
27 - 47
FT
56 - 20
FT
21 - 40
FT
23 - 48
FT
49 - 12
FT
45 - 36
FT
31 - 14
FT
47 - 14
FT
33 - 25
FT
14 - 32
FT
14 - 26
FT
38 - 28
FT
29 - 27
FT
57 - 19
FT
41 - 17
FT
43 - 40
FT
18 - 9
FT
28 - 12
FT
Thursday
21:00
Friday
19:30
Friday
19:30
Friday
19:30
Friday
19:30
Friday
20:45
Friday
20:45
Friday
20:45
Friday
20:45
Friday
20:45
Friday
21:00
Friday
21:00
Saturday
07:50
Saturday
13:45
Saturday
14:30
Saturday
16:00
Saturday
16:00
Saturday
16:05
Saturday
16:35
Saturday
16:35
Saturday
16:35
Saturday
16:35
Saturday
18:30
Saturday
19:00
Saturday
20:00
Saturday
21:00

Sharks bolster the pack

By Online Editors
Thursday 12 Mar 2015
Sharks Director of Rugby Gary Gold has made four changes to his team for this Saturday’s Super Rugby clash with the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

 

All four personnel changes have been made in the pack, with a return to the all Springbok front row of Jannie du Plessis, back after being given last week off with the birth of his child, his brother and captain Bismarck du Plessis and Tendai Mtawarira.

 

Mouritz Botha is also back after an eye socket injury sustained in the opening round match against the Cheetahs, the first leg going the way of the Free State side, and the English International will pack down alongside Springbok Pieter-Steph du Toit in the second row.

 

The final change comes in at loose forward where Renaldo Bothma comes in for Willem Alberts who is out of the match 23 due to injury.

 

Gold said of Alberts' injury that it was just a tightening up of his problem hamstring.

 

"Willem just tightened up his hamstring on the weekend.

 

"It is being assessed, but we want to be careful with him, we do not want to have to rush him back too soon.

 

"It should only be a couple of weeks and he will be alright."

 

The Sharks will be wary of the Cheetahs having lost to them already this season.

 

“The Cheetahs were formidable opponents in our first round encounter and are a real threat with ball in hand,” Gold admits.

 

“We will have our work cut out for us this Saturday in a pressurised situation.”

 

Sharks: 15 SP Marais, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Francois Steyn, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Patrick Lambie, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Renaldo Bothma, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Mouritz Botha, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, (captain), 1 Tendai Mtawarira.

Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Dale Chadwick / Thomas du Toit, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Marco Wentzel / Lubabalo Mtyanda, 20 Lubabalo Mtembu, 21 Conrad Hoffmann, 22 Andre Esterhuizen, 23 Jack Wilson.

 

Date: Saturday, March 14

Venue: Free State stadium, Bloemfontein

Kick-off: 17.05 (15.05 GMT)

Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: Jaco van Heerden (South Africa), Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa)

TMO: Johan Greeff (South Africa)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Trending

1
Wallabies' Bledisloe crash reaffirms Boks, All Blacks as only real RWC 2027 contenders
2
Top dogs deliver on emotional weekend for SA rugby
3
Lions show courage after tragedy in defeat to Stade Rochelais

Join free

Has Beauden Barrett Just Secured His World Cup Place? | Aotearoa Rugby Pod | Episode 36

KOKO Show | 13 October 2026 | WALLABIES BROUGHT CRASHING BACK TO EARTH! All Blacks Deliver Bledisloe Reality Check!

What Rugby Fans Don't See: Ben O'Keeffe on Life Under Pressure | ARP Extra

What Did the All Blacks’ Big Win Prove? | Episode 35 | Aotearoa Rugby Pod

Canada v England | WXV Global Series

MLR Weekly: New England Owner Errik Anderson re expansion/future, MLR News, College Rugby Corner

Spain v South Africa | WXV Global Series 2026 | Match Highlights

Chile v Hong Kong China | U20 Challenger 2026 | Match Highlights

Belgium v Portugal | U20 Challenger 2026 | Match Highlights

Recommended

European Cup

Bok stars missing as Sharks unveil European tour squad

5d
63
European Cup

Bok loose forward's take on World Rugby's tackle law changes

5d
17
Australia

Suaalii backs Wallabies bounce-back after All Blacks thrashing

5d
3
European Cup

Dobbo reveals timeline for injured players' return

6d
32

Write A Comment

Trending

1
Wallabies' Bledisloe crash reaffirms Boks, All Blacks as only real RWC 2027 contenders
2
Top dogs deliver on emotional weekend for SA rugby
3
Lions show courage after tragedy in defeat to Stade Rochelais