Viljoen returns as Sharks hunt Cheetahs
Riaan Viljoen has returned to the Sharks team for their Super Rugby derby with the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
The inclusion of Viljoen, who last year still featured in the Cheetahs squad when he was a member of the Kimberley-based Griquas team, is the only change to the starting line-up.
Viljoen comes in for Louis Ludik in an enforced change. Ludik has failed to recover from a bad knock he took to his bicep against the Western Force last week and will sit this game out.
It gives the Sharks some much needed continuity.
The other good news is that ace flyhalf Pat Lambie has suffered no side-effects of the knock he took last week and will take his place at flyhalf.
There is one change to the bench, where Willem Alberts replaces young Pieter-Steph du Toit.
The remainder of the matchday 22 remains unchanged.
Sharks coach John Plumtree spoke of the important of the breakdown in Saturday’s showdown.
“The Cheetahs are an exciting attacking side, although we obviously like to attack as well, so if both sides look after the ball at the breakdown and Jonathan Kaplan rules it really well at the breakdown, we could get a really open game,” Plumtree said.
However, as a derby game, every expectation is that this game will be won in the tight exchanges.
“I’m sure we can expect this game will be typical trench warfare,” Plumtree adds.
The Sharks kept David Pocock quiet last week and will be hoping to do the same this weekend with the Cheetahs’ own fetcher extraordinaire.
“Obviously, Heinrich Brüssow is a major threat to us, but if we stick to our structures and do what we want to in terms of attack then we’ll keep him quiet.
“But he’ll still be a presence, and just as it was against Pocock of the Force at breakdown time, he’s just one player they are relying on, and they’ll be looking for other guys to feature as well.”
Sharks: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Tim Whitehead, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Patrick Lambie, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Keegan Daniel (captain), 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Willem Alberts, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Ryan Kankowski, 21 Frederic Michalak, 22 Meyer Bosman.
Date: Saturday, May 19
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 17.05 (15.05 GMT)
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Rasta Rashivenga (South Africa), Tiaan Jonker (South Africa)
TMO: Gerrie Coetzee (South Africa)
