Sharks get their Beast back
Sharks Director of Rugby Gary Gold made just one change to his starting XV to take on the Reds in the final match of their Australasian Super Rugby tour.
Springbok Tendai Mtawarira will start at loosehead prop in the Round 15 encounter in Brisbane on Friday, as the Durban-based franchise look to end a six-match losing streak.
Mtawarira takes over from Dale Chadwick in the No.1 jersey – with Chadwick dropping down to the replacement bench and British and Irish Lions veteran Matt Stevens dropping out of the matchday 23.
There are a few changes to the bench – with England international Mouritz Botha replacing Lubabalo Mtyanda as lock cover.
Fred Zeilinga also comes onto the bench, with Waylon Murray dropping out of the matchday 23.
Sharks: 15 Lwazi Mvovo, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Sibusiso Sithole, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Renaldo Bothma, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Marco Wentzel (captain), 4 Stephan Lewies, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Dale Chadwick, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Mouritz Botha, 20 Etienne Oosthuizen, 21 Conrad Hoffmann, 22 Fred Zeilinga, 23 Andre Esterhuizen.
Date: Friday, May 22
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Kick-off: 19.40 (11.40 SA time; 09.40 GMT)
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: Matt O'Brien (Australia), Damien Mitchelmore (Australia)
TMO: Peter Marshall (Australia)
