Sharks name Steyn despite hearing
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The Sharks have named Frans Steyn at flyhalf, to face the Western Force, despite SANZAR appealing his not-guilty verdict for a tip tackle against the Chiefs last weekend.
Steyn's hearing is set to take place on Friday, a day before the match gets underway – with the possibility that the utility back could face an immediate ban, which would rule him out of the Force clash.
In other changes for the Durban outfit, fit again flank Jean Deysel will captain a new-look team.
Springboks Pat Lambie, Cobus Reinach and Marcell Coetzee are being rested as part of the SARU player management initiative.
Regular captain Bismarck du Plessis is also missing, after being suspended for four weeks for kicking an opponent in the encounter with the Chiefs last weekend.
The good news is that Mouritz Botha and Tendai Mtawarira, both of whom took heavy blows from the Chiefs, have been passed fit to play.
Jannie du Plessis has also recovered from a shoulder knock.
That means Kyle Cooper, coming in at hooker for the suspended Bismarck du Plessis, is the only other change (apart from Deysel) amongst the forwards.
Backline changes will see a new halfback pairing for the first time this season.
Conrad Hoffmann takes over at scrumhalf, with Steyn shifting to flyhalf.
Andre Esterhuizen earns his second start. He will partner JP Pietersen from inside centre.
There is plenty of youth on the bench with Thomas du Toit joining Monde Hadebe, Daniel du Preez, Stefan Ungerer and Fred Zeilinga in the reserves.
These two teams have met on eight occasions, but it is The Sharks who hold the upper hand, having won seven of them, including a six match winning streak stretching back to 2007.
Sharks: 15 SP Marais, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Frans Steyn, 9 Conrad Hoffmann, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Jean Deysel (captain), 6 Renaldo Bothma, 5 Marco Wentzel, 4 Mouritz Botha, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Monde Hadebe, 17 Thomas du Toit, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 20 Daniel du Preez, 21 Stefan Ungerer, 22 Fred Zeilinga, 23 Waylon Murray.
Date: Saturday, March 28
Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 17.05 (23.05 AWST; 02.05 AEDT Sunday, March 29; 15.05 GMT)
Referee: Nic Briant (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Jason Jaftha (South Africa), Quinton Immelman (South Africa)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
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